Reasonable tyre balance weights?

[Mundy55]

Having decided on the tyre brand and type (see low noise A/T thread), the question is now what is a reasonable condition to put on the supplier regarding tyre balance weights for an LT tyre.

My thoughts were no more than 60g per rim and 100g total but is this reasonable? There a lots of war stories about the difficulty of getting some brands properly balanced. I don't want a tyre that whose manufacture has been off a bit such that it needs large balance weights.

Any thoughts or experience?

[spot01]

You might be hard pressed to get them to agree to those low limits. Remember the wheel may also contribute.


A good tyre fitter will position the tyre correctly on the rim with the red dot next to the valve (this is why the manufacturer puts the dot on the tyre). This should provide the best balance straight up. If it doesn't, a good tyre fitter will then rotate the tyre around the rim, repeating if necessary until the best balance is found.
Unfortunately, most tyres I see don't have the red dot lined up to the valve (even some factory fitted tyres on new cars), so either the fitter has had to rotate it or the fitter doesn't care (or is untrained or ignorant).


I always try to have a discussion with the actual fitter before they fit my tyres - it is worthwhile.

[Mundy55]

I've delayed long enough and now must get the tyres changed.

Has anyone got a view on balance weights or can advise what they've recently experienced?

[nj swb]

For reasons I can't really justify, I think 20 - 50g weights would be reasonable.

FWIW, when the second gen Cooper STT was released in Australia I ordered a set for Shorty. They were in high demand, and I only received a set because somebody working at the importer set some aside for me - it's not what you know, it's who you know.

When the day came to fit up the set (of 5) the tyre dealer sent one back because he wasn't happy with the amount of weight required to balance it. From memory, the best he could do was about 100g, and he didn't think that was acceptable - even for a 285/75R16 "muddy".

So I christened four STTs on a trip to Fraser - with a Wrangler MT/R on the rear door.

[DibbyDibbyDJ]

In Vic, more than 85g per wheel is unroadworthy. I have seen some with much more than this. Bad fitting is main reason although some cheaper brands are a struggle. That’s where a good fitter will go the extra mile to ensure compliance. But I do believe a lot of tyre fitters either don’t know about limits or just want to get the job done?