Discussion Forum - Northstar Chevelle Club

jim larson · 2K+ Club

Tire mounting and Balancing without damaging my newly painted rims.

Back in Black · Active Member

I've mounted many tires without scratching rims. Just takes care and patience.

You might be able to do a static balance using stick on weights on the inside of the rim. Depends on the rim.

John D · 2K+ Club

You may consider having the tires mounted at a shop that does "custom wheels" opposed to the corner gas station... The wheel shops usually have "irons" for the machines with nylon rub blocks as to not damage the $900ea., 26" donks that are so popular with certain enthusiasts.

Lost in the 60s · President

The wheels are too narrow and the mounting surface nearly centered to use stick on weights.

Most modern mounting machines don't touch the wheel anymore but they do clamp on the inside of the back, which may scratch the paint.

Chris R · 2K+ Club

Ive used a ton of these machines that mount delicate and expensive wheels. They also have the ability to mount on the outside lip of the rim and clamp inward so as to "squeeze" it instead of spreading out to hold the wheel. The tech mounts the tire and un-squeezes the rim, then airs it up to seat the beads. That way, no connection by the machine on the wheel is clamped anywhere you could physically see it. Some shops have a very high end tire machine that is designed for wheels with low profile tires and expensive wheels and thats your best option. However, since your using steel wheels anyway. Any decent tire changer will be just fine for what your needing. They can clamp on the inside of the wheel without hurting it and since you cant see inside a steel wheel anyways. No one would notice it anyways. If you would have gone with a powdercoat, it would be even better since the finish is a bit more tough.

Back in Black · Active Member

Chris R wrote:
Ive used a ton of these machines that mount delicate and expensive wheels. They also have the ability to mount on the outside lip of the rim and clamp inward so as to "squeeze" it instead of spreading out to hold the wheel. The tech mounts the tire and un-squeezes the rim, then airs it up to seat the beads. That way, no connection by the machine on the wheel is clamped anywhere you could physically see it. Some shops have a very high end tire machine that is designed for wheels with low profile tires and expensive wheels and thats your best option. However, since your using steel wheels anyway. Any decent tire changer will be just fine for what your needing. They can clamp on the inside of the wheel without hurting it and since you cant see inside a steel wheel anyways. No one would notice it anyways. If you would have gone with a powdercoat, it would be even better since the finish is a bit more tough.

My machine will clamp inside or out. I always clamp on the outside with the plastic "boots" on the clamps. Clamping on the inside leaves marks. I can mount/dismount a 355/30-18 stiff sidewall road race slick on a 14" wide wheel without doing any damage to the wheel or the tire. I don't know how these tire shops can quote $200 with a straight face to do the same thing.

Chris R · 2K+ Club

Back in Black wrote:
I don't know how these tire shops can quote $200 with a straight face to do the same thing.

Ive always said the price shops charge for tire mounting and balancing and machining rotors and drums are the biggest forms of robbery in the field. Its absurd the prices they charge.

jim larson · 2K+ Club

Lost in the 60s wrote:
The wheels are too narrow and the mounting surface nearly centered to use stick on weights.

Most modern mounting machines don't touch the wheel anymore but they do clamp on the inside of the back, which may scratch the paint.

I think I see what you mean Mitch, the mounting surface for the outside would be almost 2" to the inside and the inside would be1" from the inside. Are there any special kind of weights that one should use on these old rims, like a coated or powder coated weight?

-- Edited by jim larson on Tuesday 24th of March 2015 09:51:46 AM

Lost in the 60s · President

You could find a places that use coated weights to avoid lead weights that can discolor. You could also just use the standard lead weights and paint them to match and disguise them somewhat.

jim larson · 2K+ Club

Looks like I will most likely paint the weights. I was mainly concerned with scratching the paint on the rims when the weights get hammered on.

4" of snow on the ground here, so no hurry.

Lost in the 60s · President

jim larson wrote:
Looks like I will most likely paint the weights. I was mainly concerned with scratching the paint on the rims when the weights get hammered on.
4" of snow on the ground here, so no hurry.

Really no way to avoid that with pound on weights.

Derek69SS · Founding Member

I would just do a "static" balance and only put weights on the inside bead.

jim larson · 2K+ Club

I have been doing a little reading on the differences between static and dynamic balancing. It looks like the wider you go the more you should go the dynamic route. Then there is the whole thing about rim issues. I am going to radials in hopes of a better ride, so it looks like the dynamic balance. Thanks everyone.

Balance

Good reading on tire balancing.

Derek69SS · Founding Member

I have done static-balance only on every car I have owned...

dashboard · 2K+ Club

Got an email from Diamondback, they have a nice spring sale going on.

Two questions Jim.

What tire where the red lines made from?
What are you going to put on for hubcaps, dog dish or the mag looking cap?
Ok, make it three...what color are the rims, red or black?

jim larson · 2K+ Club

dashboard wrote:
Got an email from Diamondback, they have a nice spring sale going on.

Two questions Jim.

What tire where the red lines made from?
What are you going to put on for hubcaps, dog dish or the mag looking cap?
Ok, make it three...what color are the rims, red or black?

Whats the sale Kevin?? I asked them about a sale and they said they had nothing going.

I went with the DiamondBack III which is the BF Goodrich TA Radials, (Not the Silvertown that Coker sells). I plan to use the dog dish caps. I have the bias ply tires on a set of black rims and will use the Mags with those.

Rim were painted black, and then the outsides with overspray to the inside were painted Regal Red.

dashboard · 2K+ Club

Go here

www.dbtires.com/

That's a good tire. Mine are based on Firestone 500s

jim larson · 2K+ Club

dashboard wrote:
Go here

www.dbtires.com/

That's a good tire. Mine are based on Firestone 500s

Signed up twice over the winter, I did not receive anything.

jim larson · 2K+ Club

Only special now per phone call is on the Cooper Tire.

jim larson · 2K+ Club

The tires arrived today. Keith is going to mount them for me on Wed Morning.

A representative fron a wheel balancing firm call me today. He felt that I could do the dynamic force balance with a conventional weight on the inside and a glued on weight on the inside since there was a 1.00 offset, I guess the machine where I am going has the capability do do that. We will see once we get the rim with tire mounted on the balancer.