Just wondering if it's worth it to balance wheels and tires for autoxing. IMO, I'd rather not balance them and save a lil money. Don't think it makes a difference. I'll be running Kumho Victoracers. Most of the time we'll put the Kumhos on at the event, but once in a while we may drive out to the event (about an hour drive) on the Kumhos. Even then, I don't think it's worth it to have them balanced. I can bear driving on unbalanced wheels for an hour. So what do you all think? Am I doing anything bad by not balancing?

 

I'd balance them.

If you don't, you don't know if that shuddering in the steering wheel are in fact your unbalanced wheels or your steering linkage is falling off. The steering and its input will feel smoother if you balance it. Less vibration.

Just my 2 cents.

aj

 

I get free-ish mounting and balancing, so for laughs I had them throw one of my *used* V700/wheel combos on their machine to see how 20+ events changed a once balanced wheel. It was so far off, they said they wouldn't send a normal customer out the door with something like that. The way race tires wear, and with the camber/caster/etc. settings they see, a perfect balance will be short lived.

But I would still balance them at install, and if you suck a ton of life out of them autocrossing, you could even have them re-done later. It would help to find a shop that will cut you some slack on labor if you frequently use them.

 

i think it would be very beneficial to balance the R tires!!! i have mounted them and sometimes take 2 oz to balance out...and you will feel that!

 

I ran a set of kumhos unbalanced into the ground, and happened to have quite a few higher speed autocrosses (50-75mph stuff)... Never had an vibration issues. However, during one event where I had to drive home on the kumhos, on the highway, it does become an issue. I wont be balancing my tires from now on. I need every penny I can get.

 

I don't balance the auto-x tires, and have never noticed any steering bah-rum-ba's on course. There is so much else goiing on banging the hell out of the car that a few ounces of lead really isn't going to be noticable

 

If you're just autocrossing, it's not necessary. I've had some balanced and others not and never noticed a difference on course. Only when "cruising" on the highway or some other non-race condition did I ever feel any vibrations. Unless it's free, I'd forgo balancing the wheels and pocket the extra cash.

 

I used to balance them, but I was flipping the tires so often I stoppped. As long ad they're autocross only wheels, I wouldn't worry about balancing them.

 

i ballanced mine mainly for those times when 1)my jack brakes and i have to drive home on the r's and 2) theres a long 60+mph straight. the ones i ran last year are rather flatspotted now tho, so it doesnt make much differance.

-spenc

 

The place I take my tires to be mounted doesn't charge any less if you don't balance them, so yes, I balance mine.

 

i always balance my tires..
they are often spinning much faster on the track than they are on the street...