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Dabs of Paint on Alloys. (Blue dots)

31K views 15 replies 10 participants last post by  bertye 
#1 ·
Got about a 3 mm round dab of paint?--pale blue, on each of my alloy wheels.Been on since new but had forgotten about them till I was checking pads today.Anyone else got this or similar and know why?

Somewhere in the back of my old brain I seem to remember it might have something to do with marking the position of the locking wheelnut,or have I just dreamed that? :lol:
 
#4 ·
Ours has them too. On big diameter wheels, the wheels themselves can contribute significantly towards the overall out-of-balance forces in the wheel and tyre combination. The wheel manufacturer will stick a mark of some sort on either the "best" or "worst" bit of the wheel (can't remember which, to be honest)! The tyres also have a mark on them. When fitting tyres, the tyre fitter should match the two up - which will save on balance weights and make for an all-round better job. If you're Nissan, producing (say) 1000 X-Trails a week, each with 5 wheels, that's a significantly weekly saving in balance weights! If you're Mr. Kwik-fit fitter, you're not paying for the weights out of your own pocket, but you ARE subject to constant pressure to get the job done in a particular time, so you really couldn't give a monkey's about where the dots go!

A quick Google for "blue dots on wheels" will show that it's pretty common on all kinds of car makes.
 
#6 · (Edited by Moderator)
JackDusty said:
I noticed these dots as well.

I seem to remember that someone on the forum explained that there should be a corresponding dot on the tyre that aligns with the wheel dot, all to do with getting the balance right.
Hi Jack, it was mentioned in the thread below when I was telling Johnrimm about the blue dots on the wheels and what purpose they served.

Blue dot - Red dot Tyre T30
Left click jpeg file twice for max view

T30 blue dor - red dot copy.jpg


Clink on link below
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=3797&start=10
 

Attachments

#8 ·
Thanks again Umbongo,I knew you'd know. :smile:

All came back to me when I reread your post to John.

My rear(original)tyres have the red dot lined up with the blue wheel dot,as you'd expect,but no red dots on the 2nd set of fronts(new version of the Duelers)fitted about 18 months ago.

Thanks again and have a Happy Xmas.
 
#9 ·
woodsie said:
Thanks again Umbongo,I knew you'd know. :smile:

All came back to me when I reread your post to John.

My rear(original)tyres have the red dot lined up with the blue wheel dot,as you'd expect,but no red dots on the 2nd set of fronts(new version of the Duelers)fitted about 18 months ago.

Thanks again and have a Happy Xmas.
Hi woodsie, Merry Christmas to you too, time to put your feet up and have a few
and a good rest :thumbs:
 
#12 ·
Thanks Umbongo,managed a few pints of the black stuff tonight,just got to drive SWMBO and the pressies to Devon tomorrow :headbang: Hoping most have already got to their Xmas destinations so wont be too busy,but suspect that may be wishful thinking. :whistle:
 
#13 ·
Just had two new tyres fitted to my X Trail by Chorley Nissan. The fitter obviously had no idea about the need to line up the red dots on the tyres with the blue spots of paint on the wheels. Which explains why it needed long strips of adhesive weights to balance the wheels :headbang: :blowup@
 
#15 ·
now that explains a lot and worth a mention at the fitting bay :)....if spot has gone get the rim balance done before tyre fitted perhaps he could mark that point the once its on final balance.
 
#16 ·
I worked for Goodyear for 14 years so got some incite to why the dots. No wheel is perfectly round nor are tyres. So lets say the wheel is egg shape and so is the tyre. The dots are aligned so that the high is at the low of the other, which makes the outer edge rounder. Put the dots opposite each other and you could get a wheel that will bob the axles up and down. Aligning them also make is simpler to balance the wheels. If you are going to have the wheels blasted and painted, then it is best to put a punch mark or drill indent were the blue dot is ( which is what some wheels have instead of a dot if chromed ect).

Just for fun ( at 3 mins in)
 
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