Cal Club Autocross Forums

Some people have told me that autox tires - since speeds are not high enough and even if vibrations do occur it is only for a short amount of time.

I could see that even being more true if the wheels were smaller like 13" and if the rotational mass was even lighter like using r-compounds or slicks.

Alan Yu wrote:Some people have told me that autox tires - since speeds are not high enough and even if vibrations do occur it is only for a short amount of time.

I could see that even being more true if the wheels were smaller like 13" and if the rotational mass was even lighter like using r-compounds or slicks.

The same people who use hub-centric rings... Seb knows their name.

We don't even balance our road race tires. You pick up so much junk on the track the tires are always out of balance. And then there are the people that flat spot a tire, no amount of weights will fix that. I don't think I could even use weights on our new wheels, the lip is very small, and the brake calipers would hit any tape weights.

I used to until I was told by Mr. Isley. I still love my hubecentric rings though.

Sebastian Rios wrote:I used to until I was told by Mr. Isley. I still love my hubecentric rings though.

We could have used you last week when we were changing tires at the track, and the stupid rings got stuck on the very hot hubs. :unimpressed:

Alan Yu wrote:Some people have told me that autox tires - since speeds are not high enough and even if vibrations do occur it is only for a short amount of time.

The main purpose of balancing is to make the wear even over the 30million+ rotations tires see on the road. Our autox tires are likely going to see less than 100,000 rotations before we're done with them.

Jay W

Can't speak to other cars, but on mine, with sticky tires, the wheels slip inside the tire. Happens both braking and accel. Original balance is now moot. After discovering this I quit balancing.

Dyna Beads. Haven't tried them myself, but have friends that have, mostly on motorcycles. They swear by them.

http://www.innovativebalancing.com/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Since I actually drive to and from events on the same set of tires, I have my tires balanced when mounted ($10 for mount and road force balance). They always tend to go out of balance after a year of use.

Daniel Y. wrote:Since I actually drive to and from events on the same set of tires, I have my tires balanced when mounted ($10 for mount and road force balance). They always tend to go out of balance after a year of use.

each or all four?

Kris Cho wrote:

Daniel Y. wrote:Since I actually drive to and from events on the same set of tires, I have my tires balanced when mounted ($10 for mount and road force balance). They always tend to go out of balance after a year of use.

each or all four?

haha... $10/ea. I wish it was $10 for all four!!! I'd try different tires every event.

I think the question has to be broken up. If your running your street tires I would think you want them balanced.

If your running race tires only I would think it's a preference, as for me I sometime drive to events on my race tires so I like to have them balanced. However I have never documented my tires slipping on the rims that might make such effort OBE, despite chalking them. I have run both balanced and unbalanced and I think I feel a difference, but since I know whether the wheels are balance or not it could be in my head. My guess is you could argue that any out of balance condition places strain on the wheel bearings, but more than likely that is a theoretical argument. I look at this way, I am running a heavy tire wheel set up, I like things in balance. I may be a little wierd, but even on my street cars they get rotated and balanced ever 3,500 miles, and the air pressure checked at Discount Tire once a month.

If your putting new race tires on rims, why not run an event with no balance and go back and have them balances and see which you like better.

I always have mine balanced. It may be of interest that with 710 & a6 USUALLY very little weight is required, on the average maybe 2 oz. or 3. I don't think you can go wrong either way & if you pay to get them balanced, I would pass for Dot R anyway. They don't last. Streets I would get balanced of course.

They do move on the rim , but if you reverse them they move back.

The problem with unbalanced tires is not only the wear, but that vibrations destroy wheel bearings and other suspension components. I imagine R comps or street tires that are only run at the autocross do not need to be balanced, unless it's a faster than usual autocross course ( track day, time trial or 3rd gear autocross).
Autocross only- no need to balance. If you drive on them faster than 30-40 MPH $40 for balancing will save hundreds in repairs in a long run. However, street/autox wheels would need to be rebalanced often, tire slips, wears and even weights fly off.

Arthur Grant wrote:I think the question has to be broken up. If your running your street tires I would think you want them balanced.

I think Arthur is right. Bottom line:

Do you drive your tires to events - balance your tires
Do you change tires at the event - optional balance
Are you rich and have a trailer - no need to balance

Done
JF

Jason Flores wrote:

Arthur Grant wrote:I think the question has to be broken up. If your running your street tires I would think you want them balanced.

I think Arthur is right. Bottom line:

Do you drive your tires to events - balance your tires
Do you change tires at the event - optional balance
Are you rich and have a trailer - no need to balance

Done
JF

so bottom line...if you have enough money to balance them you don't need to, but if you don't then you have to do it.

for the record, i still don't think it's worth it regardless. the tires slip on the wheels, and you pick up OPR in huge chunks (even on street tires). even if you spend the money to balance them they will go out of balance very quickly, thus wasting your money.

No wheel weights means no cut brake lines because of rubbing...Ask me how I know.