Hey all --

I have a brand new set of 10x6 genuine Minilite wheels with 165/70-10 Hoosies mounted. The shop that does all of my mounting and balancing can't balance them because they're too light for the balancer (keeps saying wheel is loose).

How do you guys balance these wheels? I am replacing my 12" tire/wheel combo which didn't have any problem balancing.

Thanks in advance,
Jeff

 

I've run into a similar problem - modern balancing machines have a computer controller and they don't usually go down to a 10" diameter anymore

my solution up to now is a unique one - a guy I know who's into Mini's picked up an old balancing machine from a tire shop going out of business. This one DOES recoq' wheels down to 10" but it does take a little fussing to get the machine to actually finish the program for a balance (weight?). So that's one option, look for an older shop.

Another potential I've kept in my "I wonder" file is to go to a good R/V trailer store or a place doing quality boat trainers. they use smaller diameter wheels and I'm pretty sure they balance 'em . . .

 

+1 on the boat/triler shop

scott

 

Also try an tire place that also works on motorcycles.

 

As an old Dunlop tire dealer I found the best solution was to use a bubble balancer. Used stick on tire weights on the inside of the wheel. Took the total amount of weight needed and divided it into two equal halves. Marked the location where wheel balanced, then marked 22 1/2 degrees on each side of the balance point and placed each half of the weight on these marks. This worked well on the Dunlop aluminum wheels. If you don't care about looks the same method works even better if you divide the total weight needed by 4 and apply the same as above but place them front and back. One other point to remember is this small diameter wheel is a lot less sensitive to balance....smaller amount of centrifugal force.

 

I have a friend that offered up his bubble balancer but I decided to skip it. After a weekend at the track I decided that there really is no value in balancing these tires.

Between the small diameter (small amount of rotating mass) and the rubber pick up on track there is no benefit to the balancing. The tires didn't vibrate enough to warrant it at just under 100mph so I think I'm going to skip it.

Thanks for everyone's input.
Jeff

 

so you had no issue with mounting them? Who did it?

never mind ... a local guy who could not balance

 

No problem mounting them. A local company named Arizona AutoTrends Motorsports if I got the name correct. They do a lot of mounting and balancing for SCCA members.