Do Semi Slicks Need To Be Balanced?

[scotty nm35]

The new GTR will have ribbed tyre beads to stop the tyre slipping on the rim, but that would be related to being run flats more than just shifting under acceleration I assume.

[Marlin]

And..... despite the ribbing, they still slip.

[hrd-hr30]

Even so, that's no reason not to balance as far as I can see.

Start with unbalanced wheels and you might get one that's 130g out like mine. That would definitely be noticeable on the front of a car.

If you balance it with 130g of weight, when it moves it might go out of balance a bit. It may or may not be noticeable, but it's definitely not going to be as bad as 130g out of whack.

Edited March 30, 2015 by hrd-hr30

[DJBarnstar]

Well I did end up getting them balanced. Different tyre shop and it did require some weights.

Wouldn't bother again though as it was pretty close.

[Marlin]

Even so, that's no reason not to balance as far as I can see.

Start with unbalanced wheels and you might get one that's 130g out like mine. That would definitely be noticeable on the front of a car.

If you balance it with 130g of weight, when it moves it might go out of balance a bit. It may or may not be noticeable, but it's definitely not going to be as bad as 130g out of whack.

I definately hear your side of the discussion mate.

I've just never had the need to.

I dunno, maybe just a long run of luck with the Yoki and Dunlop semis that I/we have used? Remember I did say that the more road biased Kuhmos I've used definately needed balancing.

Edited March 30, 2015 by Marlin

[hrd-hr30]

bit of a strange result from Lakeside yesterday. Powerhouse 120Y with old school SOHC L20B from an 83 Bluebird with a carby turbo setup running 7psi, so it's no powerhouse. Has S13 front discs (and lovely stock 120Y rear drums lol) and definitely brakes alot harder than it accelerates!

I marked the tyres to see what would happen and the only tyre that moved at all was the left rear. The fronts, which I figured would be most likely to move didn't budge one iota. Just the left rear, and it moved quite a bit. And it has bugger all power!

Tyres were just fitted the day before. Used lube but a very small amount and only on the base of the outer bead

Edited April 23, 2015 by hrd-hr30

[2pee]

Ron Tauranac was big on dynamic and static balancing - and fastidious on runout to avoid exciting the tyres in his formula days. All the manufacturer's dealers trackside support balances as part of the service, so might as go with what they do.

In the old motorcycle days and particularly mud races > very low pressures, pk screws were often run into the bead through the rim......which would make a nice industrial look on a car!

[burn4005]

Beware of using stick on weights on the track. In my experience the wheel gets so hot the glue melts and the weights fall off in the pits. Although that was on a 400kw car on stock brakes at QR....

I put that metallic air con duct tape over them and now they stay where they should. Maybe my tyre place uses cheap shitty weights.

Edited May 5, 2015 by burn4005