I was going through the FSM to read about the guidelines to balance the wheels on my maxima.

Here are the steps I read:
1. Remove inner and outer weights.
2. Clean wheel to remove any left over adhesive.
3. If a tire balance machine has adhesion balance weight mode
settings and drive-in weight mode setting, select and adjust a
drive-in weight mode suitable for road wheels.
4. Set road wheel on wheel balancer using the center hole as a
guide. Start the tire balance machine.
5. When inner and outer unbalance values are shown on the
wheel balancer indicator, multiply outer unbalance value by 1.6
to determine balance weight that should be used. Select the
outer balance weight with a value closest to the calculated
value above and install it to the designated outer position of,
or at the designated angle in relation to the road wheel.
CAUTION:
Do not install the inner balance weight before installing
the outer balance weight.
If calculated balance weight value exceeds 50 g (1.76 oz),
install two balance weight sheets in line with each other
6. When installing balance weight to road wheels, set it into the
grooved area on the inner wall of the road wheel as shown in
the figure at left so that the balance weight center is aligned
with the wheel balancer indication position (angle). I havent put in the pic here but I noticed it was showing the edge on the rim that stays towards the outside.
7. Start wheel balancer. Make sure that inner and outer residual
unbalance values are 10 g (0.35 oz) each or below.
8. If either residual unbalance value exceeds 10 g (0.35 oz),
repeat installation procedures.
Wheel balance (Maximum allowable unbalance):
Maximum allowable unbalance
Dynamic (At rim flange) 10 g (0.35 oz) (one side)
Static 20 g (0.71 oz)

Questions:
1. Is this why when I get the car balanced at the dealer it rides as smooth as glass? See item (5). Do all tire installers do the X 1.6 when adding weight. Does anyone know why the 1.6 factor?
2. How important is step 6. i.e. the location where the stick on weight is put with reference to how close it sits to the outside line of the wheel.
3. If I take these steps to my local tire shop(Discount tire) will they be able to follow these steps?

 

Any "1.6" conversion, I would imagine happens within the confines of the machine.

Wheel balancing is tricky, because wheels have width. Balancing a bicycle wheel, all weights are in the same plane, because they're so narrow.
Wide wheels are a different animal.

 

What is interesting is the FSM says take what the machine says and then multiply by 1.6 only for the outer weight. Inner weight stays what the machine says.

I'm frankly wondering if this is the reason outside tire shops cant get the balancing on the maxima "just-right". Quite a few folks here have some vibration at some speed but dont know what really the cause is.

 

Interesting, I've had my wheels balanced at a little shop and they still vibrated around 60 mph and was perfectly smooth past 70. So I had it roadforced balanced with a Hunter Roadforce machine and I still get vibration around 60 but super smooth past 70ish.

However they said all 4 of my rims were bent and I really don't know what the chances are of ALL 4 rims being messed up.

It didnt look like a normal bend on one point of the rim but more like the whole rim being sorta warped because as the rim was spinning the outside edge was sorta moving, I think it could be from the wheel center not being mounted exactly in the middle on the machine.

Opinions? Likely for all 4 being bent?

 

have never gotten wheels balanced at a dealership...never had a problem

 

It sounds like the FSM is making some assumptions concerning the capabilities of either the balancing equipment in use at Nissan shops or the level of understanding by a minimally-skilled tire tech who might work there.

For dynamic balance (not getting into road-force) the machine needs to know where the balance weight planes are - more precisely how far apart they are.

For a while, I worked in a local Chevy dealership and got occasional access to shop equipment for personal use.

One such use was the tire mounting and balancing equpment specifically for my 5th Gen maxima. If you can enter the inside weight plane (with the little plunger) and enter the separation distance between the planes (usually big outside calipers are used, but for both weight planes on the back side of the wheel center you can just measure directly with a ruler between where you're going to stick the weights). Once the machine knows those numbers, it'll solve for the weights and locations directly with no conversion or multiplication required.

Therefore, I think the 1.6 is a conversion from the amount of weight that you'd add if you could add it to the outer (visible) flange to the amount you'd need if you stick it out of sight just behind the wheel center. What it means is that the tire tech doesn't need to know how to measure anything except the outer width of the wheel.

Although it may be more convenient (done properly), I doubt that the "multiply by 1.6" method is any better than any method that directly enters the separation distance between weight planes as measured with a ruler. Not when with the ruler measurement method I could hit zeroes seven times out of eight the first time I ever used a balancing machine (1/4 ounce off on the one that missed). Or when years earlier after telling a garage tech what measurement to use for stick-on weights that he could hit zeros in one shot on wheels that he was unsuccessfully struggling with previously.


Norm

 

Another thing I noticed is, in the FSM it says:
If you are looking at the wheel with the mounting on the left and the outside of the tire on the right i.e. a passenger side tire, the stick on weight needs to go on the outside of the edge that is formed by the spokes and the inner wheel.
I have noticed a lot of times, while the clip on weight is on the inside wheel lip, the stick on weight is almost in the middle of the wheel center (widthwise) and that edge shown in the picture.
Does the placement of the weight itself create any issues? I mean it may balance out on the machine but still cause ride issues?
The image of this is on MA-24 of the FSM. I just checked my car and if you see the image the weights are about an inch or 2 inches to the left of where the FSM says they should be mounted.

 

Not if the machine can somehow be given the right information.

However, you'll get a better balance with less weight the further apart you can separate the balance weight planes. And I can't say how the machines in a Nissan shop would handle the determination of how much inside (near the inner flange) weight.


Just a side note with respect to stick-on weights, particularly any little ones that you might end up with - it's generally a good idea to place a strip of silver tape over them as additional security against them getting thrown loose even though to do so isn't a "show car". Nissan specifies their own brand of weights, which may well have better quality control for the adhesive than aftermarket adhesive weights taken at random.


Norm

 

Thanks Norm.
Its going to be interesting. I have taken a print out of the fsm page and plan to take it with me to discount tire. I have this vibration only between certain speeds and balance is a big suspect.

 

I just got my tires balanced today and the vibration is now at a different speed. It was at 50 to 60 and now its 55 to 70. Never fails. Its a tighter faster vibration than before too. All 4 of my nissans have had this issue no matter the tire I have put on there. I had 3 shops balance my tire. I even got new rims and it still didnt help?