• Sign Up! To view all forums and unlock additional cool features

    Welcome to the #1 Dodge, Jeep and RAM Forum dedicated to FCA owners and enthusiasts. Register for an account, it's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the SRT Forum today!


Wheel Weights

motorhead

1000 Posts Club
Founding Member
Member ID
#1061
Messages
1,487
Reactions
2,486
Likes
162
City
Ottawa
State
Non-US
Country
Canada
Vehicle
2019 Challenger HC Widebody
#1
I was peeking under my car yesterday and noticed it has knock-on weights on the inner wheel lips - this is in addition to the stick-on weights on the barrels. Is this normal?
 


Decay

Active Member
Founding Member
Member ID
#1119
Messages
471
Reactions
670
Likes
67
City
Astoria
State
OR
Country
United States
Vehicle
2019 widebody Redeye
#2
I'll look...
I'm not crazy about the Devil's rim jobs...
 


Decay

Active Member
Founding Member
Member ID
#1119
Messages
471
Reactions
670
Likes
67
City
Astoria
State
OR
Country
United States
Vehicle
2019 widebody Redeye
#3
Just looked, none.
 


Member ID
#1372
Messages
82
Reactions
156
Likes
17
City
Fishers
State
IN
Country
United States
Vehicle
2019 Dodge Charger Hellcat
#4
I was peeking under my car yesterday and noticed it has knock-on weights on the inner wheel lips - this is in addition to the stick-on weights on the barrels. Is this normal?
Yes...
 


BULL

Oh NO! Not that guy!
Staff Team
Founding Member
U.S. Marine Veteran
Donating Member
HFCOTM
Wiki Contributor
Member ID
#1079
Messages
14,588
Reactions
44,749
Likes
402
City
Weld County
State
CO
Country
United States
Vehicle
MY16 M6 Challenger Hellcat
HFCOTM
View Images
#5
^^^^^^
 


MikeD1

4000 Posts Club
Founding Member
Premium Account
HFCOTM
Member ID
#1026
Messages
4,001
Reactions
16,079
Likes
302
City
Central Florida
State
FL
Country
United States
Vehicle
2016 Challenger Hellcat
HFCOTM
View Images
#6
Normal, they were on my OE '16 and the set of OE's off a '15 I bought.
 


SilverBillet

3000 Posts Club
Founding Member
Donating Member
Member ID
#1009
Messages
3,860
Reactions
13,598
Likes
252
City
The Villages
State
FL
Country
United States
Vehicle
2021 Jeep GC 5.7 TrailHawk
#7
Not on my 2016 Charger
 


Linda's Hell Cat

4000 Posts Club
Staff Team
Founding Member
Donating Member
9 Second Best E/T
Member ID
#972
Messages
4,632
Reactions
32,876
Likes
252
City
Bucks County
State
PA
Country
United States
Vehicle
2015 Charger Hellcat
#8
:unsure:I don't know,
But last week I saw a guy that showed me his wheel weights and then chucked them on the ground!
He didn't say anything about them.o_O

Linda
[burnout][burnout]
 


OP
motorhead

motorhead

1000 Posts Club
Founding Member
Member ID
#1061
Messages
1,487
Reactions
2,486
Likes
162
City
Ottawa
State
Non-US
Country
Canada
Vehicle
2019 Challenger HC Widebody
Thread Starter #9
Just looked, none.
Well. This is an interesting development. It doesn't seem to have any particular reason year/wheel style/WB/NB.

I wonder if it is dealer specific to a PDI?

20" wheels can be a bitch to balance.

Just looked back at my car during the PDI and I don't see a single wheel weight - but it is possible they are all out of view: https://www.hellcatforum.org/threads/2019-poverty-pak-widebody-challenger.3128/post-13690
 


Last edited:

Jimmy N.

5000 Posts Club
Founding Member
Member ID
#996
Messages
5,431
Reactions
10,404
Likes
352
City
Lumberton
State
NM
Country
United States
Vehicle
'18 Challenger
#10
Well. This is an interesting development. It doesn't seem to have any particular reason year/wheel style/WB/NB.

I wonder if it is dealer specific to a PDI?

20" wheels can be a bitch to balance.

Just looked back at my car during the PDI and I don't see a single wheel weight - but it is possible they are all out of view: https://www.hellcatforum.org/threads/2019-poverty-pak-widebody-challenger.3128/post-13690
People curb their wheels as it is, and by using stick-ons for the outer side, at least the weights won't get scraped off. Also, some feel that wheel weights are ugly and would rather drive unbalanced than having visible weights.

Modern balancers usually have the option to hide the outer weights behind the wheel spokes, which while not 100% efficient (requires more weights) caters to those who think that it's better to look good than to feel good.

Anyway, a large diameter wheel is actually easier to balance, in a way, than a small diameter one. A given wheel weight is more effective the farther from the axle center it is.
 


MikeD1

4000 Posts Club
Founding Member
Premium Account
HFCOTM
Member ID
#1026
Messages
4,001
Reactions
16,079
Likes
302
City
Central Florida
State
FL
Country
United States
Vehicle
2016 Challenger Hellcat
HFCOTM
View Images
#11
Well. This is an interesting development. It doesn't seem to have any particular reason year/wheel style/WB/NB.

I wonder if it is dealer specific to a PDI?

20" wheels can be a bitch to balance.

Just looked back at my car during the PDI and I don't see a single wheel weight - but it is possible they are all out of view: https://www.hellcatforum.org/threads/2019-poverty-pak-widebody-challenger.3128/post-13690
Doubt it has anything to do with PDI as these are all balanced @ the factory.
More likely, it's a way to add weight without a crap load of stick on weights in the center, which customers may complain about.
 


OP
motorhead

motorhead

1000 Posts Club
Founding Member
Member ID
#1061
Messages
1,487
Reactions
2,486
Likes
162
City
Ottawa
State
Non-US
Country
Canada
Vehicle
2019 Challenger HC Widebody
Thread Starter #12
Hey, I am just throwing my observations out there. But, there does seem to be some inconsistencies.
 


OP
motorhead

motorhead

1000 Posts Club
Founding Member
Member ID
#1061
Messages
1,487
Reactions
2,486
Likes
162
City
Ottawa
State
Non-US
Country
Canada
Vehicle
2019 Challenger HC Widebody
Thread Starter #13
People curb their wheels as it is, and by using stick-ons for the outer side, at least the weights won't get scraped off. Also, some feel that wheel weights are ugly and would rather drive unbalanced than having visible weights.

Modern balancers usually have the option to hide the outer weights behind the wheel spokes, which while not 100% efficient (requires more weights) caters to those who think that it's better to look good than to feel good.

Anyway, a large diameter wheel is actually easier to balance, in a way, than a small diameter one. A given wheel weight is more effective the farther from the axle center it is.
Ever balanced a dub with a 32" tall tire on it? ;)

The shop we use has a road force balancing machine that does a mint job.
 


SilverBillet

3000 Posts Club
Founding Member
Donating Member
Member ID
#1009
Messages
3,860
Reactions
13,598
Likes
252
City
The Villages
State
FL
Country
United States
Vehicle
2021 Jeep GC 5.7 TrailHawk
#14
It is not recommended to use the “knock-on” wheel weights on cast aluminum or alloy wheels. Steel wheels only. The rim can be subject to breaking. IMO, if it’s like that from the factory, somebody made a mistake.
 


OP
motorhead

motorhead

1000 Posts Club
Founding Member
Member ID
#1061
Messages
1,487
Reactions
2,486
Likes
162
City
Ottawa
State
Non-US
Country
Canada
Vehicle
2019 Challenger HC Widebody
Thread Starter #15
It is not recommended to use the “knock-on” wheel weights on cast aluminum or alloy wheels. Steel wheels only. The rim can be subject to breaking. IMO, if it’s like that from the factory, somebody made a mistake.
Time to ask for 4 new wheels under warranty?
 


Jimmy N.

5000 Posts Club
Founding Member
Member ID
#996
Messages
5,431
Reactions
10,404
Likes
352
City
Lumberton
State
NM
Country
United States
Vehicle
'18 Challenger
#16
Ever balanced a dub with a 32" tall tire on it? ;)

The shop we use has a road force balancing machine that does a mint job.
No, thankfully I've never had to deal with anything like that.

And the Hunter road force machines are beyond great, I think. Mine's quite old, but it keeps doing its thing.
It's too bad that they aren't completely fool proof yet, and that so may operators use the Smart Weight setting instead of going for perfect balance.
Most people (including the operators) don't know that they have a choice, so the tires end up with an okay balance. It literally says "OK" on mine when it's on Smart Weight.
 


OP
motorhead

motorhead

1000 Posts Club
Founding Member
Member ID
#1061
Messages
1,487
Reactions
2,486
Likes
162
City
Ottawa
State
Non-US
Country
Canada
Vehicle
2019 Challenger HC Widebody
Thread Starter #17
No, thankfully I've never had to deal with anything like that.

And the Hunter road force machines are beyond great, I think. Mine's quite old, but it keeps doing its thing.
It's too bad that they aren't completely fool proof yet, and that so may operators use the Smart Weight setting instead of going for perfect balance.
Most people (including the operators) don't know that they have a choice, so the tires end up with an okay balance. It literally says "OK" on mine when it's on Smart Weight.
My shop will pre-balance the wheel, and rotate the tire on the rim until it gets the least amount of weight necessary - it helps that they know my stuff isn't junk and put in the added effort because I appreciate it.
 


Jimmy N.

5000 Posts Club
Founding Member
Member ID
#996
Messages
5,431
Reactions
10,404
Likes
352
City
Lumberton
State
NM
Country
United States
Vehicle
'18 Challenger
#18
It is not recommended to use the “knock-on” wheel weights on cast aluminum or alloy wheels. Steel wheels only. The rim can be subject to breaking. IMO, if it’s like that from the factory, somebody made a mistake.
I can't recall if I've ever seen a modern vehicle with aluminum wheels that didn't have clip-on weights on the inside and stick-ons on the outboard side.

Oh, wait, I have. Dual rear wheel Rams with aluminum wheels come with clip-on weights on both sides.
 


Jimmy N.

5000 Posts Club
Founding Member
Member ID
#996
Messages
5,431
Reactions
10,404
Likes
352
City
Lumberton
State
NM
Country
United States
Vehicle
'18 Challenger
#19
My shop will pre-balance the wheel, and rotate the tire on the rim until it gets the least amount of weight necessary - it helps that they know my stuff isn't junk and put in the added effort because I appreciate it.
You found a good place, it sounds like. Those are rare these days.

With an out of whack setup, the Hunter will even ask you to measure the wheel run-out, then say how much to rotate the tire on the wheel.

But keep in mind, too, that the wheel with the least amount of weights is generally not the one with the best road force readings - which is what really counts.
 


Paladin06

4000 Posts Club
Founding Member
Premium Account
U.S. Army Veteran
Donating Member
HFCOTM
Member ID
#1080
Messages
4,662
Reactions
24,174
Likes
302
City
Clarksville
State
TN
Country
United States
Vehicle
2015 Challenger Hellcat/2019 Challenger Redeye
#20
Both on my factory Redeye wheels sitting in the corner feeling unloved. 1573414351397.png
 




Top