Shortly before I bought my car the previous owner had taken it to the local tire shop and had new tires put on it. When I got the car the first thing I noticed was that the idiots at the tire shop had installed hammered on clip on style weights on the outer rim that are supposed to be used on steel rims instead of the correct stick on wheel weights that go inside the wheels that are supposed to be used on our cars aluminum rims. To make matters worse the clamp on style weights mar and nick the rim of the wheel when they install them.

today I took one of my wheels off the car and brought it to a nearby tire shop to have a new tire installed. I explain to the person doing the work NOT to use the clamp on style weights on this rim,and then I catch him trying to do it anyway! luckily I stopped him before he could. He then said he never heard of the other weights. I ended up having to take the wheel to a firestone shop and having it balanced there because they had the stick on style weights for aluminum rims.

Ive owned many third gens and time and time again I see them with these ugky,damaging clip wheel weights stuck on their original aluminum rims. Why is this so common? Do most people really just not know any better or do they simply not give a damn? What the hell is wrong with the people working at the tire shops? You’d think would learn all

I think it’s ridiculous that I should have to worry everytime I have to go to a shop for anything and babysit the tire shop employees to make sure they don’t jack my car up from the rocker panel or install incorrect clip on wheel weights that chew up my rims and look like ****.

Any of you guys here have the same problem?

 

My car was bought new by my father in 1991 and had those weights in the 15" alluminum wheels. I took them off and had the installer put in stick-on weights when I recently put new tires on. I'm thinking the stick-on weights may have been the original method as my car had no sign of other weights buts it's just a guess.

 

Ha! I just had this conversation with my son yesterday. The previous owner of my car let someone install clip-on wheel weights. I told my son if I ever found out who did it I'd smack them upside the head.

What are people thinking??

 

The guy I bought my 1990 from was the original owner and he had photos of when the car was brand new and it didn’t have clip on steel wheel weights on the aluminum rims.

Like I said,I hate them because they chew up the lip of the rim when they hammer them on and they are ugly and detract from the clean design of the rims. I would be very surprised if GM hammered these on the cars from
the factory.

 

When I Bought Tires I Told The Salesman Twice, No Wheel Weights On The Outside Of The Wheel.

 

They arent thinking,that’s the problem. I’m sorry to hear your car had that happen too. Its a shame because when you remove them not only will the rim be marred/nicked but usually the aluminum is discolored as well leaving a stain where the weight was.
There used to be a time when most folks were competent at their job and took pride and care in their work. Sadly that’s not the case these days and you have to worry everytime you let someone else work on your car. I know someone who had their 1990 Formula jacked up by the rocker at a tire shop,andI have witnessed a mechanic who should have known better jack a guys 1961 Cadillac up by the rocker panel and bow it inward. (He got sued by the owner). This is why I try and repair my cars myself unless.

 

First, I never take my car to a tire shop. It's just not smart. You already said why. I always dismount the wheels and take them in loose.

Second, talk to local car guys and ask where people go with their expensive wheels. That's where you need to go. You can go to a Porsche dealer if all else fails.

 

That’s exactly what I do. None of my cars EVER go to the tire shop. I take the rims off,put them in the truck and take the wheels there by themselves. That’s what I did today. I took one wheel and the new tire to have it mounted and balanced. I had the conversation about the weights TWICE and then watched the bonehead balance it and reached for the steel hammer on style wheel weights and I stopped him right there. I then took the wheel to firestone and had them do the balancing since they had the stick on weights.

Im surprised this is so commonplace. You’d think there would be irate customers with expensive rims furious over this kind of crap. The wheels are someone else’s private property. I think it’s pretty sad if you have to wind up having tires mounted and balanced at a Porsche dealer just to be sure it’s done correctly.

This is is why I never take my cars to someone to have them serviced,I try and do most things myself. Unfortunately I don’t have tire mounting equipment or a balancing machine. Must be nice to be Jay Leno! Lol

 

Since Just About All Cars Come With Aluminum Wheels These Days Stick On Weights Should Be SOP

 

Most tire busters are young punk kids who are more interested in video games than cars. It is quite frustrating...

 

Originally GM used coated weights. Haven't seen them in decades, but they were a clip on weight, but they pretty much fit the lip of the stock wheels like a glove.