Date:         Fri, 15 Jun 2007 11:39:55 -0400
Reply-To:     Jim Akiba <syncrolist@BOSTIG.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Akiba <syncrolist@BOSTIG.COM>
Subject:      Re: Wheel balancing
In-Reply-To:  <000901c7aefd$4d072020$0201a8c0@MASTERPC>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Yeah unfortunately this is true, finding the right guy/shop to do it is the
best bet. You can have a guy and an old low speed balancer do a better job
than a kid that doesn't care standing at a high speed multi-position brand
new machine.

At least since the rims/tires I deal with on my van are usually 14's and
nothing special, I've never had a problem. Try that with an 18" super fat
alloy, a $300 tire, and a rigid suspension... that's when you start running
into real problems.. besides even if you balance it right, as soon as you
hit a pothole the rim is bent and the whole thing has to be done again after
the repair. Glad I don't own such a combination.

I like motorcycle tire balancing the best(you can do this theoretically with
a car tire, but never made a rig to try) you level the axle of rotation(off
the bike) then spin it and wait till it stops, mark it at the bottom and go
again. If it always stops with the mark to the bottom, you counterweight the
top. Keep going until the mark is randomly clocked. A little time consuming
but works every time, and you can do other things while it is spinning down.

Jim Akiba

-----Original Message-----
From: Dennis Haynes [mailto:d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM]
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2007 11:29 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Wheel balancing

The problem with wheel balancing is finding a machine that is properly
installed and calibrated, then having a tech properly mount the wheel and
then properly installing the brakes. The next problem is that balancing
can only do so much for defective tires and bent wheels. Most persistent
balance problems are the result of tires or wheels. The tire industry
calls it ride disturbance and depending on age and condition, may be a
warrantable defect. I recently got Michelin to give me some credit for
ride disturbance on my front motor home tires.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Don Hanson
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2007 10:43 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Wheel balancing

  How does everyone go about getting their tires balanced correctly?  Is
there a certain type of balancer that one needs to find in a shop?  I
recall reading that our wheels are 'lug-centric' or some such thing that
I've not encountered elsewhere.
  Usually, I use my own bubble balancer, have done so on my race car and
street car wheels, but the vanagon rims, it doesn't seem to work very
well..I get them close, about as good as my local Les Schwab does with
their computer spin balance machine..Which is to say  that I still have
irritating shimmy..low intensity..not too bad, but bad enough to try to
balance them again, better.
  Any advice on this subject?
  Thanks, Don Hanson