New Apollo wheels-problem with balancing

[glasgow]

Many thanks for all the information.

I went for a wee walk in the sunny evening and passed by a Mercedes dealer and BMW dealer around the corner of where I live. Had a look at the tyre paint dot in the new cars and its relation to the valve. I saw about 20 tyres but only 2 of them had the dot opposite the valve!

[ScottR400D]

Ahh, the issue is that OE tyres often have more than one spot on them and they don't always mean that's the heavy spot and needs to be near the valve!

Some spots indicate a high point as opposed to a heavy point and manufacturers often have other spots for reasons best known to themselves!

 

 

[IanJ]

Sorry - my earlier post should have referred to "8-spokes" rather than "Apollo" wheels.  Now corrected above.  The symptoms still sound similar, though.

[aerobod - near CYYC]

Supposedly Toyo mark the lightest point of a tyre with a yellow dot, which should be aligned with the valve stem. Other manufacturers may use different colours with different notations. A red dot is also common. If two dots appear on the sidewall, usually one is the lightest/heaviest point and the other the highest/lowest point. Here is a more detailed explanation of match mounting from Yokohama: https://www.yokohamatire.com/tires-101/advanced-information/match-mounting

[glasgow]

[glasgow]

Just an update. Demon Tweeks contacted the supplier who confirmed they had a couple of similar issues. Buckled and non smooth machine cut at centre hole and at the bolt holes. 

How annoying the smart people who first balanced my wheels, they just put the max weight and sent them to the customer. Anyway, return is currently being arranged.

 

Many thanks for all your help and finger crossed the new wheels will be better

[JNC]

@ IanJ   In my early comment re: Machined what I meant was where the centre cap fits , is it nice and smooth like the rear of the wheel or rounded cast finish ? If nice and smooth cut edge thus Machined  then the wheels can be cone balanced from the front . A cast finished won't be central . I hope this explains (Machined)

[Jonathan Kay]

Private Mail sent

Jonathan

[IanJ]

@John If I had to guess then I'd say it looks like they have been machined from the back, but stopping short of the front which leaves a lip with a smaller diameter hole into which the centre cap fits.  If that's the case then the centre cap hole (which the cone centres on) will be cast which ties up with your prediction.

[glasgow]

Phone call from Demon Tweeks this morning. They confirmed the wheels are buckled. They also said they tested another 5 brand new wheels and they all have the same issue.

[simon_h]

Thats good they found the issue for you. Bad if they have a batch like it though. Does it mean they are a bit too light weight for their own good and will buckle if they go through a pot hole or is just a manufacturing defect of a few wheels?