Notices
2003-2009 Nissan 350Z

What the heck are these blue dots on my rims?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 11-13-2005, 02:30 PM
  #1  
Diesel350
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (6)
 
Diesel350's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Tampa
Posts: 8,378
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default What the heck are these blue dots on my rims?

And how do you take it off? Looks like someone put a dot of blue paint on each one of my rims. Did anyone else's rim come with this blue dot?
Attached Thumbnails What the heck are these blue dots on my rims?-img_0155.jpg  
Old 11-13-2005, 02:34 PM
  #2  
need Z
Registered User
 
need Z's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location:
Posts: 1,176
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Mine has them too... and I've had my Z for nearly a year.
Old 11-13-2005, 02:36 PM
  #3  
concuthatbu
Registered User
 
concuthatbu's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Alaska
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Use nail polish remover. My stock Z had them too. Nail polish remover will do
Old 11-13-2005, 02:37 PM
  #4  
Diesel350
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (6)
 
Diesel350's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Tampa
Posts: 8,378
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

Originally Posted by concuthatbu
Use nail polish remover. My stock Z had them too. Nail polish remover will do
Cool thanks.
Old 11-13-2005, 02:44 PM
  #5  
aonic
Registered User
 
aonic's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: NY
Posts: 143
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Mine has em too, got the Z 2 months ago. Will try nail polish remover
Old 11-13-2005, 03:10 PM
  #6  
Gralark
Registered User
 
Gralark's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Navarre, Florida
Posts: 171
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

all the new 06's have that. i waited like a week and then was able to scratch them off with my finger nail.
Old 11-13-2005, 03:13 PM
  #7  
KingOfV6
Registered User
iTrader: (3)
 
KingOfV6's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 319
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

I have blue dots on my rims too 05 model, they are prolly there to show it is a new rim, maybe thats how Nissan labels them?
Old 11-13-2005, 03:38 PM
  #8  
MustGoFastR
Registered User
iTrader: (13)
 
MustGoFastR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: San Diego
Posts: 4,797
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

If you look at your tires, there should be a corresponing red dot on them that lines up with the blue one on the rim. The dots mark the heavy and light spots (forget which) of the tire and rim, so that when matched up new, they will balance the easiest and with the least weight. The G35c 18s have had white dots since '03. Purists will leave them on to use them for the same purpose when putting on new tires, but it's not that big of a deal.
Old 11-13-2005, 03:40 PM
  #9  
need Z
Registered User
 
need Z's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location:
Posts: 1,176
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Ah, good to know. Thank you for sharing the knowledge!!
Old 11-13-2005, 03:43 PM
  #10  
plumpzz
New Member
iTrader: (10)
 
plumpzz's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Jersey, New
Posts: 7,146
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

I have the blue dots but no red dots. Weird.
Old 11-13-2005, 03:52 PM
  #11  
bmxox
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
 
bmxox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 677
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

The red dots on your tires will come off with an eraser if they bother you. Its the easiest way.
Old 11-13-2005, 06:20 PM
  #12  
guppies211
Registered User
 
guppies211's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: ca
Posts: 73
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

QC maybe?
Old 11-13-2005, 10:02 PM
  #13  
crazygideon
Registered User
iTrader: (5)
 
crazygideon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Carson and Riverside, Ca
Posts: 381
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

You ran over some Smurfs
Old 11-13-2005, 10:06 PM
  #14  
Jason@Performance
Sponsor
Performance Nissan
iTrader: (11)
 
Jason@Performance's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: So-Cal - Ready to go?
Posts: 8,783
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by MustGoFastR
If you look at your tires, there should be a corresponing red dot on them that lines up with the blue one on the rim. The dots mark the heavy and light spots (forget which) of the tire and rim, so that when matched up new, they will balance the easiest and with the least weight. The G35c 18s have had white dots since '03. Purists will leave them on to use them for the same purpose when putting on new tires, but it's not that big of a deal.

Yup! these are there for a reason... From the factory for ballancing the wheel & Tires...

We have had some customers pick them off and end up chipping away the actual rim finish...
Old 11-14-2005, 04:26 AM
  #15  
Damn Yankee
Registered User
 
Damn Yankee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Alabama
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Had the blue dots

when I went to pick up my 06 recently. Salesman had no idea why they were there so he took it back to the shop and had them removed before I went out the door. They looked crappy when the rest of the car was shiny and new and here were 4 dots on the wheels. C'mon, Nissan, you can do better than that if they serve some balancing purpose. You know Z drivers will be more particular than the Sentra buyer.
Old 11-14-2005, 04:41 AM
  #16  
350Z007
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
 
350Z007's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Richmond VA
Posts: 622
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Yeah, my 06 track wheels had the blue and red dots as well.
Old 11-14-2005, 06:30 AM
  #17  
MustGoFastR
Registered User
iTrader: (13)
 
MustGoFastR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: San Diego
Posts: 4,797
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

The paint used for the white dots on my G35c's 18s was not very good and flat finished, so they picked up and retained all kinds of dirt and started to chip off after a short time. I wanted to keep them for future new tire mounting purposes, so I removed them and replaced them with a smaller dot of gloss white enamel model paint. Odd that they did not have these on any of the Z rims until '06; I'd at least think that my '03 track rims would have had them. Oh, well, as I said, no biggie; just means a little more weight will likely be needed to balance them than if the dots are present and lined up with the red ones on new tires.

If you don't see the dots on the tires, they've likely already worn or been scrubbed off; they come off easily. Once the tire is mounted, they serve no purpose.
Old 11-14-2005, 08:06 AM
  #18  
davidv
Registered User
iTrader: (2)
 
davidv's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 42,754
Likes: 0
Received 11 Likes on 11 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by MustGoFastR
If you look at your tires, there should be a corresponing red dot on them that lines up with the blue one on the rim. The dots mark the heavy and light spots (forget which) of the tire and rim, so that when matched up new, they will balance the easiest and with the least weight. The G35c 18s have had white dots since '03. Purists will leave them on to use them for the same purpose when putting on new tires, but it's not that big of a deal.
+1. The wheel dot is the heavy spot, and the tire dot is the heavy spot. When mounting the wheel and tire, the spots should be opposite one another. The balance "estimate" makes the wheel-tire combination easier to balance.
Old 11-14-2005, 08:11 AM
  #19  
bio911
Registered User
 
bio911's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Houston Texas
Posts: 278
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

nail polish remover?!?!? wouldn't that damange the clear coat on the wheel??? just paint prep or tire bleach. tire bleach kicks *** and takes the dot right off.
Old 11-14-2005, 09:11 AM
  #20  
MustGoFastR
Registered User
iTrader: (13)
 
MustGoFastR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: San Diego
Posts: 4,797
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

Originally Posted by davidv
+1. The wheel dot is the heavy spot, and the tire dot is the heavy spot. When mounting the wheel and tire, the spots should be opposite one another. The balance "estimate" makes the wheel-tire combination easier to balance.
You sure about that? I thought either the one on the wheel or tire marked the heavy spot and the other marked the light spot, and you mount them with the dots lining up next to each other? That would make more sense and be easier than trying to line the dots up opposite each other. Been out of my G35c for a while, so I don't immediately recall for sure how they came new, but I thought they were lined up next to each other...


Quick Reply: What the heck are these blue dots on my rims?



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 08:18 AM.