Patent ID: 7332047

Claim:
A method of balancing a pneumatic rubber tire which comprises the steps of: (A) providing a cured pneumatic rubber tire having a release coating-free circumferential inner surface; (B) determining at least one specific location on the circumference of said release coating-free circumferential inner surface of said cured pneumatic rubber tire for placement of at least one rubber balance pad to balance said pneumatic rubber tire; (C) adhesively positioning and securing at least one rubber balance pad at said specific location on said circumference of said release coating-free circumferential inner surface of said cured tire; wherein said release coating-free circumferential tire inner surface is prepared by: (a) providing an uncured pneumatic rubber tire having an inner surface; (b) placing an annular strip of multi-axially stretchable polyamide film on a circumferential surface of said inner surface with one end of said strip overlays the other end of said strip to create a pull tab for removal of said strip from said inner surface, wherein said polyamide film: (i) has a thickness in a range of from about 15 μm to about 38 μm; (ii) is formable in a temperature range of from about 121° C. to about 200° C. without tearing and fusing to itself; and (iii) is non-elastomeric in a sense of not returning to its original length when stretched more than 50 percent of its original length at 23° C.; (c) applying a release agent coating to said annular, circumferential film strip and said inner surface of said uncured tire; (d) shaping and curing said uncured tire with said release coating on said annular circumferential film strip and inner surface in a suitable mold at an elevated temperature; (e) removing the cured tire from the mold and allowing the cured tire to cool; and, (f) removing said annular circumferential film strip with its release coating by use of said pull-tab to provide a circumferential release coating-free tire inner surface of said cured tire.