Picked up a wheel balancer today...questions...

[cavalry]

I picked up this balancer today. I think I did ok on the price, yes it works lol. Still searching for a rim clamp machine for it to be friends with, but that will show up eventually

It came with an "B" and "C" cone but most of the junk I work on has a larger hole diameters but OE is a little out of my price range. Are the chinese knockoffs any good?
I will need to obtain weights and a few sundries. I suppose P and MC and some stick ons will get me in enough trouble. Are the cheap ones garbage or should I spring for a name brand?

 

[InjectorService]

You paid $96 for that?

 

[MileHighRover]

$96.46 to be exact.

 

[mikedodge]

Great price. Here older ones then that are still regularly used In shops and go for 600 or more used.

 

[cavalry]

You paid $96 for that?

After fees and tax, yes. I was high bidder at $77 Did I spend too much? lol

 

[whateg01]

I'm just here for the comments from those who haven't had to change a tire in 176 years and would rather pay somebody else to do it. Oh, and before somebody else gets it, you ****!

 

[cavalry]

I'm just here for the comments from those who haven't had to change a tire in 176 years and would rather pay somebody else to do it. Oh, and before somebody else gets it, you ****!

I have been in that camp for a long time. Always believed that they have people for that for a reason. The days of $8 or $10/per mount and balance are long gone as is any semblance of a quality job. The last set I sent out to a "reputable shop" came back with marks, the old stems and were not balanced properly, so here we are.

 

[whateg01]

I have been in that camp for a long time. Always believed that they have people for that for a reason. The days of $8 or $10/per mount and balance are long gone as is any semblance of a quality job. The last set I sent out to a "reputable shop" came back with marks, the old stems and were not balanced properly, so here we are.

If you want something done right...! I get it! It costs as much to have a tire mounted as it does to buy the tire nowadays.

 

[cavalry]

If you want something done right...! I get it! It costs as much to have a tire mounted as it does to buy the tire nowadays.

Which is why I am now chasing a 3 arm rim clamp machine. Do I need 3 arms? Um, No. Do I know how to even run more than one? Um, No.
But think of all the new friends I will have once word gets out that I can M&B pretty much any tire lol.

 

[isb cornbinder]

I bought a vintage SnapOn balancer. It was $5. It is old.

 

[kbeefy]

I get my weights from PatchBoy.com, seems to be good prices.

Assorted pack

I started with that assortment and a couple boxes of the adhesive weights. I try to catch the adhesive weights when they go on sale.
Most parts stores have a seasonal sale on wheel stuff, thats a good time to stock up.

No advise on the chinese cones, but I imagine they would do fine. I buy most of my parts used off ebay.




I paid alot more than you.... you ****!

 

[Schurkey]

I just hauled 14 wheels/tires to the local Tire Shop, mostly due to bead or valve-stem leaks; but SWMBO's Trailblazer and some of the others needed new (or at least different) rubber. Four new tires, four "good used" tires, and EVERY ONE of the bare wheels came home to be cleaned-up on the bead area before having a tire re-mounted. One Trailblazer wheel had a cracked rim, replacement was $50 complete with mostly-worn-out tire at the local Treasure Yard.

$7.50 to dismount, $7.50 to re-mount. Valve stems $1.50 each, extra. $25 to balance. Not all the remounted tires were decent enough to warrant balancing--they just need to hold air so I can roll the car back-and-forth in the driveway.

I'd love to have a tire changer and balancer. Looked at prices for "new" equipment, and there's no possible way I can justify that.

But I'd jump all over a used balancer I could trust, at $300--$500.

 

[kbeefy]

$7.50 to dismount, $7.50 to re-mount. Valve stems $1.50 each, extra. $25 to balance.

****, I guess I was way underpricing myself.
We did $20 for dismount, mount, balance up to 17" rims. $25 up to 20". I'm cheaper than that now, at home.... Maybe I'll reconsider my home shop prices.

 

[Sumboodie]

It even used? Even just a few months in a shop would have it more beat up than that.

 

[Sumboodie]

I just hauled 14 wheels/tires to the local Tire Shop, mostly due to bead or valve-stem leaks; but SWMBO's Trailblazer and some of the others needed new (or at least different) rubber. Four new tires, four "good used" tires, and EVERY ONE of the bare wheels came home to be cleaned-up on the bead area before having a tire re-mounted. One Trailblazer wheel had a cracked rim, replacement was $50 complete with mostly-worn-out tire at the local Treasure Yard.

$7.50 to dismount,

Last set cost me almost $300 to pull old tires and put good used on. They were 19.5s, but still. $45 a tire.

 

[cavalry]

It even used? Even just a few months in a shop would have it more beat up than that.

Well used. 400 tires a week so I was told. I did spend 20 seconds wiping the dirt and grime off it for the glamor shot.

 

[Sumboodie]

Well used. 400 tires a week so I was told. I did spend 20 seconds wiping the dirt and grime off it for the glamor shot.

Busy shop. Why did it go out if business?

We did around that at Sears during the busy changeover with several guys, 4 tire machines and 2 balancers.

On regular days, maybe 4-6 cars a day, so ~150 a week.

None of the equipment stayed nice like that, and they'd buy new ones every few years.

 

[cavalry]

Busy shop. Why did it go out if business?

We did around that at Sears during the busy changeover with several guys, 4 tire machines and 2 balancers.

On regular days, maybe 4-6 cars a day, so ~150 a week.

None of the equipment stayed nice like that, and they'd buy new ones every few years.

It came out of a Walmart. Its my impression that if anything goes wrong with their equipment out of warranty they do not repair they just replace and send it to auction. This was listed as not working correctly with no other info. I talked to the tire monkeys at the shop they did confirm it gets buggy but only "when hot". I dug deeper to find out what that meant exactly, the problem occurs after 6-7 hours of straight use, which will not be a problem for me. I will at least pop open the cover, blow it out and see whats going on.
The date tag was not filled out or rubbed off on this. Complete guessing but I would say 2015-2017 vintage based on other serial numbers so its far from new.

 

[kbeefy]

I would say 2015-2017 vintage based on other serial numbers so its far from new.

Newer than almost anything I own! I have socks older than that...

 

[Brand X]

The cones are fine. I took one of the larger ones, and had it turned to fit Toyota rims..Awesome setup, and my China Balancer does them great.. I put my neighbors factory Tacoma wheels on my balancer and measured 2 thou. run-out on his rims..I was really impressed with factory rims on those..They balance very nice..

 

[cavalry]

Newer than almost anything I own! I have socks older than that...

Lol thats about what I say to the new pups at work, except I reference boots

 

[Sumboodie]

Newer than almost anything I own! I have socks older than that...

I killed an M18 drill the other day and called Milwaukee to see about replacing it as it's fairly new. Least in my mind it was.

Drill is apparently from ~2012. Yeahhh... so fairly new, "couple years."

Sir, that's 11 years.

Yeahhhh. Jeeze. Why does it seem like that was just 3 or 4 years ago?

Like the T800 Kenworth I run. It's the "old" truck... it's only a 96 and the guys act like I'm nuts for driving the Flintstones era truck.

 

[cavalry]

Picked up a rim clamp machine to compliment my balancer. Not quite a deal as the balancer but not terrible, I bid $400

 

[IndyGarage]

Wow - under $500 for a balancer and tire machine. That's great. My tire machine doesn't have the extra arms. I'm sure there are times when they would come in handy, but 90% of the time you don't need them.

As far as the balancer - I've owned a few. I know there are at least two size of spindles, I would measure yours and just go on ebay and buy some cones. Find the manual and figure out how to calibrate it.

They are pretty simple machines. The computer is a simple calculator. They use three measurements: Rim diameter, Rim width and distance to inside of the rim, to calculate the amount of weight required to eliminate the static and dynamic forces on the shaft while it spins. Also make sure you set the balancer for dynamic balance and take your time balancing. I can't tell you how many shops just do static balance.

Tools you will need - A good valve stem remover and a valve puller. A set of wheel weight pliers. I also have a set of diagonal cutters to cut stubborn valves. A small mop tool to apply tire goo. I also have a plastic bead holder and various small wooden blocks I use to hold the bead down - you won't need those since you have a helper arm on your tire machine.

I have an angle grinder with a wire brush on it which I use to clean the bead surface on the rims. I just leave it clamped in the tire machine and rotate the rim while I wire brush it - then flip the rim over and to the other side.

I buy stick on weights at Amazon these days. At one time I tried to buy clamp weights, but there are too many styles you have to have on hand for all the different rim types. I also buy tire valves and I also have an Autel pressure sensor programmer and buy their pressure sensors. Other useful supplies are Tire spray lube for mounting and demounting and of course rim sealant - I like the goo stuff that you get in a 1 gallon tub. I always have a can of brake clean at the balancer and a rag to clean the rim before I stick on a weight.

 

[cavalry]

Wow - under $500 for a balancer and tire machine. That's great. My tire machine doesn't have the extra arms. I'm sure there are times when they would come in handy, but 90% of the time you don't need them.

As far as the balancer - I've owned a few. I know there are at least two size of spindles, I would measure yours and just go on ebay and buy some cones. Find the manual and figure out how to calibrate it.

They are pretty simple machines. The computer is a simple calculator. They use three measurements: Rim diameter, Rim width and distance to inside of the rim, to calculate the amount of weight required to eliminate the static and dynamic forces on the shaft while it spins. Also make sure you set the balancer for dynamic balance and take your time balancing. I can't tell you how many shops just do static balance.

Tools you will need - A good valve stem remover and a valve puller. A set of wheel weight pliers. I also have a set of diagonal cutters to cut stubborn valves. A small mop tool to apply tire goo. I also have a plastic bead holder and various small wooden blocks I use to hold the bead down - you won't need those since you have a helper arm on your tire machine.

I have an angle grinder with a wire brush on it which I use to clean the bead surface on the rims. I just leave it clamped in the tire machine and rotate the rim while I wire brush it - then flip the rim over and to the other side.

I buy stick on weights at Amazon these days. At one time I tried to buy clamp weights, but there are too many styles you have to have on hand for all the different rim types. I also buy tire valves and I also have an Autel pressure sensor programmer and buy their pressure sensors. Other useful supplies are Tire spray lube for mounting and demounting and of course rim sealant - I like the goo stuff that you get in a 1 gallon tub. I always have a can of brake clean at the balancer and a rag to clean the rim before I stick on a weight.

Good points. I already purchased the large cone I needed and most of the other items you mentioned. I have done tires before so I had the hand tools. I need to pick up a bead lifter with a boot and some lube, its in my cart.