Kicking around my "new" tires today and discovered

A Cosmetic issue only, you are OK.

 

omg, the nerve of those people that are doing what they know best. They might be more careful if you had something a bit more expensive in between the tires, but gen2 rims? They are just out to balance the tire the way they were trained and not really concerned about the ugly wheels that get a bulge from the wheel weight.

What you got is industry standard

 

It should be hidden weights on the outside, that's dead certainty. I would take them up on their offer, think their warning about "less than perfect balance" is just a face-saving ploy.

 

The place that refinished my Gen 1 wheels remounted the tires and balanced with tape weights both inboard and outboard (so no clip-on/bang-on weights on either lip). I had not heard of that before but it made perfect sense to me as a way to avoid piercing the finish and giving corrosion a place to get started.

The place I've usually had my tires done has usually not used tape weights, but they say they will if I remind them. They've also offered the option to use tape weights for the outboard positions, but clip-ons for the inboard lip. Seems to me if I had a new wheel, or a freshly refinished one, with no finish damage yet or places for corrosion to start, I'd probably prefer tape weights everywhere.

After the first good curb rash, it probably doesn't matter much any more.

Naturally, with tape weights being nearer the centerline of the wheel, more overall weight may have to be used to correct a given dynamic imbalance than with weights clipped onto the lips.

-Chap

 

I removed the fugly wheel-trims on my 2009 Gen II (touring), and back in the Spring when I fitted a new set of summer tyres, the deal included balancing, alignment, and (I just checked) the balance weights are right in the centre-line of the wheel and are stuck on with adhesive, not on the outside. The job was done at the local Town Fair Tires - I see from my pics that my winter "steelies" have been balanced in the traditional way with clamp-ons on the outside, but I don't use hub-caps in the winter either (too many nooks and crannies for dirt/road-grott/ice/snow to build up) (also summer wheels are 16", winters are 15") - I do not know if this helps but I understand your annoyance - when I bought the summer tyres, I had to explain to the tech why the valve-caps were really tight (I use pliers to tighten them in order to confuse any would-be jokers intent on letting the air out when the car is unattended) - but I didn't diss the tech for not knowing my trick, in fact he thought it was actually a Good Idea.

 

This may have been where you "heard" outside weights were not the best idea.

Wheel weights on the outside after balancing | PriusChat

What would bother me more is that you mentioned it to them before they started and they did not mention any "industry standard" at that time.

 

Hi Chris
I gave up on the wheel weights years ago. The last time I got tires yep weights on the outside of my rims....which didn't matter as 2 of the rims were from junk yards and kinda f'ed up as I had 2 bent rims and had to find new rims. And like Will I haven't had wheel covers on my wheels for 10 years.

The takeaway for anyone reading this is make sure they check that the wheels aren't bent when on the tire machine. These wheels are so light and so easy to bend. Wont take much of a wheel bend to make you crazy. Slightest bend may not show up till you go 70 mph's and you have vibration which will make you crazy. You may not even know there bent if you drive the car everyday.

One bad pothole at speed can bend these light aluminum wheels.

Duke the tire guy and have him check the wheel when getting new tires.

All about weight savings when they made this car. The bad part is really light wheel very easy to bend.