Where do you buy California wheel weights for balancing tires at home?

On Wed, 14 Dec 2016 20:38:10 +0000 (UTC), Frank Baron advised:

To help you help me figure out which weight style (and sizes) to buy, here is a picture of the current (old) weight on the steel rim:

And here is a picture of the front of the rim on the balancer:

And here is a picture of the rear of the steel rim:

From that little bit of information (which is all I have), do you know enough about balancing to know which TYPE of weights to purchase?

On Wed, 14 Dec 2016 20:55:06 +0000 (UTC), Frank Baron advised:

If it helps you to tell me the type of weights to buy (and sizes), here is a side view closeup of the one (old) weight on the front of the rim.

And here is a side view closeup of the one (old) weight on the rear of the rim.

What type of weight would you get for these rims, and what sizes?

AW Series, Steel or Zinc, Coated FN Series, 5g Steel or Zinc, Coated IAW Series, 5g Steel or Zinc, Coated MCS Series, Steel or Zinc, Coated TZ Series, 0.25 Oz. Steel or Zinc, Coated

I am researching the tools and supplies for static balancing at home a

I already have the adhesive style California non-lead weights for balancing alloy wheels but I'm (static) balancing a set of steel wheels from a Toyota SUV this weekend where I probably would best be using clip-on weights.

Researching the process by watching all the youtube videos on how to use the bubble balancer, the process of determining where and how much weight seems to be as easy as using a traditional (offset) balance scale.

1. Use the head of the HF wheel balancer to find a flat spot
2. Put the head on the post and zero the inner bubble with 3 screws
3. Remove all weights and debris from the tire/wheel assembly
4. Place the tire/wheel assembly on the HF bubble balancer
5. Determine balance weight by placing weights to level the bubble
6. Mark the weight and position of the weight on the tire or wheel
7. Divide the weight amount in half for each position on the wheel
8. Clip half the weight on both sides of the rim at the desired position
9. Put the best balanced wheels on front, and the worst in the trunk
10. Test drive up to 80mph (if possible) & dynamic balance if it vibrates

My only question at the moment is which kinds of weights to buy. Googling, it seems "Perfect Equipment" sells a lot of the weight out there.

For example, here is a $17 50-piece set on Amazon: 3/4OZ P TYP WHLWT BX/50

O'Reilly seems to sell Perfect Equipment weights:

But you have to know what you need as there are multiple types, some of which say "Not Legal For Sale In California, Illinois, Maine, New York, Washington and Vermont" where I am.

Since lead is not an option, there are only "steel" or "zinc". Which would you use? Why?

The choices in "types" seem to be:

1. AW Series, Steel or Zinc, Coated
2. FN Series, 5g Steel or Zinc, Coated
3. IAW Series, 5g Steel or Zinc, Coated
4. MCS Series, Steel or Zinc, Coated
5. TZ Series, 0.25 Oz. Steel or Zinc, Coated

What type of weight is used for a Toyota SUV steel wheel?

I know there are special tools, but do you just use a hammer and chisel?

ANYTHING YOU NEED "BELOW"

Or are the special attachment/removal tools mandatory?

On Wed, 14 Dec 2016 14:47:46 -0800, Tony944 advised:

Why do you waste everyone's time if you don't know anything whatsoever about the question?

On Wed, 14 Dec 2016 17:01:40 -0800, Oren advised:

Oren, You first called "me" a troll, simply because I stay on topic, and then, after posting threads like "Florida peper creeper" and posting this drivel just now to this thread ... you really have the gaul to call "me" a troll?

What are you doing if you're not just trolling? I realize you're simply cracking jokes, and jokes have their place and time.

But when a guy is seriously trying to get a job done, and he asks a question that almost nobody (including you) knows the answer to, the last thing he wants to deal with is wasting everyone's time with your jokes.

Again, I don't mind you joking in threads like your "Florida peper creeper" thread, but for heaven's sake - I'm actually trying to get something done here.

People like you and Clare, who don't know what you're doing, can't and won't help anyone. And that's fine - if you didn't waste everyone's time with your off topic drivel.

If nobody knows the answer to the question, then there just shouldn't be any answers. I am trying to get something done, so your drivel is wasting my time and everyone else's time who has to read this s*it.

On Wed, 14 Dec 2016 18:34:52 -0800, Oren advised:

You are like the bimmer haters, who don't think with your head screwed on straight. While California is filled with nutcases, it's not just California that banned lead weights, because similar nutcases in Illinois, Maine, New York, Washington and Vermont did the same.

Not only that, but this PDF says that "Japan has been voluntarily phasing out lead wheel weights since 2001"

Not only Japan, but it says that "the use of lead in wheel weights was banned completely in Europe in 2003."

And it says "The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is actively pursuing rulemaking that would ban lead wheel weights at the federal level."

So the *easy* part of my question is what material to use, which would be either zinc or steel.

For example, that PDF says a lot of Japanese cars use the FN style weight, which would be FNZ for zinc, or FNST for steel.

The problem I have at the moment is that there are a ton of different weights for different vehicles which are described in that PDF (I'm still reading it as we speak).

Bearing in mind that the trailing "Z" is for zinc and a trailing "ST" is for steel, and the U stands for uncoated, and that the sizes are generally

1. [quote]The PZU-Series zinc uncoated (PZ is coated) (PST-Series steel) clip-on wheel weight is used on standard passenger car 13??17? steel wheels. [/quote]
2. [quote]The AWZ-Series zinc (AWST-Series steel) clip-on wheel weight is used on most domestic vehicles equipped with alloy rims that were manufactured prior to 1995. [/quote]
3. [quote]The MCZ-Series zinc (MCST-Series steel) clip-on wheel weight is used on most domestic vehicles equipped with alloy rims. [/quote]
4. [quote]The LHZ-Series zinc ( LHST-Series steel) clip-on wheel weight is used primarily on late-model Chrysler cars and is designed to fit their unique wheel flange profile. [/quote]
5. [quote]The IAWZ-Series zinc ( IAWST-Series steel) clip-on wheel weight is used primarily on most European and certain Asian vehicles equipped with alloy wheels. [/quote]
6. [quote]The ENZ-Series zinc ( ENST-Series steel) clip-on wheel weight is used primarily on Audi, Mercedes Benz and early-model Japanese vehicles equipped with alloy wheels. [/quote]
7. [quote]The FNZ-Series zinc (FNST-Series steel) clip-on wheel weight is used primarily on most Japanese vehicles equipped with alloy wheels that were manufactured prior to 1990. [/quote]
8. [quote]The TZ-Series zinc ( TST-Series steel) clip-on wheel weight is used primarily on most domestic light trucks equipped with decorative and larger-thickness steel wheels and most late-model light-trucks equipped with alloy wheels. [/quote]

Note that the FNZ/FNST says "prior to 1990" but I think they mean *after*

Based on this somewhat confusing information (due to typos), I think Toyota alloy wheels would use the FNZ or FNST style; but I think, with the steel wheels I'm working on, that I probably need the PZ, PZU, PST, and PSTU styles for zinc, steel, coated and uncoated respectively.

But I'm not sure yet, so if anyone knows that I take the PZ or PST, please let me know.

Wheel weights, they are free if you pick them up while riding a bike. I've got a bucket of them. I melt the lead ones down for bullets but not the zinc ones. I also change my own tires and balance them, but I was busting tires back in the 60's with a heavy duty manual tire changer and pumping gas and washing those windshields... and yep, we also checked the oil in the engine and the air in the tires. The tire weights... they weigh the same new or used, just bend them back a little and nail them on the rim. You can spend all day reading about tires and road force balancing, TPM systems etc. This is a huge difference between what works good enough and pure science when it comes to things like this. The tire places here basically give you the tires at cost and make their money with the installation/balancing/road hazard warranty/alignment.

On Wed, 14 Dec 2016 22:27:43 -0600, My 2 Cents advised:

Funny you mention that, because I stopped at the auto-parts store today to pick up the fancy valve changing tool, and I saw a weight on the ground, and, for the first time in my life, I picked it up, and put it in my pocket!

You never know what you'll need, until you need something!

The only problem is that there are a ton of different styles for wheel weights!

The PZU-Series zinc uncoated (PZ is coated) (PST-Series steel) clip-on wheel weight is used on standard passenger car 13??17? steel wheels.

The AWZ-Series zinc (AWST-Series steel) clip-on wheel weight is used on most domestic vehicles equipped with alloy rims that were manufactured prior to 1995.

The MCZ-Series zinc (MCST-Series steel) clip-on wheel weight is used on most domestic vehicles equipped with alloy rims.

The LHZ-Series zinc ( LHST-Series steel) clip-on wheel weight is used primarily on late-model Chrysler cars and is designed to fit their unique wheel flange profile.

The IAWZ-Series zinc ( IAWST-Series steel) clip-on wheel weight is used primarily on most European and certain Asian vehicles equipped with alloy wheels.

The ENZ-Series zinc ( ENST-Series steel) clip-on wheel weight is used primarily on Audi, Mercedes Benz and early-model Japanese vehicles equipped with alloy wheels.

The FNZ-Series zinc (FNST-Series steel) clip-on wheel weight is used primarily on most Japanese vehicles equipped with alloy wheels that were manufactured prior to 1990.

The TZ-Series zinc ( TST-Series steel) clip-on wheel weight is used primarily on most domestic light trucks equipped with decorative and larger-thickness steel wheels and most late-model light-trucks equipped with alloy wheels.

Another reason balancing your own tires doesn't make a lot of sence. You need a WIDE assortment of weights to do it properly - and there are different weights for different rims - as you noticed below. You are NOT going to save money balancing your own tires if you have more than one kind of rim to balance (requiring more than 1 kind of weight) I guess you COULD balance your tires with only a combination of say, half,and one and a half oz weights, one or two halfs, a oneandahalf, a on-and a half plus one or two halfs, etc - but it is far from ideal

A proper weight pliers is recommended and not terribly expensive.

Go to your local auto supply and buy them off the shelf - to match what you have. That's the beauty of "buying local" - and they may even have "open stock" so you don't have to buy a full box of each size. If you treat your local shop properly you may even be able to buy a few of each size from them at a decent price.

The same question could be asked - - - -

"just look - everybody is out os step except my dear Frankie"

On Thu, 15 Dec 2016 00:29:53 -0500, snipped-for-privacy@snyder.on.ca advised:

I think wheel weights are sort of like nuts and bolts, screws, washers, and nails.

Over time, if you collect them, you have an assortment to select from when you need them.

But if you don't collect them over time, you have to buy boxes of them, all usually of one size only (where you need multiple sizes).

This seems like a decent place to buy boxes of them, for example:

Well, I only have two cars. So they use only two different kinds of weights, one of which are the stickons, which, I guess, I could use for both cars.

I'm currently reading the BADA catalog to learn more about the weights:

On Thu, 15 Dec 2016 00:33:42 -0500, snipped-for-privacy@snyder.on.ca advised:

I'm gonna take your advice and be nice to everyone moving forward. I don't really have time for jokes anyway. I just want to figure out how to do this job to learn.

For example, this PDF shows that there happens to be a "rim gauge" template which will tell me what type of weight I need for the rim I'm working on:

That PDF mentions the following wheel weight brands:

1. Perfect
2. Halko
3. Hodge
4. Plombco
5. Bada

Looking up the literature for each company, I'll start with Perfect:

On Thu, 15 Dec 2016 00:32:11 -0500, snipped-for-privacy@snyder.on.ca advised:

I went to O'Reillys today to pick up the valve removal and replacement lever tool, and asked where their wheel weights are.

They don't have them. They never stock them.

I'll try Autozone and Pep Boys, but those are the only local stores around here.

Meanwhile, I'm still looking for what type to buy. I think I need the P type for the Toyota (e.g., PZ or PZU or PST or PSTU for zinc and steel coated or uncoated).

This looks like an OK supplier for the P type weights (boxes of 50):

One critical question is which size is needed most?

Clare: Do you have an idea of what sizes are needed most?

On Wed, 14 Dec 2016 20:38:10 +0000 (UTC), Frank Baron advised:

I found this PDF which has a nice guide that all of you can use, no matter what car you have.

For example, the PDF says all Accura wheels use FN weights, while all non-R8 Audi wheels use EN while all BMW wheels use IAW, and all Buick wheels use MC (and so on).

It says the Toyota SUV uses FN but I know enough now not to believe that. I think the Toyota I am working on uses P type weights.

You can have a bushel of them and STILL not have the one you need - that's Murphy's law in action.

You SURE you know enough not to believe it? I won't get into the weight types and models - I never paid attention to the designations - my supplier just stocked the cabinet with what we needed - and I used what fit.

On Thu, 15 Dec 2016 02:44:29 -0500, snipped-for-privacy@snyder.on.ca advised:

I have watched tire guys snip off the ends with dikes to pare down the weight. I've seen 'em put two together to make a larger weight.

And they must have tons of sizes.