Alignment / Balance Problems

Rick Matteis (rick.matteis@arris-interactive.com)
Mon, 6 Oct 1997 09:53:13 -0400

Anyone out there with the multi-spoke 1987+ 15" alloy wheels have problems
with balancing? For one thing the rim on which to attach a clip-on wheel
weight is too fat and I have watched many a tire tech anguish over this
procedure. If they do get them on, within days a hear a clunk in my wheel
well as the weight is ejected from the wheel. I have had better luck with
tape-on weights.

Over the last few years, the tire guys always have to reposition at least 3
of the 4 tires on the wheels (deflate, turn 90 degrees and reinflate/
balance). Are these wheels bad about going out of "true round"? I just
bought a set of Pirelli P4000's. I had them balanced, and all was OK. Now
4kmiles later, I had them rebalanced and rotated, and they are already
cupped and this time they vibrate quite a bit post balance. The tech
showed me how they are not only vibrating outward, but also have a sideways
shimmy on the balancer!!

This is all very disappointing. Also I have never been able to get more
than 25-30 kmiles on my tires. The outsides always wear first. I thought
I heard somewhere (like a svc bulletin) that just asking a US place to
align the car was not enough. That perhaps some correction factor to what
their machines were saying was "aligned" is required in order to get an
optimal alignment. ANY THOUGHTS??

bumpin' up and down in my little blue Pug.......

Rick