Tires: Wheels going out of balance, hash mark, acura tl


Question
I own a 03 Acura TL. Last month I have purchased a new set of after market rims for the car. I had them balanced 3 times all ready. Twice in the same place and the Third in other place. The shops where all, Tire Shops. Each time the wheels get balanced I have no vibration but after few days they come back. I know there is nothing wrong with the car. To me it seems like the tire is moving on a rim because of hard braking or fast acceleration. The tire is the proper size for that rim. Could there be a problem how they mounted the tires or they need some kind of glue to not move on the rim? They did not use the black stuff. I know it's only to lubricate the rim before the tire goes on but when it dries out it provides friction. And the weights on the rims only move fwd or aft when they balance the wheels.

Answer
Mieszko,

First, there is no glue involved in mounting a tire on the rim.  What you see being applied to the tire (and if they do it correctly, the rim) is a lubricant that helps the tire glide over the edge of the rim without being torn.

But it is possible the tire is moving on the rim.

Get out a crayon and mark the locating of the valve stem on the tire with a little hash mark.  Then periodically check to see if the mark has moved relative to the tire.  An inch or 2 is OK, but more than that isn't.

If it has, have them break the tire down, clean the rim and tire throughly with alchohol, and remount the tire.  It is possible that the tire and rim have been contaminated with silicone which is difficult to remove and remains slippery - which the normal mounting lubes don't.