Tire-Wheel Match Mounting for Optimum Uniformity

Typical details and procedures for proper match mounting are as follows:

Rim Details:

New passenger and light truck vehicles:

(A) Ford and Chrysler passenger and LT steel rims, and most steel replacement rims, have a paint dot or small painted daub in the drop well portion of the rim at the rim low spot. 

(B) GM and most Japanese vehicle manufacturers use the valve hole to mark the low point. 

(C) Other manufacturers are using a removable colored sticker or a brightly colored washable paint mark on the rim flange area of the rims. These are generally removed by the vehicle dealer upon sale of the vehicle. 

Aluminum and polycast rim low spots are located at the valve hole. 

Unmarked rims of all types generally have the low spot at the valve hole.

Procedures:

One tool that is currently in the market to assist in predicting ride/vibration response is the Hunter GSP9700/9712. This tool can approximate the low point of the wheel and the high point of the tire. Allowing the tire to be match mounted to the wheel makes the Hunter GSP9700 is an excellent tool to minimize road force variation of the tire/wheel assembly.

The Hunter GSP9700/9712 should not be used to predict or determine tire uniformity values or if a tire or wheel meets a radial force specification. Mickey Thompson does not rely solely on the values obtained from radial force machines when considering adjustments.

Mounting:

Lube both tire beads and the rim on both outer flanges (where the bottom of the tire beads will make contact with the flat portion of the rim when seated).

Proceed with assembly, mounting and balancing in accordance with RMA procedures. 

After the beads have been seated, visually check the positioning of the tire bead aligning rings molded into the tire. If spaced uniformly around the rim above the flange, the tire is properly positioned on the rim. If the tire is not positioned properly on the rim, deflate the tire and relube both tire beads and the rim before proceeding with reassembling. 

The paint marks on Mickey Thompson Tires are not indications of tire high or low spots and are merely marks applied for production purposes only.

On dual tires, each tire/wheel assembly should be installed with the valve 180 degrees opposite each other. 

Mickey Thompson recommends tires be dynamically (spin) balanced.

Read this and more at First Choice Wheels and Tires
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