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Wheels - Finish Damage During Off Car Balancing

BULLETIN NUMBER: 93-3E-67
SECTION: 3E Wheels & Tires
NUMBER: 3

CORPORATE REFERENCE NUMBER: 3935O2R

DATE: June 1993

SUBJECT:
INFORMATION ON COSMETIC DAMAGE TO ALUMINUM WHEELS DURING BALANCING

MODELS:
1985-93 MODELS WITH ALUMINUM WHEELS





Some aluminum wheels on GM models may incur cosmetic damage during balancing if proper care and procedures are not used. All aluminum wheels have a clearcoat paint on them that must be cared for like any other painted surface.

Some off-car vehicle balancer retaining cups used to clamp the wheel to the balancer may put a circular mark into the clearcoat on the face of the wheel. Like any other clearcoat damage, this may be difficult to remove or repair, depending on severity.

ALWAYS use balancer retainer cups that are protected with rubber, plastic, or other nonmetallic materials where contact is made with the wheel. Make sure the retainer cup is tree from dirt, grease, and gouges. Most wheel balancers now offer this type of protected retainer.

DO NOT allow the retainer cup to rotate against the wheel's surface when tightening the wheel to the balancer.

DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN. Most balancers use a large "wing nut" design to clamp the retainer against the wheel. Hand tight is sufficient.

This procedure will allow accurate balancing using the conventional back cone method.

Important:
Coated balance weights must be used on aluminum wheels to prevent damage to the rim flange.

Except for the N9O 4X4 wheel used on T trucks, all light truck aluminum wheels will accept either "AW" series or "MO" series clip-on coated weights on both the inside and outside rim flanges. The N9O T truck wheel will accept "AW" series weights on the inside rim flange only. The outside rim flange is not designed to accept a clip-on weight. If such a weight installation is attempted, a poor fit will result, and the weight may fall off and/or cause cosmetic damage to the rim flange. This wheel can be 1) static balanced by clipping all the weight on the inside rim flange (as is done in the assembly plant), or 2) dynamic balanced by clipping a weight on the inside flange and using an adhesive weight near the outside flange.

The charts show "AW" and "MC" balance weight usage. These original equipment coated weights are available at competitive prices through the GM Dealer Equipment program.