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Excessive wheel balance weights? Wheel shop or Toyota techs?

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by scocar, Mar 2, 2010.

  1. Mar 2, 2010 at 4:26 PM
    #1
    scocar

    scocar [OP] hypotenoper

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    I am looking for someone who can clarify FSM info on wheel balance maximum weights or what is "normal." On page SA-5, it states:

    Imbalance after adjustment 4WD: 14 grams (0.031 lb) or less.

    And that is pretty much all the information it provides. I have also seen the TSB on using the Hakewa adpater.

    So I have the TRD offroad "stock" aluminum wheels, and I just had Michelin AT2 265/70R16 (stock size) put on all around a couple months ago. Obviously, this is a pretty tame tire. There is a shimmy (steering wheel) around 55-65 mph, so I will be taking it back in to re-balance.

    Just to learn, I checked all the alignment specs in the FSM, and the shop did align it within spec. for my truck type (VZN170L-CRMDKAB)

    I just went out to see how much weight they put on the wheels, and they did use combined weights (inner rim edge weights and adhesive weights on the inside of the wheel as far to the outer wheel as possible, no weights on outer rim edge). But some weights seemed excessive:

    LF: 24 grams
    RF: 130 grams
    LR: 102 grams
    RR: 66 grams

    The RF and LR seem like a lot of weight, but I don't know. :confused: Is this pretty normal? I thought a defective tire may be a factor, but they are Michelins. (I guess based on recent Toyota news, maybe a name doesn't mean much anymore..)

    I just want to know if this shop has its act together or not. I don't think they have a road-force machine, and I don't know if they used a Hakewa adapter (but I will ask).

    If the weights sound excessive and they don't have any of this other equipment, I am going to find another shop that does.

    Help/discuss...
     
  2. Mar 2, 2010 at 6:52 PM
    #2
    tacomaman06

    tacomaman06 Carolina Alliance: Enforcer

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    getting there....
    sounds like alot of weight to me for the front wheels, but it could be several things...outta round tire, the balancer they used(or te guy doing the balancing), or it could be a wheel problem. honestly though, if it rides good and doesnt shake....you are probably alright.
     
  3. Mar 3, 2010 at 5:28 AM
    #3
    Space Wrangler

    Space Wrangler Well-Known Member

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    04 Tacoma 4x4 Double Cab SAW 2.0's Alcan's Ion 171 wheels 15x8 (-27mm bs) 32" BFG AT's


    i've found that it's really difficult to get a smooth ride on these trucks using stick-on weights. ...go back and have them rebalance using clip-on weights. ..if you still have an issue after that, i'd make the place that sold you the tires start replacing them until you got a smooth ride.
     
  4. Mar 3, 2010 at 7:21 AM
    #4
    bivey

    bivey Well-Known Member

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    They probably need to be road-forced. Most likely the tires can be turned on the rim and it should bring down the weight it wants to take.
     
  5. Mar 3, 2010 at 9:07 AM
    #5
    scocar

    scocar [OP] hypotenoper

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    Yeah, I was thinking along these lines after reading up on the machine, and I've found another authorized Michelin shop nearby that has the machine to do it...

    That's a good point. It looks cleaner without weights on the outside of the alloy rims, and I don't want to mar them, but yes, those stick-ons on the inside of the wheel are pretty far from the rims' outer radius, and they are a couple inches inboard of the rim's outer edge. The heaviest wheel (130 g) had 70g of stick-ons and 60g of clip-ons on the inboard edge. I can't remember their relative position, but that just seems wrong to me.

    Thanks for your input, guys. I am going to grill them on their equipment and technique, and if they dont' have the goods, I am going to take it to the other authorized Michelin dealer who has the Road Force machine. That way, we can eliminate other factors, and if I do have a defective tire, they can handle replacement.
     
  6. Mar 9, 2010 at 11:10 PM
    #6
    scocar

    scocar [OP] hypotenoper

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    OK, here's the follow-up and this annoying wheel balance problem. Nothing special, stock TRD setup with new Michelin AT2s.

    I figured if the original shop (Advanced Tire, Q Street, Sacramento, they suck) couldn't balance them right the first time, I didn't want to waste any more time with them.

    I called a Michelin-authorized shop with a Hunter Road force balancer. I started explaining, and he almost completed my sentence: "Tacoma...and it shakes at 60 mph." He said they had a lot of people with Tacoms and Tundras (older ones running the same Toyota 6-lug alum. wheel) with the same issue. I asked if the road force would fix it, and he said "I don't know." I asked if they had a Haweka adapter, and he said no. Then, he said, kind of quiet-like, "Try calling Radial Tire Service on Cottage Way, they work on all kinds of vehicles, like Ferraris and stuff" (Sacramento). I said "hey, thanks, I appreciate it," and I did apperciate that he wasn't going to waste my or his time.

    Called Radial Tire Service and had a lengthy discussion with a tech, telling him how much weight was on the wheels, Haweka, blah blah blah. He took his time and was not in a hurry to get off the phone. I got the feeling that these guys knew their stuff, especially if another shop was referring me.

    I take it in this morning, go talk to a guy at the counter, and another guy (I think a manager...he was on it) hears us and walks up after he sees the wheels, and says, "yeah those need a special adapter," I say "this one" and hold up the TSB, and he says, "yeah we dont' have one, but the dealer will," and I said I was avoiding that, especially with all the recalls going on, and he says, "well, we can try to balance them, and if you test drive it and you aren't happy, we won't charge you." Deal, do it, I say.

    They get the truck on the rack immediately, four guys on it (this is a big, busy shop near a lot of car dealerships, Bentleys and Beemers around...), they spin them up on a standard dynamic balancer, hub-centric, and they call me out to the shop floor and say "yeah, these are way off, 1.5 ounces (~35 grams on each wheel at least), and they will never balance with those adhesive weights on the inside," so I say fine, put some on the outer rim.

    20 minutes later, they hand it over, and ask if I want to drive it first. Yup. So the service counter guy says (and this blew me away) "OK, just fill out the top of the work order and give us your phone number. If you are happy with them, call us back with your credit card and we'll fax you the receipt as paid." No shit? Deal.

    I drove it to work. It is dialed in without a Haweka adapter and without road force balancing. $15 per wheel. And what kind of kick-ass customer service is that? These guys have just secured all my future wheel business. This seems so rare these days that I just had to broadcast it.

    If you are in the Sac area, use these guys.

    Radial Tire Service
    2500 Cottage Way
    Sacramento, CA
    916.481.7007
     

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