Wheel balancing

[Steve]

Just had 2 new front tyres on the car, its first tyre change from new at 17000 miles. Noticed when I got the car home that they've had to use about 5 balancing weights (of different sizes) on each wheel. Why is this? Never seen this many weights used. They are quite noticeable too because they are between the spokes on the alloys on both wheels. Is this a problem with the wheel or the tyre?

The tyres are mid-range Kumhos (£110) replacing Michellin Pilot sport 3s (£150) on these alloys:

 

[mfarrow]

Have they got the red and yellow dots in the right place? These indicate the heaviest/lightest parts of the tyre and something else (I forget the details now though). The weight one ought to correspond with the heaviest part of the wheel, usually the valve, but most garages and even OEMs don't bother.

A tyre from a higher range manufacturer like Michelin will always be easier to balance, it's just the nature of the beast. There should just be one single cluster of weights both on the inside and outside of the rim, but with posh alloys I think you have to be a little more creative.

 

[Burnerman]

Tyre yellow spot next to the valve........if the weights are all over the place then I might expect slight rim damage (slight buckle maybe).
As said, the balance weights can be on the inner and outer sides of the rim, and should be the stick on type.
John

 

[Agile]

My tyre fitter just used the usual hammer on weights on a similar wheel for me.

But he did put weights on both inside and outside as requested by the machine.

Their apprentice did not put the brown spot opposite the valve on my steel wheels.

Tony