Tire Mount and Balance

Remove all four wheels, dismount tires from wheels, mount new or repaired tires, balance each wheel/tire assembly, and reinstall on vehicle with proper torque.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Valve stems (if replacing) × 4 — TR413 or TR418 snap-in rubber valve stems
• Wheel weights (adhesive or clip-on) × 1 — As required by balancer
• Tires (if replacing) × 4 — OEM: Front 275/40ZR17, Rear 335/35ZR17

Preparation

1. Park vehicle on level, stable surface and engage parking brake.
2. Loosen all wheel lug nuts approximately 1 turn while vehicle is on the ground.
3. Raise front of vehicle with floor jack at forward crossmember jacking point and secure on jack stands under front frame rails.
4. Raise rear of vehicle at rear differential jacking point and secure on jack stands under rear frame rails near suspension mounting points.
5. Verify vehicle is stable on all four jack stands before proceeding.
6. Remove all four wheels and place on clean work surface with valve stems accessible.

Procedure

1. 1

   Remove wheel lug nuts and wheels
   With vehicle raised and supported on jack stands, completely remove all lug nuts from each wheel (5 lug nuts per wheel). Carefully pull wheels straight off hubs and set aside on clean surface. Keep front and rear wheels separated due to different tire sizes.
2. 2

   Deflate tires and remove valve cores
   Remove valve stem caps from all four wheels. Use valve core tool to completely remove valve cores from each valve stem, allowing tires to fully deflate. Set valve cores aside in clean location to prevent contamination.
3. 3

   Break tire beads
   Position each wheel on tire changer machine. Use bead breaker to push both upper and lower tire beads away from wheel rim on both sides of each tire. Work around circumference to ensure complete bead break. The rear 335mm tires may require multiple passes due to their width.
4. 4

   Dismount tires from wheels
   Apply tire lubricant to both tire beads. Secure wheel on tire changer turntable with appropriate clamping method (internal or external clamps depending on equipment and wheel type). Position mount/demount head inside tire bead, keeping tool clear of wheel face. Rotate turntable while lifting tire bead over wheel rim edge with demount tool. Repeat for second bead to completely remove tire from wheel. Dismount all four tires.
5. 5

   Inspect wheels and prepare for mounting
   Clean wheel rim sealing surfaces thoroughly, removing any old tire sealant, corrosion, or debris. Inspect wheels for cracks, bends, or damage requiring repair. If replacing valve stems, remove old stems by pushing through wheel from outside and install new valve stems by pulling through from inside until seated. Verify valve stems are straight and properly seated.
6. 6

   Mount tires onto wheels
   Apply tire lubricant generously to both tire beads and wheel rim flanges. Position tire onto wheel with valve stem hole aligned to valve stem. Secure wheel on tire changer turntable. Use mount/demount head to lever lower tire bead over wheel rim edge while rotating turntable. Once lower bead is seated in wheel center drop area, lever upper bead over rim edge and into drop area, ensuring tire is centered on wheel. Repeat for all four tires, ensuring front 275mm tires are mounted on front wheels and rear 335mm tires on rear wheels.
7. 7

   Seat tire beads and inflate
   Install valve cores into valve stems but do not fully tighten yet. Apply bead sealer or soapy water solution to tire bead sealing areas if beads do not seat easily. Inflate tire rapidly to seat both beads against wheel rim flanges (you will hear audible pops as beads seat). Do not exceed 40 psi during seating. Once both beads are fully seated, adjust pressure to manufacturer specifications: 30-35 psi cold pressure typical for performance tires, but verify specific tire manufacturer recommendations for these sizes.
8. 8

   Balance wheel and tire assemblies
   Mount first wheel/tire assembly onto wheel balancer following balancer manufacturer instructions. Ensure wheel is properly centered and secured on balancer shaft. Remove any existing wheel weights. Spin wheel and allow balancer to determine imbalance location and amount. Install wheel weights at locations indicated by balancer (adhesive weights on inner barrel or clip-on weights on rim edge depending on wheel design and balancer recommendation). Re-spin to verify balance is within acceptable tolerance (typically less than 0.25 oz per plane). Repeat balancing procedure for all four wheel/tire assemblies.
9. 9

   Install wheels onto vehicle
   Verify front wheels (275mm tires) are being installed on front hubs and rear wheels (335mm tires) on rear hubs. Lift each wheel onto hub studs, aligning wheel holes with studs. Thread all 5 lug nuts onto studs by hand, ensuring nuts are threading properly and not cross-threading. Use hand tools or impact wrench on low setting to snug lug nuts in star pattern (alternate across hub rather than going in circle) until wheel is seated firmly against hub.
10. 10

    Torque wheel lug nuts to specification
    With vehicle still on jack stands, use calibrated torque wrench to tighten each wheel's lug nuts to the factory-specified torque (verify against service manual; commonly 90 lb-ft / 122 Nm for the 1992 Viper) in star pattern. Make multiple passes, gradually increasing torque, to ensure even seating. Torque pattern: start at top lug nut, move to lower right, upper left, lower left, upper right (or similar alternating pattern). Repeat for all four wheels.
    Torque spec

    Wheel Lug Nuts142.4 Nm (105 lb-ft)
11. 11

    Lower vehicle and perform final torque
    Carefully raise vehicle slightly with floor jack to unload jack stands. Remove all four jack stands. Lower vehicle completely to ground. Perform final torque check on all lug nuts with vehicle weight on wheels, again using star pattern and torquing to the factory-specified value (verify against service manual; commonly 90 lb-ft / 122 Nm for the 1992 Viper). This ensures proper seating under load.
    Torque spec

    Wheel Lug Nuts142.4 Nm (105 lb-ft)
12. 12

    Set final tire pressures
    Check tire pressure in all four tires with accurate tire pressure gauge. Adjust pressure to vehicle manufacturer recommendation (verify against owner's manual or factory documentation, as the 1992 Viper roadster may not have a conventional door jamb placard). Confirm the specific cold pressure specification for the OEM tire sizes before finalizing. Install valve stem caps on all four wheels. Install valve stem caps on all four wheels.

Reassembly

1. Torque values must be achieved with calibrated torque wrench, not estimated with impact wrench.
2. Always use star pattern when tightening lug nuts to prevent wheel runout and uneven seating.

Verification

• Test drive vehicle at low speed and verify no vibration or unusual handling characteristics.
• After first 50-100 miles, re-check lug nut torque to ensure no loosening has occurred.
• Visually inspect all wheel weights are securely attached and no weights have been lost during installation.
• Verify tire pressures are correct and no slow leaks are present at valve stems or bead sealing areas.
• Check that correct tire sizes are installed in correct positions: 275/40ZR17 front, 335/35ZR17 rear.

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