wheel weights - stick-on or conventional?

[mikec]

How many of you use the stick-on tape weights for wheel balancing? Is there a down side to them?

Does one type of weight do a better balancing job than the other? The hammer on type always seems to let a mark whereever it was.

 

[DONYMO]

Stick on is the way to go with nice wheels or if you're tracking the car. I've never had them come off. They are put on the inside of the wheel so there is no potential for wheel damage and it doesn't look like crap.

 

[apapada]

I agree with Don. Stick ons are the way to go.

 

[j14nsx]

Also find a fitter with a machine, that can perform calculations, so that the stick-on weights are positioned behind the spokes. This hides them even more.

 

[2slow2speed]

Stick on is the way to go with nice wheels or if you're tracking the car. I've never had them come off. They are put on the inside of the wheel so there is no potential for wheel damage and it doesn't look like crap.

FYI: I have had the ones that are placed on the inside of the wheels come off due to extreme heat of the rims at the track.

In order to prevent this I use aluminum tape (the ones that is used for heat/ac ducting) to cover the weights, this was a trick that I learned from Steve at Foreign Affair who used to have the same exact problem when he raced his race car.

Ken

Edit: typos

 

[2slow2speed]

picture..

This is what I was referring to in my earlier post.

 

[nsxtasy]

Wherever possible, I use the stick-on weights on the inside of the wheels, for three reasons: (1) appearance; (2) won't damage the finish on the outside of the rim; (3) centrifugal force (such as at the track) holds the weights on tighter, rather than pulling them off the wheel. Because of (3), I haven't had problems with weights loosening, so I haven't been using aluminum tape (but that doesn't mean it's not a good idea).

Downsides: (a) must be careful when positioning, if clearances with the brake calipers are tight; (b) some wheel mounting/balancing places charge extra.

 

[2slow2speed]

(3) centrifugal force (such as at the track) holds the weights on tighter, rather than pulling them off the wheel. Because of (3), I haven't had problems with weights loosening, so I haven't been using aluminum tape (but that doesn't mean it's not a good idea).

FYI: The wheels weights used to fall off *after* the car came off the track, the heat was just too much for the adhesive that was being used on the weights.

I tried using some duct tape but it simply melted due to the heat, finally I was told about the aluminum tape while getting the car teched at FA.

Ken

 

[NSXDreamer2]

FYI: The wheels weights used to fall off *after* the car came off the track, the heat was just too much for the adhesive that was being used on the weights.

I was going to say so electric tape won't work then??

Yeah, like nsxtasy say, I've seen people had rubbed the weight on their sparkly new caliper (BBK of course) just rolling out of the shop...

Damage: The guy gets to re-powder coat the caliper and take the wheels to re balance...


I believed one Ken had the weight came off, and the other Ken doesn't have the problem is due to the tire installer's workmanship... Maybe the surface had not been clean throughly before they stick the weigh on the rims...

 

[2slow2speed]

I was going to say so electric tape won't work then??

Yeah, like nsxtasy say, I've seen people had rubbed the weight on their sparkly new caliper (BBK of course) just rolling out of the shop...

Damage: The guy gets to re-powder coat the caliper and take the wheels to re balance...


I believed one Ken had the weight came off, and the other Ken doesn't have the problem is due to the tire installer's workmanship... Maybe the surface had not been clean throughly before they stick the weigh on the rims...

Nope, I've known the Manager of the tire shop that works on my wheels for many years, everyone at the shop knows that I track my NSX so they are extra vigilant when they work on my tires/wheels. They are very thorough with their inspection and handling of the wheels/tires.

If you are going to continue to track your NSX seriously make sure to develop a good relationship with the folks who service your car.

I don't want to sound patronizing but one of these days once you get more track-time and are able to push your car close to 10/10th's go ahead and measure the temperature of your rims when they come off the track after a 30 minute session with a pyrometer, you will be surprised at the temperature readings that you will get.

There are many other people that I know at the track that have had the same exact problem with their wheel weights, and the usage of the aluminum tape is a well known racer's trick to prevent it from happening, I just wanted to share that with the other folks here who were unaware of it.

Just my 2cents...

Ken

 

[dnicho05]

Haven't tracked my NSX yet, so I have never had any fall off, but I am a total fan of those stick on weights.

I even have them on the factory rims of my wife's Durango. We always had trouble getting the Durango's tires to ride nice, but since I switched to the stick ons, that SUV is as smooth as glass.

I won't ever use anything else on any of my cars in the future, and definetly wouldn't use anything else for my NSX.

 

[nsxtasy]

I don't want to sound patronizing

You do.

once you get more track-time and are able to push your car close to 10/10th's

You mean, like me?

 

[ak]

Where can i get the Aluminum tape?

 

[dnicho05]

Home Depot - Lowes - Etc.

Its used to seal HVAC ducting, thermal paneling, and a boatload of other uses. You may even find it in some automotive stores, since its used for securing heat sheilds and stuff.

 

[2slow2speed]

You do.

You mean, like me?

Ken (nsxtasy),

Don't take things personally, I was not talking about you when I was referring to pushing the car to it's limits, I'm sure that you do. But your setup is completely different to what I use on the track and the tracks that you run are not the same either, so perhaps you don't run into the same problems.

I'm not sure about the stock wheels, but I've had problems with both my TE37's as well as the GC07's, maybe it's the fact that the wheels are powdercoated or painted, maybe it's the adhesive that is being used on the weights that are being used by my shop, maybe it's because I need to come into the pits/hot-pits without a cool down lap because of a black flag all situation, or having to stop in the middle of the track because of a red flag, the problem is real and is there, the spongy material that sits between the weight and wheel is not able to hold the weight on the wheel in a reliable way for track conditions.

Ken

 

[nsxtasy]

your setup is completely different to what I use on the track

My brake cooling ducts probably help, for one thing.

and the tracks that you run are not the same either

That's true. I've run Laguna Seca and Infineon (Sears Point) and Spring Mountain (Pahrump), and you probably haven't run any of those.

maybe it's because I need to come into the pits/hot-pits without a cool down lap because of a black flag

You bad boy!

having to stop in the middle of the track because of a red flag

Been there, done that, no wheel weights falling off

Again, I am not saying that it's necessarily a bad idea - only that I haven't run into it. And I've run into most of the common problems that come up from extensive tracking of the car...

 

[Autophile]

Taping the weights also helps keep them from being sheared off from sudden changes in rotational inertia (i.e., heat was not an issue). My Cuda showed me that one.

 

[jbum]

Sorry to bring up an old thread but what shops offer tape weights? Do I have to go to a specialty shop for this?

 

[nsxtasy]

Sorry to bring up an old thread but what shops offer tape weights? Do I have to go to a specialty shop for this?

Most shops are happy to use tape weights. Some charge an extra few bucks per tire to do so.

The more significant question is whether they keep tape weights in stock. Call ahead to ask. When they don't, you can usually buy some at your local auto parts store and the tire shops are usually happy to use them.