Idiotic wheel/tire balancing question...

[TonyKarter]

Time for the first set of replacement tires. got the PS2's from TireRack. My question is: those little square weights on the INSIDE of the wheel rim....are they there to balance the wheel BEFORE the tire was mounted at the factory? Or are the there to balance the tire mounted at the factory? I'm confused because two of my OEM tires also have a small lead wheel balancing weight ON THE EDGE OF THE WHEEL RIM. See what I mean?
So do I tell the shop "hands off" the square weights inside the rim as they are there to balance the rim or do I let them remove them, marr the look of the wheels, and have their way with the lot.

Any wheel mounting horror stories I should know about before hand? Any mistakes you made? Anything you'd do differently? Judging by the quality of the ham-fisted work I have previously had in some of the shops around here I'd just as soon buy the wheel mounting and balancing equipment myself IF I COULD AFFORD IT!
Thanks ahead of time for your input

[chuckie669]

The weights are there to balance the wheel with the tire. I prefer the inner wheel weights personally as the others tend to scratch the rim over time (where it's noticeable).

I ask for the stick on weights with all my wheels.

Horror stories.... Check around the lip of the wheel after they get done and then around where the lug nuts are. I've seen them scratch wheels when mounting the tire scuffing the outer piece. Know of others who had their wheel scratched when the mounters were power tooling the lugs back on.

[TireDoc]

The shop will need to pull all the weights off and start fresh with the new tires. Check out the link below for guys that we have worked with in the past, and try and select a shop that has a "touchless" machine for best results.

http://www.tirerack.com/installer/index.jsp

[BlueJacket]

Do yourself a favor and pull the old weights off yourself before taking them in. Somethings the tape that holds them on is a PITA and the wheel shop will just rip them off and leave a mess.

[TireDoc]

Do yourself a favor and pull the old weights off yourself before taking them in. Somethings the tape that holds them on is a PITA and the wheel should will get rip them off and leave the mess.

+1 a little Goo Gone will help get the old stuff off !

[juspimpin]

+1 a little Goo Gone will help get the old stuff off !

WD-40 works as well as goo gone and should be readily accessible.....

[BlueJacket]

But goo gone smells nice. :)

[TonyKarter]

THANKS GUYS! That's what I needed to know. As an aside, isn't it funny how a thread starts out discussing one thing and wanders off behind the little animals by page two? Tire balancing morphed into huffing Goo-Gone...go figure.

[TonyKarter]

TireDoc,
Does your site identify the shops that have "touchless" capability? Thanks, Ray

[TireDoc]

Nearly all listings we have indicate the type of equipment used, so it may take a little digging (or you can just call in and ask )