My new tires/wheels not balanced right?

[rednofive]

Just got Rota 17x8 GunMetallic G-Force wheels mounted with Bridgestone Potenza G019 Grid 235/45-17 all-season tires. So sweet.

Unfortunately, I think I might have a wheel balance problem. There's still a wheel weight on the inside of each wheel but my car has a strange shimmy above about 50 mph ever since I put the wheels on about a month ago. I haven't hit any potholes since I got them, so I don't think there's any wheel deformation. I feel the shimmy accelerating, coasting, or braking but I notice it the most while cruising on the highway at 65-70 mph.

The weights are the adhesive-type placed on the inside of the wheels.
On two of my wheels, the weights are on the flat part of the inside of the wheel and closest to the hub-side edge of the wheel. Not sure if locating them in the middle of the width of the wheel makes a diff or not, but they're on the inner flat surface nearest the hub.

On the other two wheels, the weights are placed on the inside lip of the wheel that is just behind the "spokes", so you can see them easily from the outside looking in at the wheel. What's more is that this lip that goes from the back-side of the spokes into the flat inner side of the wheel is not "flat" relative to a perpendicular from the center of the wheel outwards to the surface of the tire. It kinda curves from the spokes to the flat inside of the wheel.

Know what I mean? Not sure if that matters or not.

Does anyone have wheel balancing experience?
Could this be the cause or am I likely barking up the wrong tree?

Maybe it doesn't cost much just to have them all rebalanced, but I hate having my new wheels handled any more than I have to.
So if the cause might be something else, Id like to hear it.

Car has 4K miles on it.

thanks,
Pete

 

[Kain]

Sounds like your wheels are not centered on the hub. I had Rota Slipstreams on a previous car, and when I bought them I was in a hurry and didn't bother using the hubcentric rings nor did I properly torque the wheels on the hub. It would ride fine until about 60-70 mph when the car would noticeably vibrate. Once I pulled over and slapped the hubcentric rings in, it had been fine since.

So to make a long story short, get some hubcentric rings because I doubt your Rotas have a center bore of exactly 67.1 mm, or properly torque down your wheels.

 

[SuperStretch18]

Sounds like your wheels are not centered on the hub. I had Rota Slipstreams on a previous car, and when I bought them I was in a hurry and didn't bother using the hubcentric rings nor did I properly torque the wheels on the hub. It would ride fine until about 60-70 mph when the car would noticeably vibrate. Once I pulled over and slapped the hubcentric rings in, it had been fine since.

So to make a long story short, get some hubcentric rings because I doubt your Rotas have a center bore of exactly 67.1 mm, or properly torque down your wheels.

Exactly what I was going to say. I've done that before too...(usa)

 

[MikeHTally]

When you bought the wheel/tire combo, were they supposed to be balanced? If so, they probably are, so either the wheels are not centered or the tires are out-of-round. I don't think out-of-round occurs much any more.

 

[coololddude]

if its a shimmy they could very well be out of balance. if it pulls to the left or right it could be alignment. if it isnt either, you are nearing deep S___ territory!

 

[rednofive]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I used a tire rotation freebie at the local Mazda dlrshp.
they were given hubcentric rings (given to me by Wheeldude) with my pre-balanced wheels, so maybe it really is just a matter of torque or a problem with one of the rings.

I'll take a look soon when I put on my black lugs instead of my chrome ones...

thx.

 

[jjjxlr8]

It's quite possible that they are out of balance. Balance weights can come off, tires can slip on the rim (especially if you did some hard braking or acceleration right away), or maybe they were not balanced correctly in the first place.

I bet the wheel/tire assemblies are out of balance.

 

[rednofive]

It's quite possible that they are out of balance. Balance weights can come off, tires can slip on the rim (especially if you did some hard braking or acceleration right away), or maybe they were not balanced correctly in the first place.

I bet the wheel/tire assemblies are out of balance.

And you'd have been right.

Just took it back to the local and they re-balanced the wheels and stated that 3 of the 4 were out of balance as delivered to me.

Driving back it still felt like things were a bit wrong, but I haven't had enough driving time on a nice road to be sure.