You need to make sure that the vehicle is balanced so that it is safe to drive. If the wheels are unbalanced, you will notice some warning signs such as shaking and a decrease in mileage. It is normal for your tyres to go out of balance every few months and one way of rectifying this is by using tyre weights.
Tyres take a lot of wear and tear as they are continuously in contact with the road. They have a big impact on the stability and the dynamics of the vehicle. There can be weight imbalances that occur due to certain reasons and with frequent driving, the imbalance of weight can cause shaking and bouncing of the car. This will have an impact on the handling of the car and can be a safety hazard.
A wheel weight is used to balance the tyre assemble and the wheels. These are generally made out of metals that are malleable. Once you attach these weights to the tyre, they can counteract the imbalance. You can equalize the weight distribution of the wheels using wheel weights and this will contribute to better fuel economy and improve the safety and comfort of the vehicle.
There are different types of tyre weights that you can use. These are adhesive weights and clip-on weights. The clip-on weights can be clipped to any part of the wheel rim whether it is outside or inside. Once you place it, it adds a specific weight to the overall tyre weight balancing out the weight distribution. You can easily attach or remove these weights and you will not need to use a lot of weights to balance the wheels. These clip-ons will not interfere with other wheel components but you may notice some scratches to the rim that are caused during installation.
And you will be able to see if the weights are attached from the outside. Adhesive weights are cheaper when compared to clip-ons. You can use these on the inside or outside of a rim and this will not leave any scratches. They are compact weights but they will take a little longer when it comes to installation. The stickiness of the adhesive can wear off over time when exposed to dust and grime.
You need to select the right type of wheel weight to ensure that proper balance is achieved. You can ask your mechanic what is required. There are online auto parts stores where you can purchase these weights. You will find these in steel, zinc or lead. Lead weights have been around for a while and they have a higher density than steel which allows technicians to install smaller weights that are still heavy. In some areas, you are not allowed to use lead weights as they are toxic metals and can contaminate water sources when discarded.
Zinc weights are less dense and therefore a larger size is required. Steel weights are more common as it doesn’t come with environmental issues. But it is larger than lead weights as it is less dense comparatively. You may also need to check if there are any state regulations for the weights and if the environment in your local area is best for adhesive or clip-on weights.