I am about to buy my own wheel balancer (Harbor Freight). It seems like the weights they sell are the sticky-backed lead weights. I have only had the clippy type. Are the sticky-backed ok to use on w201 and w123 wheels?

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Ben
1987 190d 2.5Turbo

yes. You'll need to clean the rim off first where you apply them.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

sweet. now do you recommend i buy both the 1/4 and 1/2 oz wheel weight of can i get away with just the 1/4 by doubling up if needed

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Ben
1987 190d 2.5Turbo

Sticky weights often are sold in a strip that you cut (usually with side cutters) to the length that you need. There are tic marks every (IIRC) 1/4 OZ so you know how much you're cutting. Remember to place the weights on the flat of the rim such that rotational force pushes the weight into the rim. If you mount them on the edge of the rim like clip-on weights there's a high chance of them flying off at speed.

Dan

Walk into the work area of any tire store and talk to the tire apes.
A few bucks should net you quite an assortment of used wheel weights.

Be aware that for the clip on weights, there are many different styles to match the profiles of the wheel itself.

A nice wheel weight hammer is worth buying if you start to balance your own wheels. These tools can easily remove/install the weights.

Jim

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keep in mind, the HF balancer is not really suitable for balancing high speed (above 25mph) tires. it's a static balance, and it'll lead to wobble on most tires.

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
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1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
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Save yourself the money.

If the machine isn't at least $2K, with the capability of spinning the tire, it won't b e sufficiently accurate to prevent vibration.

Even if it has the sensitivity, the cheaper machines have a serious runout of the tapered cone and the result is practically worthless.

Another scam to take money from the ignorant.

Don't sugar coat it BC!

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

But at what speed? People have used bubble balancers for years and before the fancy spinny type.

it seems wheel balancing is only particularly important/annoying at 55 - 60 mph, so just drive slower or faster

Bubble balancers would work if you had very soft suspension from the '70s where the vibration is soaked up in the suspension and cannot reach the driver.

Today, with the slightest couple unbalance (equal and opposite forces on either side of the wheel/tire), the forces are transmitted directly to the driver.

Even the machines that rotate are sometimes marginal depending on the tooling used to support the wheel.

Most of the people reading this are driving 70's soft suspension, wormgear steering diesel MB. Sometimes early 80's soft suspension wormgear steering diesel MB
Even more marginal, the guy hammering the weight that is X onto the wheel...

Unfortunately not.

Most are from the '80s and the suspension is anything but soft. A casual ride in one of them would clue you into that tidbit. They are definitely sensitive to couple unbalance and the only way a bubble balancer works if if you're very lucky and both the wheel and the tire are very accurately manufactured.

One additional possibility for the use of a bubble balancer is presented if the driver is insensitive. There are plenty of members on here who would tolerate a 1/2" shake in the wheel and not even comment on it. Bubble machines are fine for them. If the vehicle moves under it's own power from point A to point B, they're good. They only come here when it won't move at all.

When I was a Kid back in the lat 1950s Bubble Balancers were used at Gas/Service Stations, likely better made than Harbor Freight ones.

Cars drove at about the same speeds as they do now and were not impeded by as many Traffic Signals either.

I have been using a Manual Tire Changer (Harbor Freignt Again) since the early 1990s and I don't have My Tires Balanced at all unless I have an issue with them.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Try this for dynamic and static balance, it is written for over the road truck tires but the basics still apply.

Bridgestone Commercial Truck Tires

With car tires, they are much smaller diameter, usually narrower and thinner wall leading towards less imbalance. However, car tires do spin at higher speed and higher speed can lead to more vibration. In the past 20 years or so tires are much more consistent in build so less and less balance weight is needed. I'm finding over the years that less and less weight is needed to balance a tire and sometimes I install no weights at all. My old spin balancer has long ago lost it's dynamic function and only finds static imbalance. ( It still spins the tire but does not calculate the inner outer split. ) 195 75 14 tires balance just fine to 85 MPH with no vibration.

For the most part, static balance will get you by. If the tire does vibrate in use, then have it dynamically balanced.

As for stick on weights, I use 3M Trim Adhesive Tape to reuse weights.

^^ I have been bubble balancing my own MB and VW wheels for the last 5 years on the HF bubble balancer (and mount with their manual mounter, too). I don't feel any wobble , but I rarely drive over 60.

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