I never thought aftermarket wheels would be such a pain... - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

camrtm3 · 05-09-2008, 08:41 PM

Ok, so I got my wheels like many of you all know back in March. Today was my forth time back to get the wheels re-balanced......... Its not the work that is horrible, its the sticky weights that they are using. The first time I went back the entire weight fell off, tape included. Second time there was just a ton of shacking in the steering wheel. Finally the past two times the weights have fallen off but left the tape. So on my way home I hit a small bump, and it started to shack again. So naturally I took it back. Had one of them test drive it with me, and the shacking at first started at 60 then disappeared as we increased speed. We made the U-turn to head back to the shop but this time we got to 60 and there was no shanking and we got to 70 and it started again, and continued to get worse. (Also for got, each time I have taken it back all the wheels have been off balanced, and this time I watched him and he did nothing wrong, balanced it, then checked it twice once balanced) They started to get backed up with people and they told me that I would need an apointment this Sunday to get them to check it out. I cant think of anything to cause this, the wheels aren't bent, and there are no bubbles in the tires so.... The only conclusion that keeps coming to me is the suspension (XLE suspension) can't handle the increased weight and drag force from the wheels.

PLEASE I NEED TO KNOW IF ANYONE HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND HOW TO FIX IT! Also please tell me BEFORE Sunday!

Cannabis Camry · 05-09-2008, 08:56 PM

I don't think the suspension would be causing the wheel weights to come off. Sticky weights are a pain in the ass to begin with. Make sure the inside of the wheels are as clean as can be before the weights are put on because just a little dust can cause them to come off. Once they are on for a few days though they should be fine. The centripetal force really sticks them to the wheels once you get going. Also, make sure the weights are installed on the flat part of the rim because if they are stuck to the angled part they will surely fall off at high speeds.

camrtm3 · 05-09-2008, 09:27 PM

Well the last time it was the weight that just fell off and the tape was left. Dont the weights come with the tape already attached and ready to go?

bigbird · 05-09-2008, 10:18 PM

is their any reason why thye wont do the clamp style on the inside of the wheel???

camrtm3 · 05-09-2008, 10:20 PM

they do use a clip weight for the inside of the wheel, its the sticky weights for the outside of the wheel that keep falling. These weights are located behind the spokes of the wheel.

***Eye8Pussies*** · 05-09-2008, 10:44 PM

the fact that the sticky weights keep on coming off means that either they're idiots, or cheap and buy cheap sticky weights...I'd go elsewhere if and when they finally fix this problem....

also a question- do you have hubcentric rings?

ECale3 · 05-09-2008, 11:10 PM

i was just about to ask about the hubcentric rings. If the steering wheel is shaking as bad as it sounds, you may not have the rings, which will cause the wheel to vibrate around on the hub.

camrtm3 · 05-09-2008, 11:34 PM

I'll check to see if there still on, but as of two days ago when I had to take of the wheels and hand tighten the lugs the rings where on, there a pretty shade of red too, LOL.

camrtm3 · 05-09-2008, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camrtm3

... Finally the past two times the weights have fallen off but left the tape....

I'm going to check to see if there is any tape again. If there is, then something is wrong. Apparently this place has had no problems with any of there other sticky weights sooo....

cmjohnson · 05-10-2008, 12:01 AM

If the wheels have ever been Armor-Alled, or the wrong tire shine garbage was applied to the tires, it can
make it pretty much certain that no tape will stick for long. The wheel surface where the weight is to go
must be treated with a silicone oil remover

I used to work in a tire store. The cause of the strangest vibration problem you ever heard of, where
the vibration would come and go completely at random, was found when I took the suspect tire off the
rim.

I discovered a handful of little balls made of rubber dust and mold release lubricant dust (very much like
talcum powder, in fact, that's what I think it is) that had built up in the tire with time. I amused the
customer by calling them "tire eggs".

Removing them did of course solve the mystery vibration problem.

CJ

camrtm3 · 05-10-2008, 08:18 PM

thanks CJ.

So heres the plan, they are going to take all of the tires off. Then re-balance them if they can't find anything wrong with the car. I do think that this is a coat of something on the wheels to prevents things form sticking to them bacause it is really easy to just wipe off the brake dust, so that would mean that the techs haven't been doing there job.

Also I had three more questions. The first is, what would happen if any air go into my steering system. I have a leak in my high pressure steering hose, and its to much to replace it right now if one its really not changing the difficulty of turning and two the amount of money it costs. Also, would this shanking be caused is the hubcentering rings where damaged, I found today that two where damaged pretty badly, one had a chunking missing from it, and the other had a big scatch in it that goes pretty deep and makes a gap in the ring. Finally, I really think the suspension is shot, I took a closer look at the struts today and found that the strut bags (idk what to call them they cover the strut rod from getting any dirt and grim in them) slip in two in the rear, and in the front the adhesive had broken off on the bottom.

Well thanks again for your alls help,
Bob

kpszar · 05-11-2008, 07:56 AM

My rims were brand new and the first time the balanced them they put those stick ones, so there had to be clean. I let my rims and tires sit in my room for like 3 days, and the sticky weights are coming off by themselves, so I put pressure on them for ten min and like 3 min later they were peeling off. I put them on the car for a few days and seen the balancers were off, so I went back. They did all the tires with the clamps on the rims lip, they lasted for a while but one fell off and while they were putting them on they bent one rim a little but discovered it only a two weeks ago painting my calipers because they put my rims on so I could not see it.

Those sticky balancers are the worse, just get the ones that clamp to the rim's lip.

camrtm3 · 05-11-2008, 12:57 PM

Well, I'm back from the tire place. No Rubber balls were on the inside of the tire. No weights have fallen off, there was some tape there, but that is them being lazy. SOOOO Final diagnosese is that after 149k miles that the struts have given out. So NEW SUSPENSION!!! Good thing I have the TRD coil springs and RSB lined up and ready to order. The sturts however I'm not to sure what to think. I was for a while going to go with KYB, but no offense to anyone that has em, but I haven't heard that much great things about them, plus there as oem rate. So I'm looking at the Tokico Blue struts, I just need to know if they are good, relable struts.

Thanks for Everyones Help!