O.T. - Manual tire balancer

[CB in central NY]

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year!

I have a manual tire changer primarily to do wagon tires, implement tires, etc. I was wondering what you folks think about manual tire balancers (the ones with a bubble level). I realize that a computer balancer is probably far more accurate but I wouldn"t mind saving $10 - $15 a tire every time I have to mount/demount/balance my car tires.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

 

[rustyfarmall]

(quoted from post at 14:12:37 12/28/11) Merry Christmas, Happy New Year!

I have a manual tire changer primarily to do wagon tires, implement tires, etc. I was wondering what you folks think about manual tire balancers (the ones with a bubble level). I realize that a computer balancer is probably far more accurate but I wouldn"t mind saving $10 - $15 a tire every time I have to mount/demount/balance my car tires.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Bubble balancers used to be all we had and they worked pretty good. Granted, the computerized balancers are more accurate, but a good ol' bubble balancer will still be plenty good enough most of the time.

 

[PaGlenn]

I picked one up at a gas station auction 25 years ago, and gave it to my brother. He just recently did tires with it on his and his wifes car. He said it balances great.

 

[Brian G. NY]

I also picked one up at a "garage" sale 25 or 30 years ago.
I have balanced many, many tires with it and it really does a good job if you take your time.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I've got one too. I could check the brand if you'd like, (it's one that floats in oil). I am VERY pleased with mine. I mount & balance the tires of at least 6 family vehicles.

Thanks,
Glenn F.

 

[JOCCO]

much easier to use than those new fandagled things.

 

[NEsota]

Mine is a Sears and have used it for my hiway tires for several years. One question I have is, how do you decide on putting the weights on the inside or outside of the wheel? The spin balancers seem to have a preferance as to side.

 

[Rick Kr]

My dad and I have the one out of my grandfathers service station. Worked good for cars and trucks back then (40s - 60s), assume it works just as good now.

Don"t know if it is as accurate as a new digital Hunter or similar, but it works for us.

Rick

 

[hd6gtom]

CB use it to balance your tires, then take them to a tire shop [not the box stores] and have then spun on a electronic balancer. Tell the guys to leave your weights on and see what happens. I've done dozens of them. There is no comparison. They were made for bias not radial tires.

 

[BushogPapa]

I change many car and implement tires here and when I checked my Jeep tires (it had a shimmy problem), I found they were not that well balanced..
I asked the tire Dealer about it and he said "there is NOTHING Better" than a Bubble Balancer..!!

A lot depends on how much time you take to get them accurate..
If I have a choice, I put 1/2 the weight on the inside and 1/3 on the outside..but have no problem with a single weight on the outside..

Problem I have is, the Newer wheels..some have a center hole too small for my changer/Balancer..

Ron..

 

[Goose]

I have a bubble balancer I bought on ebay for $12. I use it all the time.

A few years ago, there was a Nebraska Tire store come into town. They're a small chain of 6 or 8 stores. They had good deals on tires, but I was never impressed with their balancing, even though they had a fancy computerized balancer. After I got this bubble balancer, I took a couple of wheels with tires mounted to them and had them balance them. When I got back to my shop, I put them on my bubble balancer without ever mounting them on whatever vehicle they went on and they both tilted to one side on the bubble balancer.

I don't know if it was their machine or the operator, but the store only lasted a couple of years and I always wondered if too many other people had problems with their balancing.

Actually, I think tires nowadays are better made and don't require the balancing they used to, maybe just 20 years ago. Of the last set of tires I put on my wife's Chrysler minivan, two of the four "pinwheeled" the bubble on the balancer without any weights, and the other two were inside the ring but took only a half ounce or so to center it exactly.

There are a few tricks to a bubble balancer, though. If you need one ounce of weight, instead of one one ounce weight, you might want to use two half ounce weights a few inches apart, etc.

 

[Nebraska Cowman]

My old fashioned take on it is if you buy round tires they don't need balancing. And if they're out of round all the weights in the world won't make them ride without vibration. I always take the weights off and throw them away when I change tires.

 

[teddy52food]

Back when I ran a crankshaft grinder, we had to balance the grinding wheel after putting it on the hub. Just used a bubble balancer. Had to be good or it would chatter grind.

 

[Duner Wi]

Been using a bubble balancer for 40 years. Works for me. I would not doubt computer balance is more accurate .

 

[dabees]

Assuming it is a quility built unit,bubble balancers do a good job if you use proper procedures. 1st It must be level and on solid footing. 2nd You always start with 4 smallest equal size weights that when placed 180 degrees across from off centered bubble brings bubble off center toward weights.3rd move the two pairs equal distance until bubble centers.4th Chalk posistion of each pair and remove weights and wheel from balancer. Fasten 1 weight "INSIDE WHEEL"as close as possiable even with each chalk mark. 5th Put wheel back on balancer and place 1 weight at each chalk mark. If bubble is slightly off center move "BOTH" weights equal distance farther apart or closer toward one another until bubble centers. Chalk both posisitions,release balancer lever if so equiped or remove wheel before fastening weights. Clean & refill oil cup based on how much dirt and/or moisture comes in contact with machine. I wouldn't place much gravity in testing bubble balanced on a spin balancer or vice versa. Which system is best? Computer"IF"the operator is compentent.

 

[barnE]

Never thought much about bubble job but maybe give it a chance. However, when changing balanced tires to another wheel, car, rim, I just mark tire as to location of weights with chalk and move weight to new wheel. Tire is really what you are balancing, not wheel. Never failed me yet. Dave

 

[Mike in Mn.]

The computer balancer does a dynamic balance which means it balances both sides of the tire, A bubble balance is a static balance, meaning there is no heavy spot and it will center a bubble balancer. The dynamic balance takes the wobble out of the assembly as well as balances the assembly. I have a coats computer balancer, it has three difference modes of balance, static, dynamic and alloy. The alloy mode has a different offset to do a dynamic balance using stick on weights placed behind the front of the tire. Most new radial tires have quite a bit of run out and the computer balancer will make them run out smooth. Some radials bounce because the belts are not laid in them correctly and because they run with a squish, they shake, there are machines that put a load on a radial tire to make sure the shake isn't in the belts, and if it is the tire won't run smooth no matter what you do with it. I gave my bubble balancer away years ago, I like smooth running tires. If I have one that takes a lot of weight I will ever break it down and turn the tire a half round and try it again, most times this will help.

 

[rustred]

out of round and out of balance are two diff. things. you will never get the vibration out on a tire that is out of round. i have never seen a tire yet that was in balance when mounted.

 

[rodgernbama]

A bubble balancer will work just fine especially for the tires you mentioned.(low speed)

 

[Erik Ks farmer]

We still use an old manual tire machine in a pinch and have the old bubble balancer nearby. It works.

 

[36 Coupe]

I have to check grinding wheels for balance on my saw sharpener.Out of round wheels can be dressed but out of balance wheels cant be fixed.About half the new wheels I get have balance problems.I use the poor ones for rough shaping big blades.Just replaced rear brake drums on my truck.Both had weights welded on.I used a Snap On balancer in the 50s that balanced the tire and drum to gether.

 

[36 Coupe]

Wrong,out of balance happens when a tire has a heavy spot in one area.Go to a tire shop and taik with the fellow who runs the balancer.He will set you straight.