A lot of tyre weights...

[McLarenLad]

So I took my car (BMW F20 LCI 120d M Sport) in for a service, MOT and new tyres (Continental Contactsport 5) yesterday.

I wasn't expecting any huge surprises. Until I got home and looked at one of the rear tyres, then one of the fronts and noticed a whole row of ugly shiny tyre weights

Is this normal? I haven't been back to the garage as they closed by the time I got home and I'm at work today.

They look very unsightly and can't say that I've ever seen tyre weights on any of my cars before. I have stock rims with the car, so I'm puzzled how the weight could be out by that much!

[Panamax]

What have they done? Hammered on old-fashioned weights that clamp onto the rim?

More normally these days they stick flat weights inside the wheel.

Yes, wheel weights are 100% normal. Bear in mind it's the wheel/tyre combination that has to be in balance.

[McLarenLad]

Panamax said:

What have they done? Hammered on old-fashioned weights that clamp onto the rim?

More normally these days they stick flat weights inside the wheel.

Yes, wheel weights are 100% normal. Bear in mind it's the wheel/tyre combination that has to be in balance.

They look like an adhesive strip of flat weights, stuck to the inside of the wheel, totalling 60g (10+5 Fe x 4) on one wheel.

I've just never seen it before. Worried about what potential buyers might think when they see them!

[DonkeyApple]

McLarenLad said:

They look like an adhesive strip of flat weights, stuck to the inside of the wheel, totalling 60g (10+5 Fe x 4) on one wheel.

I've just never seen it before. Worried about what potential buyers might think when they see them!

Stick to the inside as in the inner rim? This is where they're supposed to go and absolutely no future buyer would notice or care unless deranged, then you tell them it's a very rare feature for special people and double the price of the car?

[McLarenLad]

DonkeyApple said:

Stick to the inside as in the inner rim? This is where they're supposed to go and absolutely no future buyer would notice or care unless deranged, then you tell them it's a very rare feature for special people and double the price of the car?

That's right, inner rim. Apologies, I can't post pictures as I'm still under the 14 day newbie period!

Good point on the price hike though...

[GeniusOfLove]

This has to be a wind up?

Every car you've ever had that didn't try and shake you to bits had wheel weights, you just didn't notice them.

[DonkeyApple]

McLarenLad said:

That's right, inner rim. Apologies, I can't post pictures as I'm still under the 14 day newbie period!

Good point on the price hike though...

It's perfectly normal to have weights and these days they're the stick on ones you have and hidden on the inside. Much nicer than the lumps crimped on to the outside.

You can always strategically park pre sale so that the weights are at the top and out of site.

But in all honesty, you may well have just met the only person on the planet who might be worried about it and they already seem more relaxed.

[McLarenLad]

GeniusOfLove said:

This has to be a wind up?

Every car you've ever had that didn't try and shake you to bits had wheel weights, you just didn't notice them.

Honest to God. No wind up. Either I've had one to two small weights, that have either been tucked up in brake dust or out of sight, or never any.

First time I've ever seen a shining bit of chrome stare back at me when having my wheels done.

Either I've gone to some very s**t garages in the past, or I've never seen them before.

[CraigyMc]

McLarenLad said:

GeniusOfLove said:

This has to be a wind up?

Every car you've ever had that didn't try and shake you to bits had wheel weights, you just didn't notice them.

Honest to God. No wind up. Either I've had one to two small weights, that have either been tucked up in brake dust or out of sight, or never any.

First time I've ever seen a shining bit of chrome stare back at me when having my wheels done.

Either I've gone to some very s**t garages in the past, or I've never seen them before.

You've just never seen them before.

[MustangGT]

CraigyMc said:

McLarenLad said:

GeniusOfLove said:

This has to be a wind up?

Every car you've ever had that didn't try and shake you to bits had wheel weights, you just didn't notice them.

Honest to God. No wind up. Either I've had one to two small weights, that have either been tucked up in brake dust or out of sight, or never any.

First time I've ever seen a shining bit of chrome stare back at me when having my wheels done.

Either I've gone to some very s**t garages in the past, or I've never seen them before.

You've just never seen them before.

This. I have owned nearly 100 cars. Every single one of them has had wheel weights on all 4/5 wheels. I have also driven hundreds, if not thousands, of other cars and have never seen one without wheel weights. One brand new car (bought new in 2022) had nearly 100g on one wheel. That is a bit excessive.

[swisstoni]

Are these Continentals of the ContiSilent variety?

It’s quite hard to tell, the ContiSilent logo has its own oval logo and is hard to see on the tyre wall.

If they are, then I have my own tyre balancing saga that you may find useful to hear.

[SteBrown91]

Its possible that the inside of the of rim is covering in old glue/foam etc from previous wheel weights so the fitter stuck them there rather than use thinners etc to clean the old stuff off.

Or you could have wacked a pothole and the wheel now needs more weights to balance.

[DonkeyApple]

McLarenLad said:

Honest to God. No wind up. Either I've had one to two small weights, that have either been tucked up in brake dust or out of sight, or never any.

First time I've ever seen a shining bit of chrome stare back at me when having my wheels done.

Either I've gone to some very s**t garages in the past, or I've never seen them before.

I believe the machine tells the operator where to place them so as to get the perfect balance so sometimes it's not behind a spike so more noticeable.

Shiny chrome seems to suggest you may have asked for a special gangsta set but they're usually dark grey or if bright I would imagine it's the lead rather than any chrome so will oxidise down to grey?

[NomduJour]

They’re zinc, or zinc coated, nowadays - lining up the tyre spot (if it’s there) might mean fewer weights.

[vetrof]

60g is on the higher side but not totally unheard of when balancing wheels.
Are there any old weights still on the rim somewhere. It's not unknown for some fitters to forget to remove the old ones so you end up with weight to balance out weights.
What colour are your rims? It's possible to get black weights if needed.

[Zephyr Speedshop]

you just haven't noticed them before,  alot of garages use black ones which helps.  but these will soon lose their shinyness and blend in.  

you will probably find the tyre fitter hasn't got the dot for the light part of the tyre inline with the valve / heavy part of the wheel.  it's a non issue, the only snag is it takes more weights to balance it.  

[Freakuk]

Are you noticing any vibration through the wheel and/or seat of your pants?

If not, great the weights are doing their job perfectly, if yes, I suggest you take it back and have them rebalanced where the garage may remove/add more weights to correct.

[Bobupndown]

I got new Continental AT tyres fitted. One of them has a significant strip of balance weights on the inside of the rim. Unsightly and I have no doubt if a little more care had been taken, turning the tyre on the rim it could have avoided needing so many.
Drives perfectly however so no real issue.

[HaydenS2k]

60 grams is the most weight you should put on unless we're talking 4x4 with mud tyres...

In our garage we have weights in different colours to help them blend in IE black weights on a black wheel.

If a wheel needs more than 60 grams we'd remove then remount the tyre and try again.

I've only ever had a wheel landnon zero twice over several hundred tyre changes. Does happen but rare

[GeniusOfLove]

I have noticed modern alloy designs will sometimes have a "lump" in the design opposite the valve now, often with "AMG" on it or similar, I assume this is to counterbalance the inevitable TPMS sensor?