A question about wheel weights.

[jtopiso_imp]

Agreed. I don't think you'd be interested in a perfect $9000 rim/tire that is true/balanced only when new.

If they initiated proper quality processes, that included the goal of balance and consistency, in design, products, and production, I am confident they could produce balanced ties and rims economically. Once one manufacture started it, all would be forced to follow.

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If they initiated proper quality processes, that included the goal of balance and consistency, in design, products, and production, I am confident they could produce balanced ties and rims economically. Once one manufacture started it, all would be forced to follow.

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To reduce the numebr of parts and proceses is always a goal for any manufacturer, as it implies a direct cost reduction (which yields better marging, or a more competitive market price -no matter how small-).

So rims, specially if casted and machined, are already pretty well balanced (and some already partially compensate for the valve stem weight). They will also remain balanced unless impacted (not as wire spokes, which can lose tension in the same manner as a guitar loses its tune).

The moulding/trimming of the rubber is the difficult part. To reduce the need for added weights, they mark the heaviest/lightest part of the tyre, so during assembly it can be mounted opposed/aligned to the valve.

So the goal for wheels that don't need balancing is there. The manufacturing technology is not there yet.

Also: some parts are machined with very close tolerances (e.g. crankshafts), and even those need to be balanced: they do the casting, they pre-machine them, they do the hardening, they do the grinding to very close tolerances, and then they have to machine some "sacrificial" material out of it, to make sure it's balanced. If they can't avoid doing that with a rigid casted/machined part, imagine with a moulded rubber.