Cheap soda blaster and tire balancer...

[DatsunLover]

http://www.aircooledtech.com/tools-on-the-cheap/soda_blaster/



http://aircooledtech.com/tools-on-the-cheap/balancing_beads/

 

[Bustedwheel]

Crazy ideas, but I can see that. I Think i'll leave the tire balancing one alone, but i would be tempted to try the soda blasting one.

I was actually looking at picking up a used tire balancing machine. You can find them for a few hundred on craigslist. When I was in high school and college, I worked at a gas station and mounted hundreds of tires, so I am familiar with them. I'd love to have a tire machine as well, but I don't have the air to run it right now. Someday...

 

[Bustedwheel]

Actually, harbor freight has small guns for spot blasting for just over $10. May be a better route.

 

[metaleltr]

I might have to test this.

I have access to a changer and balancer.

Mount a tire, inflate, put on balancer to check how out of balance it is.
Then break the bead insert bbs reinflate and put on balancer check difference in balance.

 

[srmofo]

there is actually a product called "equal" that is put into large truck tires, like OTR size. Ive run into it a few times in my career. I usually just scoop it up, fold it into a paper towel envelope, and throw it into the new tire. No experience other than that.http://www.expeditionexchange.com/equal/

I might have to try the airsoft BBs though. Ive got some nice 22s on my 300 srt8 and those SOBs will not balance. I was planning on unmounting the tires this winter and spinning the wheels by themselves to find the heavy spot and having a buddy weld some weight to the inside. Equals website is calling for 4ozs per big wheel so maybe thats where I will start.

 

[srmofo]

I might have to test this.

I have access to a changer and balancer.

Mount a tire, inflate, put on balancer to check how out of balance it is.
Then break the bead insert bbs reinflate and put on balancer check difference in balance.

Im not sure if that will really work though. I dont know if the balancer will spin long enough for the BBs to find the heavy spot. I think a better test would be to make a "heavy" spot on a wheel, test drive for vibration, Install BBs and test drive again.

Ill try it on my beater civic tomorrow and report back. Its easier than messing with the 22s if its doesnt work

EDIT found this while digging around

 

[Zeke]

I tried baking soda once. What a cloud of white powder! Not what they use commercially. But, if you don't mind the mess and you want the least amount of abrasive action, baking soda might be for you. I swear you could blast a wedding ring with it.

 

[ZRX61]

That soda blaster works just peachie for carbs etc...Cost about $5 to build..

Before:

After:

 

[osborn.ozzy]

I have a bunch of those same BB's and use a balancer all the time at work... might have to try it.

 

[ert01]

I bead balanced my current set of tires with airsoft bb's. It worked fine for the first 40 000km but now I have a bad vibe so I need to pull it apart and see if the beads broke down inside the tire or something.

Tires are 33x10.5R15 BFG All-Terrains btw.

 

[Guns R Tools]

Would those plastic BB's damage tire pressure sensors in most cars?

My guess is no.

 

[rockchucker]

Never even thought of the BB's. They would have to be plastic though. The **** metal they make BB's out of today is garbage so they would just rust and stick together I would think.

 

[Jvvmusme]

Buy a speedblaster gun in amazon for $ 40 or at HF for $ 15. They should do the same job.... It does a lot of mess but the results are superb...The pictures posted by ZXR61 are true. But you will need a big big compressor.

 

[markw365]

We use the airsoft bb's in Jeep tires, about 8oz per tire, this is on 33/35 x 12.5 tires. I have use of the tire changer at the local marine base autohobby shop, and they charge to balance the tires to cover the cost of the weights. However the 2 tire machines are included in the shop rate, which is why I started using the beads.

 

[fergus]

I didn't really believe this would work. Saw this years ago...just kinda wrote it off. Thanks for the pics.

That soda blaster works just peachie for carbs etc...Cost about $5 to build..

Before:

After:

 

[tcianci]

When I first saw the title to this thread, I thought he was talking about one machine that could do both...bead blast and balance a tire at the same time...that would be some machine!

 

[Kroggers]

For us that do not live in America, what is airsoft BB's?

 

[ert01]

Airsoft is a game kinda like paintball but the guns are a lot more realistic looking and they shoot small little plastic bb's. 6mm in diameter and usually around .20g in weight. You can buy airsoft bb's on eBay if you can't find them locally.