FAQ - Expert's Advice

An imbalance of a wheel occurs when the axis of rotation does not correspond to one of the mass centroid axes.

Poorly-balanced wheels can generate a critical condition on the vehicle:

• The steering vibrates
• More stress on wheel suspension and bearings
• More noticeable vibrations in the interior
• Physical strain on the body increases
• Increased brake wear can result
• Increased tire wear can result
• Extension of the braking distance may be the result

With the balancing weights of HOFMANN POWER WEIGHT the axes are brought back into balance.

At a speed of 100 km/h, the centrifugal force of a 10 g imbalance is equal to that of a sledge hammer.
Double this speed and the forces involved quadruple. Vehicles with poorly balanced wheels become dangerous:

• More stress on wheel suspension components and bearing points
• Noticeable vibrations on the steering wheel and in the interior
• Body subjected to greater physical stress
• Increased brake wear
• Increased heel and toe wear on tyres
• Braking distance increases

Dynamic imbalance is caused by an asymmetric mass distribution inside and/or outside of the rim. The asymmetric mass distribution is only visible during movement when the forces work in different directions and cause the wheel to hop or wobble. To determine a dynamic imbalance the tire/wheel assemblies can be checked on a balancing machine.
The dynamic imbalance can be compensated by applying wheel balance weights on the outer and inner side of the rim.
In addition to dynamic unbalance, there is also static unbalance.

A correctly balanced wheel can rotate freely around its horizontal axis and is able to stop in every position. If there is a static imbalance, the spot on the wheel with the greatest mass is acted upon by gravity to deflect the wheel downward.
Static imbalance always occurs in the center of the wheel and causes it to bounce while driving. The static imbalance can be compensated by applying wheel balance weights on the opposite side of the occurred imbalance:
In addition to static unbalance, there is also dynamic unbalance.

What exactly happens in a vehicle which moves with an imbalance and how can the driver detect an imbalance?

The results of endurance test conducted by HOFMANN POWER WEIGHT are clear after just 17,000 test kilometres. An imbalance has a significant effect on the vehicle. The effects are seen in three areas:

• comfort,
• safty and
• wear.

Strong vibrations at the steering wheel and inside the vehicle, along with constant humming noises are the first signs of an imbalance.

After 2,000 km of driving, significant uneven tyre wear is detected on all four wheels. Early repairs may be necessary due to increased wear at the suspension arms, shock absorbers and bearings. In the braking test conducted by HOFMANN POWER WEIGHT, the braking distance of the test Golf moving at a speed of 140 km/h increased by 6 mtr. This can be decisive in case of an emergency situation.

If uncoated balancing weights are mounted on a rim, it may come to contact corrosion. Contact corrosion occurs when metals with different nobility are in close contact. The more noble metal enhances the corrosion of the less noble metal. The condition for this process is a corrosive media between the two metals, like rain water or simple humidity.

Coated balancing weights preserve any rim from damage due to contact corrosion. The high quality OEM coating protects the weight optimally against environmental influences, even under extreme conditions. See comparison coated / uncoated weights in self-test on the right side. All weights are correspondingly subjected to OEM specifications 480 hours salt spray test according to DIN 9227 and ADTM B 117-73.

In a running tire the balancing compound is dispersed along the tire walls due tothe centrifugal force. With increasing speed, imbalance of the wheel assembly (heavy spot) will cause vibrations like bouncing and wobbling. At the same time the higher speed will also cause the centrifugal force to disperse the material in the tire and automatically push the compound opposite to the heavy spot, compensating the vibrations. As the compound can fl ow freely in the tire, it will constantly adjust to shifts in forces caused by changed imbalances, speeds and road conditions, guaranteeing an always smooth ride.

FUSION TECHNOLOGY – THE INTELLIGENT BALANCING COMPOUND:

The secret of the innovative Fusion Technology is the different size of the balancing material. The larger red kernels concentrate in the center of the tire and dampen the static imbalance. The smaller blue kernels are moving to the outside of the tire and compensate wobbling which is caused by dynamic imbalance. The result is a smooth ride for the complete tire life.

QUICK AND EASY BALANCING

No balancer required, tear open and into the wheel. Pre-packed bags mean low labour costs, no extensive training or experience required.

INCREASED FUEL EFFICIENCY

Smoother ride and reduced rolling resistance mean longer tyre life, better tread and contact to road, making you more efficient.

PROLONGED TYRE LIFE

Longer lasting tread and even tyre wear through fewer vibrations keeping your tyres running smoother and cooler, ultimately lasting longer.

TPMS SAFE

Specially coated compound has no adverse effects on TPMS sensors or inner tyre liners, high quality metal valve cap and a special core in every bag, protecting your valve.

MORE DRIVING COMFORT

Vibration dampening increases comfort, causing less exhaustion for driver. Fewer vibrations for load and driver mean both arrive fresh.

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

Lead-free, cost effective solution to balance all your wheels and almost all rim types, with no rebalance necessary saving dozens of wheel weights over a tyre life.

FULL PRODUCT PROGRAM FROM THE MARKET LEADER

As the market leader in wheel balancing, we are proud to also offer a premium solution for vibration dampening through in-tyre compounds. We are the only manufacturer in Europe offering a full spectrum of heavy-duty knock-on and adhesive weights as well as an own line of vibration dampening products for in-tyre use.

A STRONG BRAND

Our premium product and packaging is paired with a strong brand. HOFMANN POWER WEIGHT is known as the most important supplier for wheel weights to vehicle manufacturers worldwide.

GARAGE OPTIMISED PACKAGING

The unique dispensing box, with its small footprint can easily be stored close to the balancer, no walking back to get product from the shelf. Bags can be dispensed from the front, while it opens from the top with a reclosable and removable lid.

SMALLER BOX QUANTITIES

With 8-16 bags per master box, a fourth of what competitors pack into master boxes, inventory can be managed more easily, binding less capital. The lower cost per box makes the product attractive even for shops without HD specialization.

ATTRACTIVE PRODUCT DESIGN

Premium product with its unique two colour design, paired with a high quality print and red and white HOFMANN POWERWEIGHT visual on boxes and bags maximise brand recognition and facilitate repeat business.

ALL-IN-ONE BAG

Each bag contains everything you need for your job, each has a filtered valve core and valve cap sealed into a separate compartment at the top.

EASY TO OPEN

Our perforated paper bags are easy to tear and incorporate a funnel-like opening to minimise spills. The single paper bag design reduces waste and is easy to recycle compared to competitors double plastic bag packaging.

INSTRUCTIONS ON EVERY BAG

Independent from language barriers, instructions on every bag in the form of pictograms show how the balancing compound is applied.

HIGH QUALITY COMPONENTS

Valve cap and filtered valve core provided in the bag are high quality components with red high temperature resistant seals. Each valve cap is marked with a clear logo, indicating the use of balancing compound in the tyre.

All HPW advantages at a glance in our flyer:

Download flyer
 

All HOFMANN POWER WEIGHT car adhesive seals have a perforated adhesive tape with innovative SPEEDLINER® technology. Thanks to the perforation, the individual segments can be separated easily and without tools. The SPEEDLINER® adhesive tape is a great relief for the work in the workshop especially because of its residue-free removal during the subsequent disassembly of the weights.

More information is available in the SPEEDLINER® flyer.

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RESIDUE-FREE REMOVAL OF WEIGHT FROM THE RIM

With the SPEEDLINER® adhesive tape, foam residues on the rim and thus time-consuming subsequent cleaning with scrapers or aggressive, toxic agents are a thing of the past. For the first time, the new adhesive tape has a 5-stage structure; a special, extremely tear-resistant intermediate film, a so-called reinforcement film, ensures extremely strong cohesion within the adhesive tape. This permanent bond created in this way makes work much easier when the adhesive weight strip is removed again. The foam residues adhere to the reinforcement film and residue-free removal of the adhesive weight is possible. A time and cost saving for every fitter. And to the delight of every vehicle owner, it is also gentle on the rims.

HIGHER INITIAL ADHESIVE STRENGTH

The adhesive, which has been specially optimised according to our specifications, has a higher initial tack and reaches the maximum final tack even faster. Even if the rims are not optimally pre-cleaned, the adhesive weight is held securely. Immediate correction of the balancing position is still possible thanks to the innovative composite structure. Time-consuming and cost-intensive reworking is no longer an issue. This leads to satisfied workshop customers and fewer complaints.

CLEAN SEPARATING EDGES

The optimised foam of the SPEEDLINER ® is even easier to tear off and leaves a clean separating edge when breaking off individual segments. Together with the grid technology used in HOFMANN POWER WEIGHT adhesive weights and the perforated liner, this makes work during assembly much easier. Rejects of adhesive weights are reduced even further, as damage to the liner is prevented when separating individual segments.

EASY REMOVAL OF THE LINER

The new protective film (the so-called liner) consists of a stronger film material. This makes the liner easier to grip, which makes it quicker and easier for the installer to remove.