I have to balance my wheels using tape weights. The ones that are on there are covered with some type of tape (no, not duct tape). It is silver or black (depending on the wheel) in color and has a black type of glue on the other side. Any ideas?

What do you use?

BTW, do you think they would let me run my tow vehicle (4Runner) for HPDE at SP? It has 4WD.

 

I thought tape weights were tape weights, but it sound to me like the tape weights have been covered by tape. This was probably done to conceal the weights to make the wheels look better. I don't know why someone would do that, well I do, but that's what it sounds like to me. It's probably just high-temp tape or gaffers tape.

I won't touch the 4Runner HPDE thing because I've never been to an HPDE.

 

Go to Lowe's or Home Depot, and buy a roll of HVAC Foil Tape. It works very well. Duct tape rots quickly under extreme temps.

 

What he said. When my wheel were balanced they had a metal tape over the weights as well. I'm sure metal foil tape would work fine. Clean those wheels though...

 

Perhaps to ensure that the wheel weights don't get chucked as easily

 

Never thought about that. Then again, my Protege is probably incapable of going that fast.

 

its not the speed, its the heat from the brakes and debris from the track that does them in...

 

Just wanted to add... I form the foil tape over the stick on weights and let the ends of the tape overlap the weights by a couple inches(this gives a good amount of tape surface for staying stuck)
The worst thing about sticky weights is that the glue on the back tends to melt or get soft when they get hot from the calipers... Then, if the inside surface of the wheel is not perfectly flat(Volk TE37s come to mind), the weights tend to be shifted by the constant force throwing them outward. The tape keeps them from shifting, as well as sheild them from some of the heat... color coordinated tape is purely for looks though. I used to use Duct tape, but when I started real racing... realized it wasn't enough, the hard way. Losing wheel weights during a race can suck for everybody.


[Modified by XR4racer, 9:53 AM 10/30/2002]

 

Unless your wheels require stick ons, I would suggest staying with the hammer-ons. I used the stickons with my stock rims (just trying to get more accurate with the balance) and they came off after the first event.

 

I've done that too, and never could tell a difference from just using HVAC FOIL TAPE. Plus it throws the weight balance off even more.