Does anyone have sugggestions for removing the wheel weights on the outer wheel surface. I think that looks very tacky for such an expensive wheel. Is their any particular tire shops to trust with this job or ones to avoid? I don't want to end up with scratched wheel surfaces, since I plan on doing shows with my HD. Thanks!

 

Let me know if you find an answer. I really hate the look of mine too.

Perhaps they can be chromed?

 

Look for someone that has a Hunter GSP 9700 setup. These use an inside wheeel balance.

 

Here's the URL for info:

http://128.242.141.111/

 

You should be able to get a static balance pretty much anywhere, and that was the first thing I did.

 

I went to the dealer and asked them to remove them. I stated that I was going to get a re-balance and wanted tape wieghts on the inside. They originally refused, saying Ford does not recommend that type of balance and they did not want the liability of damage to the wheels when they remove the wieghts. Duh, that's why I didn't remove them myself. There was a tech listening to me argue with the pin heads at the service desk. He followed me out to my truck and said he couldn't believe ford did that either. He took out his little wheel wieght tool and carefully removed the wieghts for me, no marks, no problems. I thanked him and went on my way.

When you get a rebalance, go to a shop that uses the Hunter 9700 road force balancer. It is the best you can have done. Once balanced on these you likely won't ever have to rebalance if you rotate every 5k miles or so.

Sometimes dealers are such aholes.

 

Guys--Did this to my 02 almost one year ago and did it in our shop. Balanced fine with in side weights also put in chrome air stems at the same time. What a difference!!!!!. Not sure what Ford was thinking when they used rubber stems and weights on the out side but it was the easy way for them to do it. As long as the shop has a new balancer and does lots of 17" to 22" wheels you should not have a problem doing this mod


DAVE HD

 

i just got 2002 HD wheels from a friend with about 8k on them......i had a shop here in miami take the weights off carefully and re blalnced the wheels......they used the sticky weights on the inside and everything balanced perfect...no problems at all....i also added the 2 in shackles while i was at it.....im loving the truck now...
when i get new tires im definitly changing the valve stems also...
Jeff

 

you should have told ford if they didnt want to use the tape weights then they could at least put the normal fugly weights on the back of the rim. They arent ever supposed to put them on the outside unless they are being lazy.