New tire balancing

[Flyyak]

Just installed new Dresser Monster Retreads my RV7. I have attempted to balance the tires using a McFarlane wheel balancer using small lead weight with self adhesive pads on the lead weight. I have replaced my tires before but I did not balance the tires.

Has anyone using this type lead weights had problems. I have concerns that if the weights were to come off during a landing at 60kts that it may cause damage to the fiberglass wheel pants. Like little bullets inside the wheel pants.

 

[Taltruda]

Are they real leads weights? I can’t seem to find the good old leads weights.. now all you can find are pot metal.. I have had good luck gluing used lead weights to the wheel with proseal, then adding more proseal to encapsulate the weights.. you can still remove them with a little effort..

 

[Roadjunkie1]

Tire balancing weights

Just installed new Dresser Monster Retreads my RV7. I have attempted to balance the tires using a McFarlane wheel balancer using small lead weight with self adhesive pads on the lead weight. I have replaced my tires before but I did not balance the tires. Has anyone using this type lead weights had problems. I have concerns that if the weights were to come off during a landing at 60kts that it may cause damage to the fiberglass wheel pants. Like little bullets inside the wheel pants.

I have used the weights from HF that are not lead. It really doesn't matter what metal it is; 1/2oz is 1/2oz regardless of the metal used. Be persistent in your balancing. Get it right, even if you take the weights off and on several times. The stickum on the weights will suffice for trial-and-error placement.

I bend my weights in the vice with judicious use of a hammer to get them to conform to the curve of the wheel. I have 2 oz on the last tire I balanced. ProSeal is an $$expensive$$ alternative to JB Weld. I have used that and have not had a weight come off.

 

[plehrke]

Never have had an issue with the 2-sided foam tape that comes on the lead weights. The load is a centrifugal load that pushes them tighter against the wheel. I spent lots of time in amusement parks on the Tilt-a-Whirl.
Full disclosure is I don’t taxi through lots of water or snow to know if effects adhesion but since they are wheel weights, you would think they would be affected from getting wet.

 

[Tailwind/RVGuy]

Just a "data point". I have used the "not lead" weights for a number of years and simply "stick them on" and have never had them come loose. I have in a few cases, even put one on top of another and still no problem. Take your time and get it balanced correctly. I do make sure the wheel is clean of any grease or debris.

Maybe I have just been lucky but I don't see why the weights would come off with just the stick on stuff. Yes there would be some shear force when the wheel accelerates from zero to landing speed during landing but other than that, all forces would be centrifugal and push the weight harder onto the wheel. I would hate to put any proseal or other adhesive on those expensive wheels
Keith

 

[Desert Rat]

I have concerns that if the weights were to come off during a landing at 60kts that it may cause damage to the fiberglass wheel pants. Like little bullets inside the wheel pants.

Ive used stick on weights on motorcycles for years. I can only remember ever losing one, off the rear wheel of a Triumph Speed Triple. The only rear fender on that bike is the plastic underside of the seat, so if it was going to be a bullet, that would indeed be a bad outcome. I had no idea I had even lost it until I saw road dust in the outline of the tape residue.

It's a fast bike. Theres a good chance I was doing "slightly" more than 60 kts when I lost it.

 

[Roadjunkie1]

Wheel weights.....

Just a "data point". I have used the "not lead" weights for a number of years and simply "stick them on" and have never had them come loose. I have in a few cases, even put one on top of another and still no problem. Take your time and get it balanced correctly. I do make sure the wheel is clean of any grease or debris.

Good advice. Getting things clean is always important. I have stacked them as well but feel better putting them on the wheel itself. And working diligently to get the balance right is key. It takes me multiple times of adding and subtracting weights to get it where I am happy. But I am also OCD....

Maybe I have just been lucky but I don't see why the weights would come off with just the stick on stuff. Yes there would be some shear force when the wheel accelerates from zero to landing speed during landing but other than that, all forces would be centrifugal and push the weight harder onto the wheel. I would hate to put any proseal or other adhesive on those expensive wheels.

Luck might have been part of it. There are reports on other discussions about this that indicate they do come off. I would imagine it depends on where you get your weights. Some of the stickum might not be as good as others. BUT: the weights are flat. The wheel is curved. That means the area of contact weight-to-wheel is relatively small and just at the ends. Which is why I modify my weights to better fit the curvature of the wheel. There is a shear force that is likely what makes the weight part company with the wheel. The double-sided tape will likely start to break down more quickly than a liquid-to-solid form of adhesive. Posters have told of their motorcycle and car wheels not losing weights. The curve is much smaller and there is much more heat with braking that is transferred to the wheel in an aircraft setup where there is nearly none in a large wheel.

I prefer JB Weld as it is not as sticky as ProSeal (more readily available and WAY less expensive!) but is adequate for getting the weights stuck on a little better than the tape. They also come off when needed without damaging the wheel. IMHO; YMMV...

 

[[email protected]]

As for "lead" weights. You won't find them anymore. AS the tree huggers helped get them outlawed many years ago. Probably not a bad thing though. As they were littering the road sides. But, then it seems most car manufactures moved away from steel wheels to the alloys.
Seems those pound on lead weights were littering the roadsides and causing problems.
Not a big deal as the pot metal??? ones work just fine you just can't bend them as easy.
Fixit

 

[Flyyak]

Thanks for all the info. I did clean the wheel rim throughly and the weights I used came with the McFarlane balancer. I also used a 1/2” socket extension to help contour the small weights to the rim.

 

[Tailwind/RVGuy]

You are "good to go" go fly and have fun. Don't worry about the weights.

Keith

 

[rich]

Warning sticker

Don’t try to stick a weight to a plastic warning sticker on the inside of the rim, Usually placed near the valve stem. They won’t stick very long. Just happened to me and another RV. You can carefully remove with a razor blade and relocate.

 

[Flyyak]

I did remove the labels inside the wheel rim and cleaned with acetone to remove any residue before attaching the weights.