school me about tire balancers

mmidlam

Member
There are a lot of older tire balancer being sold online after they get a newer balancer...What do I look for if buying one? I just want it for my own use..
 
Many years ago I had a bubble balancer and
the first generation spin balancer. I
wouldn't give a nickel for them today.

It costs me $50 to mount 4 tires which
includes life time rotating, balancing
every 6k miles plus road hazard.

I wouldn't spend a nickel for a balancer.
 
(quoted from post at 17:43:04 10/01/18) There are a lot of older tire balancer being sold online after they get a newer balancer...What do I look for if buying one? I just want it for my own use..
ome have complex electronic circuit boards in them that may no longer be available, can't be repaired, or parts no longer available. Buyer beware! It may not be worth hauling home even if free. :(

I'll give you one.
 
The balancers' that I am aware of used circuit boards and an electronic eye that would get dirty and not allow the balancer to work. All we had to do was take a soft
paint brush and keep the electronic eye clean.

If the board is bad dont fret some of those old boards are repairable by a good electronics guy. Think old TV repairman. Resistors and capacitors can still be found
 
(quoted from post at 16:43:04 10/01/18) There are a lot of older tire balancer being sold online after they get a newer balancer...What do I look for if buying one? I just want it for my own use..

You will want to make sure it is not a 3 phase unit unless of course you have 3 phase power in your shop.

Make sure it comes with all the cones and cups so you can balance various size car and truck wheel assemblies.
 

I would be hard pressed to buy one if I did not know the owner personalty and he was the one that used the machine and never from a high volume tire store... Never would I buy a chines knock off used... Major name brands give enoufh trouble WHY because they use China parts in'em...

For a $100 are so with the tooling maybe just to check for bent rims are do a shadtree balance... You can get them close by chucking up the tire and spinning it and never turn the machine on :wink:

Hub centric balancing is going the way of the dodo bird lug eccentric is becoming the norm the tooling is expensive to do lug centric balancing...

I brought a used Coats tire machine and ballance machine from American tire (ATD) they gave me a 1 year warranty. After a week I called them up and said bring me new chit and give me credit for this junk y'all sold me... They did that was my last rodeo with used worn out tire equipment..
 
Balancing is a waste of time and money first time you drive on a gravel drive it is out of balance with the stones in the tread. I don't waste time on it.
 
Hello Hobo,NC,

I cut my teeth on a lug centric balancer. I mostly used it for the rear wheels. front wheels came of with the drum, and got mounted on the balancer shaft. Don't ask me what brand, probably bear?
It has been way too many years................

Guido.
 
For some of us $50 is a lot of money.
buying tires on line delivered at wholesale pricing, then swapping them out with TIRE IRONS. Maybe they run without a balance.
Of course If I could afford the new cadillac and brag about it things would be different.

Many used balancers available.
I suppose some are still ok and just replaced because they buy a "pair" of new equipment.
try it out first. make sure it's single phase. get the cones adapters and wheel sizing device
 
Mutt and Jeff,
Sorry if you think I was bragging about a new car. I was asked what car hacked my phone? That's when I said I bought a new XT5.

Think about it. Someone has to buy new cars. If they didn't there wouldn't be any used cars.

I have nothing to be ashamed about planning for my retirement.

I've worked hard all my life. I worked my way through college at a tire store. I've mounted and balanced many tires in the 60's with spin balancers that won't work on today's newer cars.

So please don't hate me for thinking $50 is a bargain for having my tires mounted, road hazard, and rotating and balancing my tires every 6k. It costs about $30 at dealer to have tires rotated and balanced. It's a sure bet, my rubber tires are magnets for nails and screws, so I insist on road hazard. I've had too many tires damaged beyond repair not to have road hazard.

I've been doing business with the Tire Barn since they came to town. Manager knows me and he cuts me deals on tires. I have no reason to think I can save money buying internet tires. I like to support local dealers too. Only buy things off internet when I can buy local. The internet is killing local businesses.

My kids don't hate me for spending their inheritance. Can't we just be friends?
 

I have brought one new machine it had to be calibrated before use so I spec they all do. It came with the calibration weights ( two, two ounce wheel weights) and the spec/size for the tire and rim to be used to calibrate the machine.

I would want the original manual for the machine read it and do a calibration before I brought it... I have my machine set up with a wall switch it gets turned on/off every time I use it.

It will cost a small fortune to get set up with an assortment of wheel weights, wheel weight tooling :( Then add in the learning curve needed to properly balance a wheel... It looks EZ it can be a beach to do if you are dedicated to the task...
 
Back in the day, the balancer of choice was the Alemite but few knew how to use one. Most of the Hunter units being used were out of calibration.

I certainly would not buy a used tire balancer of any type except, maybe, a bubble balancer.

Many/most tire shops include lifetime rotate/rebalance with new tires these days.

Dean
 
If you highway drive much, numb hands from the steering wheel vibrating if no fun. We don't bother balancing the rears on the 3500 though. If they vibrate, turn outside dual a bit and try again.
 
When I bought the tire changer for the shop they sent along a simple bubble balancer as a freebee like a seed corn dealer gives out a free hat for buying $50,000 worth of seed. The balancer is absolutely worthless. I'm thinking of trying to rig it up to balance lawn mower blades but I still might end up disappointed. If we have a balancer we truly want to use we have to take into account the supplies that go along with it. Clip on weights of various sizes for the old rims, stick on weights for new wheels. Then we need the expertise to know how to space the weights. When we figure in all of what is needed for balancing a few tires a year ourselves, going to a trusted tire shop doesn't seem as bad of an idea.
 
I balance my tires on my car. Jack it up
and take a screwdriver and spread the disk
brake pads so they don't drag. Put weights
on the light side of the tire. Some wheel
bearing don't roll free enough to do this.
I do lots of things most people can't or
are afraid to do. I can get within a half
ounce, which is close enough that they run
smooth.
 
(quoted from post at 22:43:04 10/01/18) There are a lot of older tire balancer being sold online after they get a newer balancer...What do I look for if buying one? I just want it for my own use..

I have one of those cheap Harbor Freight bubble balancers. Paid about $50 maybe 20 or so years ago. Have balanced everything from junior dragster slicks to the tires on my Ram 2500 with excellent results.
 
I looked into buying one ten + years ago and found the same info as this thread is giving . If it is under $1K it is probably not going to accurately balance your tire .

I bought a harbor freight bubble balancer for my daily driver and work trucks , spare etc .The bubble balancer works good enough for 55 - 60 mph . The slightest breeze will throw off the bubble . An old timer told me when using a bubble balancer to put half of the weight on the inside and the other half on the outside of the rim , seems to be OK .

On my wife's car I buy premium tires online , mount them and take them to town loose , in the bed of the truck for a spin balance . It is a small town with smaller family owned businesses . The tires are clean and they don't have to take them off of the vehicle .

I always ask politely if they have time , tell them I am paying in cash and do not need a receipt . Now days you can't run a store / shop , even a lemonade stand if you can't bring in $50 a man hour .

Buying tires online lets me get the tread ware , tread design , load range , etc that I want and delivered to my house for half the price , even if I pay to have them balanced .
 
I bought a hight speed computer balancer from a government auction for $175 9 years ago. I have balanced a
couple hundred tires on it flawlessly. The only down side is it will only handle up to 18" wheels. Make sure
you get all the different size cones for it. Most government agencies won't sell it if there is something wrong
with it or they will describe the problem.
 
Bubble balancers suck!!!!!!!! You can take one tire-wheel, put it on half a dozen times, being as careful as you can and get half a dozen answers......which
one is correct????
 
(quoted from post at 13:09:47 10/04/18) Bubble balancers suck!!!!!!!! You can take one tire-wheel, put it on half a dozen times, being as careful as you can and get half a dozen answers......which
one is correct????
What brand? I have a bubble balancer from an old service station that gets repeatable results.
 
After owning a tire shop for 22+ years, my
advice is buy a 110 volt machine. Get all
the cones you can.. DO NOT buy a a Ranger
brand machine. The newer the better. We
had 3 different machines over the years.
The Hunter brand was the best one. Don't
waste your money on an old bubble balancer,
even if it only costs $1.00.
 
If you are answering me, I'm sure your balancer is much superior to mine but I had access to HF and not a sale of used, professional equipment.
 
(quoted from post at 15:59:55 10/06/18) If you are answering me, I'm sure your balancer is much superior to mine but I had access to HF and not a sale of used, professional equipment.

Well then you should have specified that you were talking about a cheap piece of cr ap rather than a professionally used unit before lumping them all together.
 

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