The only reason to balance tires is to quell vibration. Tires usually
vibrate to the point that you will really notice it at 65-70 MPH. You
shouldn't be going that fast in a Stock or SP car at an autocross. Not to
mention the fact that after the first small flat spot or after the first few
events have worn some rubber off, the tires will be out of balance anyway.
I don't know where Rocky gets his tires balanced (although IIR, it is on a
bubble balancer in his garage, but that could be someone else on the list),
but balancing four tires will probably set someone back 25-40 dollars,
depending on where it is done and what type of wheel it is.
Balancing tires used for autocross ONLY is a complete waste of money. If
they are to be used in Solo I, or Solo Trials, or on the street, then I
would balance them.
Paul Zahornasky
Spent 7 years as a tire store manager.
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-autox@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-autox@autox.team.net]On
Behalf Of Rocky Entriken
Sent: Tuesday, July 24, 2001 4:21 PM
To: Chris Eckles; autox@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Race tire questions
It seems to me, do the job right and you are better off than taking needless
shortcuts.
Balance the tires.
If you don't, what have you gained?
If you do, what have you lost (beyond a few bucks)?
They might be okay unbalanced. They WILL be okay balanced. Peace of mind is
worth a tenth. Or more.
If you use stick-on weights, cover them with racer tape. It's that simple,
that basic.
I've been balancing mine for 30 years, never lost a stick-on weight when I
taped over it.
--Rocky Entriken
-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Eckles <MRoadster@compuserve.com>
To: autox@autox.team.net <autox@autox.team.net>
Date: Tuesday, July 24, 2001 7:15 AM
Subject: re: Race tire questions
>Dean -
>
>It's your choice. Safety is not an issue. I have recently seen one or two
>cars with tape over the stick-on weights. And, in walking courses (half
>the time between events) I typically find one or two of the more normal
>press-in kind of wheel weights. But hurt someone? Tiny, tiny risk of a
>worker being THAT close to the car at THAT exact moment. And since 98% of
>the tires on the course ARE balanced, hard to change.
>
>As far as balancing race tires, it gets more interesting. Last year when I
>was stating on race tires, I mentioned to one of the best drivers around
>hereabouts that I paid so much for dismounting ties, so much for mounting,
>and so much for balancing. He reacted strongly, saying that balancing was
>a waste of money for autocross. Few people would notice an out of balance
>tire in the 40 second run, and it wouldn't be BOTHERING you. Unsaid was
>the fact that the extra rotating weight, which is unsprung. . . (OK, that
>was a very small joke).
>
>So I told my tire shop not to balance my race tires. They were so shocked
>that they now balance them for free.
>
>Or perhaps my ex-shop. Got to an event Sunday, and one of the newly
>mounted tires wouldn't hold air. The bead had not been seated. Yes, yes,
>I darned well should have checked the tire pressure before then. But quite
>disappointing nonetheless. Free fix, but no apology.
>
>Chris Eckles
>Estoril Blue M Coupe
>Atlanta
>
>>
>I just bought my first set of race tires and wanted to know if I should
>have
>the tires balanced (I have heard that the tire weights can come off on
>course
>and could hurt someone?) when I got them mounted and also is there anything
>that the installer needs to know that might be different about mounting a
>race
>tire as opposed to a regular tire (do I need to take it to a specialty
>shop?).
>And what is the best way to heat cycle the tires before using them to race?
>They are BFG g-force T/A R1's.
>
>Thanks,
>Dean
><
>
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