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09-17-2018, 11:21 AM | #1 |
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Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: St. Maries, Idaho
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How do you balance your wheels / tires
This may have been discussed before but I have not seen it addressed so am asking. How do you guys balance your wheels? Mine run pretty smooth up to about 48 - 50 mph then the front wheels start to bounce some. When I had my new tires mounted the local tire shop told me that they had no way to balance my model A wheels. Just curious what some of you guys were using. I suspect maybe one of the old static type bubble balancers would work if I could find someone that still had one. Thanks
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09-17-2018, 11:35 AM | #2 |
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Join Date: Dec 2015
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Re: How do you balance your wheels / tires
Unless your brake is to tight, when you jack up the front wheel it will roll with the heavy side down.
You can then get some lead sheet and wrap it around the spoke at the top. Do in such a way to protect the paint, tape first or? Just a posability. |
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09-17-2018, 11:49 AM | #3 |
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Re: How do you balance your wheels / tires
Dyna Beads
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09-17-2018, 11:55 AM | #4 |
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Re: How do you balance your wheels / tires
I rotated the tire on the rim and rechecked, one needed a little so I put a patch on the tube, the others came out good
Most wheel balancers have a lug centric plate that can be used to balance A wheels---- but it takes time to setup |
09-17-2018, 02:53 PM | #5 |
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Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Germantown,TN
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Re: How do you balance your wheels / tires
I found an old timer with a spin balancer. He balanced them on the car. I was concerned about the balance of the steel brake drums as well as the wheels.
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09-17-2018, 03:11 PM | #6 |
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Re: How do you balance your wheels / tires
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09-17-2018, 04:08 PM | #7 |
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Re: How do you balance your wheels / tires
I've got a 50+ year old bubble balancer that works fine on A and other wire wheels. I believe Harbor freight still sells one similar. I use hammer on weights collected over the years, but the newer stick on weights are available. (which sometimes don't stay on so need to be checked periodically). The hubcaps should be removed to sight the bubble and help center the wheel.
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09-17-2018, 05:28 PM | #8 |
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Re: How do you balance your wheels / tires
I made a stand to which I welded a stub axle. I used second hand bearings and a little oil, not grease to lubricte them and adjusted them slightly on the loose side. I welded a piece of rod onto the drum to balance it, then I fit a wheel to the hub and add weight to the top once it settles (the heavy spot goes to the bottom). Mine are 21" wheels so the hammer on weights are not possible. I use either the stick on ones or I wrap a piece of lead around a spoke as outlined above.
My favourite way of doing that is to melt the lead out of an old battery and pour it into the Vee of a piece of preheated angle iron (with a piece of flat welded over the ends) I use masking tape and modern weights to get the balance right, then add up the weights I used. I weigh the long srtrip of lead I cast and measure its length. It is a simple calculation to work out where to cut it. I then put some tape around the spoke and wind it on. A little paint and viola! Smooth driving.
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09-17-2018, 07:02 PM | #9 |
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Re: How do you balance your wheels / tires
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09-17-2018, 07:37 PM | #10 |
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Re: How do you balance your wheels / tires
I use an old Bubble Balancer. If it's 2 ozs out, split the weight, 1oz and 1oz weight and put the 2 - 1oz weights on the inner and outer halves of the rim! Don't clump it all on either the inside or the outside of the rim. I have balanced all my wheels/tires this way and it's fine for my top speeds of 70 - 80 MPH, for the last forty or so years.
Terry |
09-17-2018, 09:22 PM | #11 |
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Re: How do you balance your wheels / tires
Dyna Beads X3
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09-17-2018, 10:30 PM | #12 |
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Re: How do you balance your wheels / tires
Dyna Beads X4
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09-18-2018, 03:17 AM | #13 |
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Re: How do you balance your wheels / tires
Like Gpierce I found a company that can do spin balancing and it is now very smooth. All of my stick on weights are on the inside so that they dont show (as much).
I would prefer dynabeads but I just could not get them in. |
09-18-2018, 07:35 AM | #14 |
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Re: How do you balance your wheels / tires
I have Lester tires, and found no need to balance. I drive at 50-55. When I had firestone tires, I used stick on weights, as the hammer on weights will not work on a 29.
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09-18-2018, 11:39 PM | #15 |
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Re: How do you balance your wheels / tires
DynaBeads X 5
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09-19-2018, 12:00 AM | #16 |
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Re: How do you balance your wheels / tires
DynaBeads X6
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09-19-2018, 10:18 AM | #17 |
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Re: How do you balance your wheels / tires
What material do they use to make Dyna Beads?
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09-19-2018, 11:42 AM | #18 |
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Re: How do you balance your wheels / tires
According to Dyna Beads® they are a "high-density ceramic bead". Count me as a user also. I used my engraver to vibrate the tube connected to the valve stem. Patiences is the key...
Which reminds me I have yet to do my spare. I have the beads, just too lazy to take off my trunk and spare. One thing I should mention is that two times now while checking my tire pressure the Schrader valve didn't reseal. I had to blast a little air thru the stem to get them to seal. I'm assuming a bead or two were stuck in the valve? I used the special valves that came with the beads. Anyone else experience this? Last edited by Y-Blockhead; 09-19-2018 at 11:57 AM. |
09-19-2018, 12:19 PM | #19 | |
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Re: How do you balance your wheels / tires
Quote:
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09-19-2018, 02:13 PM | #20 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Illinois
Posts: 2,181
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Re: How do you balance your wheels /nmm tires
I had wheel hop at 50-55. I tried dyna beads and also hammer on weights. No change. The wheels and tires were out of round. No balancing will help. I now check radial and lateral runout on wheels and mounted tire. Some model A tires are not round.
John |
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