Opti-Coat 2.0 on wheels: before or after balancing

T

tonipieleanu

New member
I've got some new wheels that need to have the tires fitted. I plan on using Opti-Coat 2.0 on them, but I don't know if I should wait for the tires to be fitted and wheel weights glued on or can I Opti-Coat them now and do the balancing after?

Will the wheel weights stick ok to Opti-Coat or should I wait?



I've heard some rumours about this, hence my question...



Thanks!
 
OC takes a little time to cure to full hardness, so if you OC first you should wait a couple days before mounting so they don't cause marring with even gentle touching. If they put the weights on, then that spot will not get OCed. My choice would be to coat the barrels only, wait a few days to mount, then OC the whole wheel. That would give you a double coating on the barrels and prevent the tire shop from screwing up the fresh coating right away. If they create a little marring on the faces you can still polish it out before the OC.
 
I'd say do it after. Some of those tire changers can be complete gorillas with your wheels, I'd be worried about them taking some off in the process.
 
I always do such stuff after the mounting so that the weights are adhering to bare metal (gonna have all the weights on the backs/barrels, right?) and because there's always a possibility/likelihood of having to correct some degree of damage from the mounting.
 
Accumulator said:
You don't think they'll wear it away around the edges of the rims when mounting the tires?
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I am sure that is a possibility. Some shops don't use metal on metal when mounting though. If they do scrape up the lips, there will be more to worry about than oc wearing off.



At any rate, reapplying oc won't take long or much product.
 
Accumulator said:
You don't think they'll wear it away around the edges of the rims when mounting the tires?
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Yes, I do. That is why I feel doing the barrels first is good, then reapply after. Covers all bases.



There should not be any issue with the tape sticking to the OC.
 
I thought about it and I'll wait until the tires are fitted. Even though there aren't any issues with the wheel weights, I think it's easier to handle the wheels with tires on without touching the actual wheel.

I'll leave the coating to cure for a few days then fit them on the car.



@Nth Degree: my OC syringe is more than 1 year old, I don't think it can be layered. Only newer stuff is supposed to be layer-able.



Thanks everyone for your input!
 
Jean-Claude & Nth Degree- OK, I'll defer to you guys.



And yeah...unfortunately in my area it's very hard to get tires mounted without some kind of (hopefully minor) damage. Drives me *NUTS* but that's how it goes at *every* shop around here.
 
Accumulator said:
Jean-Claude & Nth Degree- OK, I'll defer to you guys.



And yeah...unfortunately in my area it's very hard to get tires mounted without some kind of (hopefully minor) damage. Drives me *NUTS* but that's how it goes at *every* shop around here.
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I think it would be great if tire/repair shops would offer a "delicate touch" service option. Free mounting and balancing is great for most people, but when someone comes in with brand new, $1000+ wheels, it might be worth it to them to spend $100 extra bucks to have them handled with a little more care. The problem is most of the employees are minimum wage and only care about a paycheck and not the quality of work they do.
 
Nth Degree- Even the guys who are *really* trying to keep me happy just don't seem to be able to do it 100% right. I always remember how great Chuck Mallett was at this...he mounted the tires on the Vette I bought from him (did it himself instead of having an employee do it) and he didn't leave a single mark on any of 'em. Even remounted one set of tires several times so he could get them to balance with fewer weights. No problems, none. Now why can't everybody be that good?
 
Accumulator said:
Now why can't everybody be that good?
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Nth Degree said:
The problem is most of the employees are minimum wage and only care about a paycheck and not the quality of work they do.
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It's a matter of pride in their job. Just like detailing; some are in it for the passion while others are in it for the "easy"(:lol) $$$. I can't remember the last time I heard an employee in a tire shop say they worked with tires because it is their passion.
 
Nth Degree- Heh heh..I haven't been in a "tire" shop since forever. See, that's the weird thing about the guys who do 'em for me, they *do* have a sense of pride, specifically in that they're the only guys at the shop allowed to touch my vehicles. Only certain people touch my wheels, the same senior techs who do all my work, and they really are trying... :nixweiss
 
By grace, there is a really great independent shop here in town who not only mount tires efficiently, they do a great job doing so. They actually i nspect the wheels first and note any pre existing defects, then go ahead and moun t them. My father sent both Benzes there with no problem and I will feel at ease with them when the time comes for me to get new tires. They beat Tire Rack 's prices too.
 
The place doesnt even use lifts just a crew, much like a pit crew, with a bunch of jacks. They are so efficient they are a pleasure to watch. the place is a real hole in the wall though.
 
Bill D- That does sound like a cool place. Coincidentally (as I mentioned Mallett), when Mallett Cars built my 'vette, they didn't use lifts either. Kinda surprised me, all the work they were doing with just jacks and stands.
 
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