A question about tire balancers.

[divorced]

When selecting the settings on a balancer for using wheel weights you have to input the wheel diameter and width and if you plan to use weights on both sides or just the inside (for bling bling wheels). But how is a machine to be set for balancing when using the weight patches that go inside the tire (the kind that you have to dismount the tire)? Do most tire balancers do this or only certain ones?

 

[divorced]

Anyone?

Nobody here has ever used a tire balancer? I want to get some tires checked but I don't want to "donate" money to some shop that doesn't know what they are doing.

 

[az-k5]

It sucks to set up. First you need the newer hunter (or similar road force style machine). Select the patch setting. You can set it up for either dynamic (dual) or static (single) patches. The road force roller measures the tires loaded hieght (via lever arm on the roller & air bag pressure). It then spins the tire as normal and highlights the heavy spots (showing patch placement). You then have to mark the tire for these points, and mark the tires location on the wheel. You now get to dismount the tire, glue on the patches (kinda like a repair) and remount the tire and math it to the wheel like it was before.

This method is only good for long haul tires as normal passenger and light truck tires wear to quickly (thus changng the balance points) to actually benifit from this procedure. The shop I work at just uses tape-weight if the customer doesn't want weight on the outside (or the rim face won't allow weight). We also do everything, from F550's and their 19.5 semi tires, to bling bling 26's down to 13" civics, 8" wheelbarrow/trailer, and even ATV tires. All in one shop. Obviously we don't balance all of these listed.

Hope that helps

 

[divorced]

Thanks for the good explanation. What I am wanting to do is get my tires spun so I know how much weight is needed to balance them and then fill them with the correct amount of weight using golf balls. I guess I could do it the old fashion way and add golf balls until it is right, but sometimes that takes a while.

Can the machines do what I need done?

 

[az-k5]

Yes it can be done, but you will most likely need a friend with access to the machines and the understanding of what you are doing. I wouldn't reccomend golf balls either they really pulverize a tires liner. Equal (tire balancing powder) is better but tends to clump up with any humidity. I think a softter BB sized pellet would be the happy medium. There are also the centramatic tire balancer disks which work wonders from what I have heard.