Hi All,

Today was an exciting day. First time ever getting aftermarket wheels installed and driving on summer tires.

While at Firestone, they informed me the new wheels and tires (19x8.5 +35 Niche Milan and 245/40/R19 Toyo Proxy T1 Sports) were not balancing properly. I was told they even tried putting different tires on each wheel to see if it was the tires or the wheels. They were using a GSP9700 to balance my wheels.

There are 4 weights drivers side front, 8 weights drivers side rear, 12 weights passenger front, and 31 weights passenger rear.

There's no shaking under 50 mph, but there I noticed my passenger seat was shaking with steady driving at 70-80 mph.

I'm using M12 x 1.25 SplineDrive McGard lugs and 72.6mm to 66.1mm Aluminum Hubrings. I also bought VDO 315 Mhz TPMS Sensors from Amazon that were installed with the wheels. I'm lowered on Swift Springs.

How can I determine if it is the wheels or tires that is the issue? I'm not even sure if I can exchange or return these anymore since they have been mounted. Wheels were bought from Switch Suspension on Amazon and Tires are from Treaddepot.

Just looking for some feedback on what I should do.

Thank you,

 

Sorry to hear of your problems. The tires should have a colored dot on them that is used to index the tire on the wheel, and some wheels also have a paint dot to indicate the index point, this is supposed to minimize the weights needed. Might try a different shop. Unfortunately you didn't get your wheels & tires from treadepot as they ship them out balanced.

You said the shop tried different tires, were they able to balance the other tires, or was it still out of balance?

I doubt the tires would be the issue but best to call both vendors and see what they recommend.

G/L

 

Thanks for the quick reply blnewt!

I'm in the midst of talking with the wheel vendor to see if I might be able to exchange the back wheels. I'm going to try getting them balanced at a different shop before I send them back. I keep reading about how good the GSP9700 wheel balancing machine is, but a second opinion from another shop won't break the bank. The paint dot on the tire are not aligned in any particular way to the wheel. I didn't notice any paint dots on the wheel.

The shop tech tried mounting different tires from the set I purchased on the same wheel to see if the weight would change from tire to fire. I didn't actually see them do this, but they really think it's the wheel and not the tire.

We're getting snow in a few days so I'll throw my stock 17s back on and get these checked out.

Thanks,

 

Hope you get this sorted out, and hopefully you can get it fixed without having to go through a return/exchange hassle, here's a good link for that indexing
Winter Tech Information - Match Mounting to Enhance Tire & Wheel Uniformity
And this one under "vibration Diagnostics"
Sullivan Tire & Auto Service

 

The paint dots indicate either the lightest or heaviest point of the tire as determined by the maker, don't rightly know which it is. The dot is lined with or opposite the Schrader valve as that is assumed to be the heaviest spot on the wheel.

Here's an explanation:
http://www.tirebusiness.com/article/...rkings-serve-a

 

Ugh still learning how to correctly reply
My best guess is, since you have to use hub spacers, that the problem is the method they use to mount the wheel to the balancer. The BEST is by using a "pin plate" adapter. It uses 5 pins to center the wheel. This most closely recreates how the wheel is centered on your hub. Using a large cone in the center hole on the balancer, then the spacer centering it on your hub, allows too much variation. I would hope the Firestone guys would know this but, you know, not all techs are created equal. I worked at a sears tire center for 15 years and this was the largest problem when lesser techs installed new rims.

 

Hi SomeName,

To mount the wheel to the balancer they used a rubber padded attachment that rested against the center of the wheel. I only know this because the service tech manager said it would leave a black mark on the wheel that I would have to polish off.

Update: I went to a local shop to get the back wheels rebalanced. They didn't have the newest technology, but I think they used this "pin plate" adapter because the fastener went right through the center. No issues with getting it on the balanced. However the service tech said he thinks the wheel isn't the issue, but it's the tires. I have less weights on the back two wheels now, but there's still the same amount of vibration. I need to figure out if it really is the tire or the wheel thats causing the issue.

Thanks,

 

I highly doubt it's the tires. Just have them send you new wheels.

 

Think I failed to describe it accurately https://youtu.be/UoVazGsQLu8
here is a nice video. If the link doesnt work, just google pin plate balancing. The wheel he balances doesn't need it. The 4runner wheel in the opening was always needed. Main point: hub
-centric vs lug-centric wheel and proper technique.
Anyways, if the problem is not this, Id be more suspicious of the tires than the rims. And, It's standard practice to put the heavier weight tires on the rear. When you rotate them, the vibration will be worse.

 

Thanks for the video on describing pin plate balancing. I may know a shop that uses pin plate balancing, but I am going to hold off on getting them re-balanced until I get new wheels.

@ZOSTER33 Most of the people I'm talking to believe it is also the wheels. The wheel vendor said they notified the manufacturer yesterday morning and will update me when they get any additional info. Hope to hear some good news this week.

 

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

I'd get different wheels

 

One of my T7R/DWS06 was balanced without any weights... I'd also agree on there being a wheel issue.

 

Any updates on your tires/wheels?

 

Yep. I was going to post something next week. I talked to the wheels vendor a couple weeks ago, they talked to Niche and agreed to replace the two back wheels that had a lot of weight. Free shipping both ways. The wheels shipped out Tuesday and should be here April 26th.

I also talked to the Treaddepot around the same time I first contacted the wheels vendor and he suggested I had the back wheels rebalanced again at a different shop with road force balancing. $60 later, the shop says it's the tires. Treaddepot agreed to replace the two tires. Those tires arrived a week ago and the old ones back at Treaddepot. I'm just waiting on a refund. Treaddepot is also going to credit the balance I did at the shop with the road force balancing. Andrew at Treaddepot has been great. I would do business with them again.

Once the wheels get here on Tuesday, I'll have them mounted Wednesday and hopefully there are no more issues.