Honda Car Forum

Ok, so I dread having to take my 04 EX V6 6-speed to the tire place
for rotation/balance when that is necessary. They always find a way
to f*** things up, either the interior or the wheels. I can rotate
myself but not balance, obviously.

Is there a plastic insert in their lugnut driver to prevent the
lugnuts of my nice wheels from getting chewed up? Can balance weights
be put only on the inside of the wheels? Hmmmm, do the low profile
tires have a tendancy to not get out of balance as easily?

TIA

"Im anonymous" <acctforjunk@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:bffabe31.0401280819.5bc4d2c6@posting.google.c om...
> Ok, so I dread having to take my 04 EX V6 6-speed to the tire place
> for rotation/balance when that is necessary. They always find a way
> to f*** things up, either the interior or the wheels. I can rotate
> myself but not balance, obviously.
>
> Is there a plastic insert in their lugnut driver to prevent the
> lugnuts of my nice wheels from getting chewed up?

In *thiers*? Probably not. But available.

Can balance weights
> be put only on the inside of the wheels?

Well, yes...but wheels get balance in more than one plane. They also get
balanced side to side.

Hmmmm, do the low profile
> tires have a tendancy to not get out of balance as easily?

Are you noticing a vibration, or are you being _sold_ a four wheel balance?

On 28 Jan 2004 08:19:46 -0800, acctforjunk@yahoo.com (Im anonymous) wrote:

>Ok, so I dread having to take my 04 EX V6 6-speed to the tire place
>for rotation/balance when that is necessary. They always find a way
>to f*** things up, either the interior or the wheels. I can rotate
>myself but not balance, obviously.

Are you sure there is no shop in your area which does hand torquing of lug
nuts? You might consider offering the technician a $10. or so tip if he'll
refrain from the air-wrench. FWIW, for anyone else who lives in Northern
NJ, Eurotire in Fairfield does hand torquing, washes hands before getting
in your car and uses a plastic protective cover on the seat. Prices are
not the lowest but they are competitive - you pays your money..... I've
been going there for ~25years and no complaints and it's a 40mile drive,
15miles further than my office. In the end, it's worth the trip.

>Is there a plastic insert in their lugnut driver to prevent the
>lugnuts of my nice wheels from getting chewed up? Can balance weights
>be put only on the inside of the wheels? Hmmmm, do the low profile
>tires have a tendancy to not get out of balance as easily?

IME with the Honda suspension, I've never found a need to balance the
wheels between tire replacements - it's much less prone to inducing tire
imbalance than say a MacPherson strut design. If you don't feel vibrations
and the tires wear evenly don't bother with balancing. Anyway, at many of
the tire shops, either the equipment is substandard, usually due to abuse
or the technicians are incompetent. On the odd occasion when I've had a
flat and had it repaired locally, I usually end up going to Eurotire to get
the balance (re)done properly.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

On 28 Jan 2004 08:19:46 -0800, acctforjunk@yahoo.com (Im anonymous) wrote:

|Ok, so I dread having to take my 04 EX V6 6-speed to the tire place
|for rotation/balance when that is necessary. They always find a way
|to f*** things up, either the interior or the wheels. I can rotate
|myself but not balance, obviously.

So buy a balancer.

Bubble balancers do just fine.
HF has one for about $80
Or find a used one from a tire store - $50.
Or do like I just did, and buy a used computer balancer $400 - $500
Not to save money, but because of the hassle factor.
Rex in Fort Worth

"Stephen Bigelow" <sbigelowPOV@rogers.com> wrote in message news:<IBRRb.38045$fgk.24965@news01.bloor.is.net.ca ble.rogers.com>...
> "Im anonymous" <acctforjunk@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:bffabe31.0401280819.5bc4d2c6@posting.google.c om...
> > Ok, so I dread having to take my 04 EX V6 6-speed to the tire place
> > for rotation/balance when that is necessary. They always find a way
> > to f*** things up, either the interior or the wheels. I can rotate
> > myself but not balance, obviously.
> >
> > Is there a plastic insert in their lugnut driver to prevent the
> > lugnuts of my nice wheels from getting chewed up?
>
> In *thiers*? Probably not. But available.
>
> Can balance weights
> > be put only on the inside of the wheels?
>
> Well, yes...but wheels get balance in more than one plane. They also get
> balanced side to side.
>
> Hmmmm, do the low profile
> > tires have a tendancy to not get out of balance as easily?
>
> Are you noticing a vibration, or are you being _sold_ a four wheel balance?

No, the car is 2 weeks old. Just thinking ahead. You know, being anal.

George Macdonald <fammacd=!SPAM^nothanks@tellurian.com> wrote in message news:<ncuf10p274as7sjbhf3s4iq1dd5klcmkb6@4ax.com>. ..
> Are you sure there is no shop in your area which does hand torquing of lug
> nuts? You might consider offering the technician a $10. or so tip if he'll
> refrain from the air-wrench. FWIW, for anyone else who lives in Northern
> NJ, Eurotire in Fairfield does hand torquing, washes hands before getting
> in your car and uses a plastic protective cover on the seat. Prices are
> not the lowest but they are competitive - you pays your money..... I've
> been going there for ~25years and no complaints and it's a 40mile drive,
> 15miles further than my office. In the end, it's worth the trip.
>
> >Is there a plastic insert in their lugnut driver to prevent the
> >lugnuts of my nice wheels from getting chewed up? Can balance weights
> >be put only on the inside of the wheels? Hmmmm, do the low profile
> >tires have a tendancy to not get out of balance as easily?
>
> IME with the Honda suspension, I've never found a need to balance the
> wheels between tire replacements - it's much less prone to inducing tire
> imbalance than say a MacPherson strut design. If you don't feel vibrations
> and the tires wear evenly don't bother with balancing. Anyway, at many of
> the tire shops, either the equipment is substandard, usually due to abuse
> or the technicians are incompetent. On the odd occasion when I've had a
> flat and had it repaired locally, I usually end up going to Eurotire to get
> the balance (re)done properly.
>
> Rgds, George Macdonald
>
> "Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

I'm sure I could find a place that is competent. That's interesting
that the design of the Honda suspension makes the tires wear more
evenly. I've never come across that before.

Did you happen to notice on your 2004 Accord's 17" factory wheels that there
is no ridge to attach weights to on outside of wheel?

You are right about tire shops #$&*!^% up wheels. They always managed to put
a scratch or gouge on one or more wheel with each visit.

Best bet is to locate a tire shop that sells high end wheels or just visit
the dealer for balancing when needed. I needed tires balanced on 1998 Accord
shortly after purchasing new and wheels had none to minimum damage. This was
done for free under warranty, not sure what they charge when its regular
maintenance.

"Im anonymous" <acctforjunk@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:bffabe31.0401280819.5bc4d2c6@posting.google.c om...
> Ok, so I dread having to take my 04 EX V6 6-speed to the tire place
> for rotation/balance when that is necessary. They always find a way
> to f*** things up, either the interior or the wheels. I can rotate
> myself but not balance, obviously.
>
> Is there a plastic insert in their lugnut driver to prevent the
> lugnuts of my nice wheels from getting chewed up? Can balance weights
> be put only on the inside of the wheels? Hmmmm, do the low profile
> tires have a tendancy to not get out of balance as easily?
>
> TIA

No I hadn't noticed that. Good thing too since I'm sure they'd put
them there even if I said not to.
I haven't even had a chance yet to do my typical hourlong snooping
under the hood. It's been so cold and snowy here.


"MJC" <mjcanedo@earthlink.net> wrote in message news:<Ep2Sb.1128$uM2.949@newsread1.news.pas.earthl ink.net>...
> Did you happen to notice on your 2004 Accord's 17" factory wheels that there
> is no ridge to attach weights to on outside of wheel?
>
> You are right about tire shops #$&*!^% up wheels. They always managed to put
> a scratch or gouge on one or more wheel with each visit.
>
> Best bet is to locate a tire shop that sells high end wheels or just visit
> the dealer for balancing when needed. I needed tires balanced on 1998 Accord
> shortly after purchasing new and wheels had none to minimum damage. This was
> done for free under warranty, not sure what they charge when its regular
> maintenance.
>
> "Im anonymous" <acctforjunk@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:bffabe31.0401280819.5bc4d2c6@posting.google.c om...
> > Ok, so I dread having to take my 04 EX V6 6-speed to the tire place
> > for rotation/balance when that is necessary. They always find a way
> > to f*** things up, either the interior or the wheels. I can rotate
> > myself but not balance, obviously.
> >
> > Is there a plastic insert in their lugnut driver to prevent the
> > lugnuts of my nice wheels from getting chewed up? Can balance weights
> > be put only on the inside of the wheels? Hmmmm, do the low profile
> > tires have a tendancy to not get out of balance as easily?
> >
> > TIA

> Ok, so I dread having to take my 04 EX V6 6-speed to the tire place
> for rotation/balance when that is necessary.

Then do not go there. In every area I've lived I have always been able to
find one or more competent auto repair shops. Sometimes a dealer, sometimes
a brand specialist, sometimes the corner general auto repair place.

You just need to check around and find people who are competent and careful
and then give them your business.

The other option is to do most work yourself. I do my own tire rotations
with a floor jack and it takes less time then it would to go to a shop. I
only get wheels rebalanced when I feel unnatural vibrations. Works for me.

John