Balance

["Warren R Anderson" <wranderson@xxxx>]

Single plane balance can be done on a bubble balancer with weights on one
side of the wheel. This procedure is still used today for alloy wheel
applications where clip on rim weights are unsightly. Stick on weights are
also used but are still unsightly. Static, single plane balancing is done
with computer balancers.

Dynamic wheel balancing uses two planes of reference. Wheels are weighted on
the edges of the rim to take compensate for static and rotating imbalance.
Paste on weights are also used.

With a Google search for "road force variation tire balance" the Hunter
site should pop up. I think this is state of the art information. This
equipment is about $12K so you will not see it in my shop. There is one tire
shop (which we aren't) in town that seems to think they needed it bad enough
to pop the big bucks. My one experience with their machine trying to make
one of our mutual clients happy with his new Goodyears (and then some more
new Goodyears) and his new alloy wheels (and then some warranty new alloy
wheels) was not good. I do like the alloy wheel idea because alloy wheels
generally run very true but when the tire structure is the problem with
getting a good balance, only a good tire will cure the problem.

IMHO, the force variation Hunter system will have the greatest chance of
matching wheel to tire and making the whole mass go down the road in an
acceptable manner. Matching wheel to tire is a time consuming procedure that
can be accomplished without the Hunter equipment but with a lot of patience.

IMHO, single plane balancing radial tires by any method is close to useless
if road speeds are going to be above 60 MPH.

IMHO, a rotating static, two plane balance done off the car with a spin
balance done with the wheel/tire on the car should be plenty good enough.
This procedure, of course, mates a certain tire/wheel to one position on the
car. This procedure does cost extra which most people are not willing to
spend.

Also, if you study the situation real careful, you will see that car tires
pilot off the wheel studs. So, logically, tires should be balanced off the
wheel studs which is a procedure that is rarely used. Balance an eight stud
pickup tire off the usual cone set up, and you will have a comeback. HAND
TORQUE THE LUG NUTS ON AND THROW THE TORQUE STICKS AWAY.

My wife and I are not in the tire business. We do get into worrying through
road vibration problems in a lot of different vehicles. Tires are a problem
most of the time. My best cure is the installation of Michelin tires. The
brand keeps us out of trouble. BTW, the Hunter machine finds consistently
very low numbers with the Michelin brand. This tid bit I share coming from
the iATN professional technicians group as I have no actual on hands
experience with the Hunter unit.

Hope this helps some and good luck.

Warren Anderson
Sedona,AZ