Wheel weight tools

[MackMan]

As part of my new garage, I got a Snap-On wheel mount and balance set. I've never done this before, but from the instructions it looks pretty straight forward, but I do see some specific tools from a variety of sources for removing and installing clamp on wheel weights. What are yall using and what's the most cost effective versions for a DIY user? I love some Snap-On but $100 for their "pliers", compared to ~$25 for Lisle and KD. Thoughts?

 

[CWP1616L]

Here you go:

http://www.kentool.com/index.php/products/wheel-weight-tools/professional-wheel-weight-tool-detail

 

[ol'Red]

Years ago I did light duty tires. I have experience with the kd, no name, and old napa branded pliers and they are good. The hammer portion of any plier is not my choice for installing weights as I would opt for an 8 oz hammer. Just my experience.

 

[Outlawmws]

Mine was old when I got it about 30 years ago, and the company appears to be gone, but it's a PDQ Weight tool.

Lisle and KD both appear to be roughly equivalent. You can pick off a weight, bend the tab to make it tighter, and clip a weight if you need too. not much else to them..

Probably get a decent pair fairly cheap off of Eprey...

 

[devoncoolman]

Dont buy cheap ones they are trash. Very loose at the rivit and useless. Honestly buy the snapon ones or hunter makes a good pair.

 

[ricky836]

have kd branded ones from napa. they are my favorite with the hunter ones next in line.

 

[MackMan]

What about these things?
http://store.snapon.com/Wheel-Balancing-Accessories-Hammer-Wheel-Weight-Small-Hook-P651388.aspx

the KD ones seem like a good option though
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002STTPM/?tag=atomicindus08-20

My hope is I can mostly do "concealed" weight applications with the weight on the backside rim and inside wheel rather than outside rim.

What do yall use as a source for the weights themselves? I see Amazon sells them.. Do NAPA etc also sell weights?

 

[devoncoolman]

The kd model u linked is a good one to get. And yes u can get wheel weights from most parts stores. Cheaper in bulk online though. Parts stores tend to be very expensive.

 

[redwrench60]

I hate to be the guy that waves the Snap-On flag for the simplest of things like wheel weight pliers but they really are very good. They have long length for leverage, the correct angle for gripping and digging off weights, a sharp and very strong hawk bill to grab stubborn weights. a nice wheel safe replaceable plastic hammer for installation, a nice cutter for stick ons and a crimper so you can re use weights if you have to.

But......for someone who won't use them very often I get it...it's a hundred something dollar set of wheel weight pliers.

 

[nicksnothereman]

As part of my new garage, I got a Snap-On wheel mount and balance set. I've never done this before, but from the instructions it looks pretty straight forward, but I do see some specific tools from a variety of sources for removing and installing clamp on wheel weights. What are yall using and what's the most cost effective versions for a DIY user? I love some Snap-On but $100 for their "pliers", compared to ~$25 for Lisle and KD. Thoughts?

That's kind of a crazy thing to buy for a home garage but whatever.

KD stuff is pretty good I would go with them if they're that much cheaper. Probably other branded stuff is equally as good. Or you could just use sticky weights and get a good scraper to remove the old adhesive. Those come off all the time though.

 

[rancherbill]

Get a Snapon!

Buy a cheap tool is like dating a supermodel and buying her Walmart Lingerie.

 

[MackMan]

That's kind of a crazy thing to buy for a home garage but whatever.

KD stuff is pretty good I would go with them if they're that much cheaper. Probably other branded stuff is equally as good. Or you could just use sticky weights and get a good scraper to remove the old adhesive. Those come off all the time though.

Got the Snap-On tire changer and balancer along with a bunch of other stuff for an extra $500 when I bought my new garage (see sig).. Figured so long as I have it, it will be useful for the racecar and oddball knock-offs on the Jag.

 

[CWP1616L]

Ken-Tool B230

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

It appears I was wasting everybody's time with that Ken-Tool link.

It may be because the link doesn't go directly to the tool.

Richard

 

[CWP1616L]

It may be because the link doesn't go directly to the tool.

Richard

Thank You, I went and revised the post with a more direct link.

 

[nicksnothereman]

Got the Snap-On tire changer and balancer along with a bunch of other stuff for an extra $500 when I bought my new garage (see sig).. Figured so long as I have it, it will be useful for the racecar and oddball knock-offs on the Jag.

I thought you meant "home garage".

 

[MackMan]

nah, it's not in the attached garage.

 

[rlitman]

Get a Snapon!

Buy a cheap tool is like dating a supermodel and buying her Walmart Lingerie.

But a KD. Buying a Snapon wheel weight tool is like stuffing your hard earned dollars into an ugly stripper's Walmart lingere.

Oh, and for a home hobbyist looking to buy an assortment of wheel weights in the profiles they need, look at patchboy.com
Most other places only sell in box quantities of each weight. Since you need lots of different weights (possibly in different profiles), that adds up real quick.

One more thing. Lead wheel weights are pretty much banned nowadays. Non-lead wheel weights have a protective coating (usually a silver colored paint). Without that coating, or if the coating is damaged, the corrosion can cause them to lift off the wheel, or damage your wheel. Either way, use the proper rubber/plastic hammer head to hit the weight on (like the one included with the weight tool), and not a ball peen hammer that can crack the coating.

 

[MackMan]

But a KD. Buying a Snapon wheel weight tool is like stuffing your hard earned dollars into an ugly stripper's Walmart lingere.

Oh, and for a home hobbyist looking to buy an assortment of wheel weights in the profiles they need, look at patchboy.com
Most other places only sell in box quantities of each weight. Since you need lots of different weights (possibly in different profiles), that adds up real quick.

One more thing. Lead wheel weights are pretty much banned nowadays. Non-lead wheel weights have a protective coating (usually a silver colored paint). Without that coating, or if the coating is damaged, the corrosion can cause them to lift off the wheel, or damage your wheel. Either way, use the proper rubber/plastic hammer head to hit the weight on (like the one included with the weight tool), and not a ball peen hammer that can crack the coating.

Thanks for the tip, that's one of the things I liked about the Snap-On and KD was the nylon hammer head.

 

[eljefino]

For wheel weights Advance auto lets you mail order them. Get $125 worth of stuff, use a $50 coupon, and pay $75 with free shipping. Decoding part numbers will take you some time for the brand they sell.

Steel rims take "normal" weights but then aluminum ones have about eight different lip shapes. OE domestics take "MC" IIRC and it gets crazy from there. Various charts float around.

You'll also want sticky weights for the inside of rims behind the spokes so you can do dual-plane balancing. I got mine off of ebay, there are probably better ways. Got a bag of 50 valve stems off ebay. Tire mount lube for $8/gal from advance or $5 effectively with the coupon.

 

[misterbill]

Talk about resurrecting an old thread... I found these pliers at my dad's house yesterday. I thought they might have been some sort of fencing tool. No markings that I can see but very obviously the PDQ design.







Bill

 

[jsaw]

I have used lots of wheel weight pliers, and I own a pair of Snap on. Out of all the ones I have used, I like the snap on the least.