Balancing Bias Ply Tires

[Lynn]

Rick is exactly right. If the tire / wheel combo is too far out to balance, then you need to move the tire around on the wheel 180 degrees and check again. May take several tries to get it where it "belongs". There is nothing about the bias ply that makes it inherently hard to balance, except for nylon cord tires that have been sitting parked for a while - they will have a flat spot. Before balancing nylon tires back in the day, we always drove the car for a few minutes before balancing, regardless whether it was static or dynamic balancing.

I balanced hundreds of bias ply tires using a bubble balancer. The trick is to use four weights (two on the front and two on the back) all weights being the same size, varying the size of the weight and spacing according to the bubble position. Hard to explain without showing. Biggest draw back to the bubble balancer in my opinion, is that it doesn't give you a clue when a tire is out of round.

I have never used one of the newer small mini bubble balancers, but can't imagine that the result would be any different. However, there is no question that the modern computer balancers are superior. But... assuming your wheel is straight, and the tire round, a bubble balancer will do a good enough job that you would not be able to tell a difference when driving the car.

JMHO.

[Salvatore]

IMO Lynn you are right on. Sometimes it is the wheel and not the tire. 4 weights were used pretty much in the old days at good shops. Trial and error with the nylon thumpers. Also, I hope you guys are not getting carried away with balancing wheels on a car that may really be a trailer queen? Almost like dynoing an engine that is not going to exceed 2,000 rpm's or ever get out of second gear.

[Plowman]

Road force is the best. It's balancing the tire in the distorted mode, the same way it goes down the road. Road force if done properly, the run out of the tire, the run out of the rim, in opposite matching is on where to mount the tire on the rim. It is the only machine that will tell a bad tire. With all 4 tires done it will tell you where to put each one on the car. With a good front end-alignment, and 4 tires road forced going down the road 25 mph or higher, you will not feel the tires or the road. It will feel like you are on a magic carpet ride. This will make front end parts last longer from not beating them up.

[JohnZ]

If you go to the Hunter Engineering site at www.gsp9700.com, there's a locator feature that will show you the shops/dealers near you that have the GSP-9700 machine that deals with radial and lateral runout and road force variation issues and solutions.

[Verne_Frantz]

If using that machine, is it possible to balance cast aluminum mags with stick-on weights inside the rear of the wheel?

Verne

[napa68]

That should be no problem. The Hunter unit can detect defects in the tire as well as the wheel for an optimal mount. Furthermore, with the distortion of the tire under load, they provide a better balance.

FYI. A good friend of mine is an instructor at the local Vo Tech school and they have these balancers on hand. He expained while I was trying to empty his fridge!

[PxTx]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Verne_Frantz</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If using that machine, is it possible to balance cast aluminum mags with stick-on weights inside the rear of the wheel?

Verne </div></div>

You can even tell the machine you only want to position the weight behind a spoke. Basically there i s a pedal you press ans you index each spoke and the machine will show a digital image on the monitor. It's an extra step, but for what they charge to balance with one of these, don't be afarid to ask.

[SmallHurst]

I spoke with Mr. Kelsey and he said that the modern balancers are the best. Road Force may detect some vibrations, but even with new tires, that alone will not cause anyone to warrenty a tire.

On wheels, the problem comes out that the hub sometimes is not true center of the wheel. The trick then becomes finding a balancer that can balance using the studs (stud centric). Since the tires are set up that way, this method is the best way to balance, but 9 times out of 10, hub centric will get the job done.

[Plowman]

Road Force is the only machine that will tell a bad tire,NEW or old. Tire manufactures don't want you to know that they make BAD NEW TIRES. So why use any other mechine? Bent rims,crooned center hubs,and large run out's all can be done. It all can be done,BEST on a Road Force machine.