Balancing Aftermarket Rims
 

Hi all,

I just got 20 inch aftermarket rims which I love. Only problem is the balancing. I have taken it to Pep Boys 3 times now and they can't seem to get it right. I get shaking at 45-60 mpg. Aren't all balance machines the same? I am located in Central New Jersey. I should probably get an alignment?

Thanks

Imbalance is a result of both the tire and the rim, so sometimes rotating the tire on the rim can help reduce the required weight.

All wheel balance machines are not equal, there are a lot of fans of the Roadforce balancer. Look for one of those.

Finally, if a rim isn't round, you can balance it perfectly but you can't make it round by adding weights.

(edited for brevity)

So this only happens when you're coasting downhill with a good tailwind and the ignition turned off?

I'm just messing with you, maybe hubcentric rings?

E

All of the above apply. Good call on the hubcentric rings. Couple of things to keep in mind:

1- Those hub centering rings are essential. It's what centers the wheel on the hub, not the wheel bolts. Without a properly machined wheel or correct centering ring, you might as well give up trying to get rid of the shaking.

2- Not all balancing machines are equal. So many variables come into play. Does the guy doing the balancing know what he's doing? When was the last time the balancer was calibrated?

3- Where did they put the weights? Lots of machines just get set to hide the weights on alloy wheels but that doesn't give the best balance as having weights on both the inside and outside of the rim.

4- Did they even look at whether the wheel is round or not?

5- The larger the diameter of the wheel and the shorter the sidewall of the tire (going from 18s to 20s) makes balance even more critical. An imbalance on a tall sidewall 17" tire/wheel may not be felt inside because the soft sidewall is absorbing the vibrations. But the stiff sidewall of a performance 20" tire is going to transmit every minor inbalance into the vehicle.

6- Pep Boys is the absolute last place I'd go for proper work on a BMW. Might be fine for a $2000 Hyundai or an old Chevy, but I seriously doubt they have the skills or equipment to properly handle your wheels.

Find a shop that has a Hunter RF9700 (Road Force) machine. It can check for wheel imperfections, bad tires, and will give the best balance, as long as it's calibrated and the tech knows how to use all the features.

If u bought e70 replicas u will need the correct hub rings.

Please post seller of wheels and what wheels they are, brand and style. Thanks

Thank you all so much for the responses. Ok so I will find a reputable balance location this weekend. Below is the link of the rims I purchased. The seller did send hub centric rims but they may not be the correct ones. AT a glance they were thin aluminum ones. Where can I purchase another set and how do I determine that will fit? If i am not mistaken the diameter for my X5 is 72.56mm.

Best best would be for me to get the hub centric rings figured out before I go to the RF dealer.

Borbet Type XA Machined w/Anthracite Accent

I'm going with the idea that you need hub centric rings....that fit....thats great that he sent some but make sure they are the correct fitment....

also....yes...roadforce is the way to go.

Rich:thumbup:

Like mentioned above this is most likely your problem. Test fit the ring first on the hub with the tire off. Is it a nice snug fit? There should be zero "play" (a nice tight fit). Then test fit the ring on the inside of the rim. Same thing- should be a nice tight fit. These are essential for a nice smooth ride.

I will test the rings this weekend, but how do I go about purchasing new ones, and where. I presume I need the vehicles and Rims measurements.

Thanks

TireRack is a well known and competent supplier. I'd be surprised if they shipped wheels without centering rings if they were needed. Give them a call and ask if they sent you the correct rings.

Most aftermarket wheels get machined with a 76mm bore, then sell the centering rings to fit to a specific model. Sounds like you got rings with the wheels. I'd just want to verify that you got the ones for an E#53 not an E70.

Easiest way to tell if you got the right rings is to loosen all the bolts from the wheel and see if you can move the wheel up and down or left-right. If it's centered on the hub it should not move. If it moves a few mm either way, you may have the wrong rings.

But again, TireRack is probably the most competent wheel and tire supplier out there. I would seriously doubt they got it wrong. So I'm guessing the issue is with the tires and balancing.
OR
The tire shop forgot to put a centering ring in one of the wheels when they mounted them on your X5. Check all 4 to make sure they all have the rings installed.

Thanks TOWX.

On here I read that E53 rims have a center bore of 72.51, is that all E53's? I have a 2006 3.0i.

The after market 20's I purchased came with a set of rims but the seller tells me the measurements on my X5 are 72.56mm. The seller wasn't Tire Rack but a shop in EBAY.

Because of the difference in sizes from what I read here and what he tells me, should I resume I have the wrong hub rings?

I get shakes when I hit about 55mph.