Wheel Balancing Hub Adapter

[RAC68]

Hi All.
A number of years back I followed prevailing directions and created a wire wheel spin balancing adapter. The instructions directed that the flange of a rear hub be cut down with a hole placed in the center of a companion spinner. It was recommended that the hub be mounted onto the spin balancer shaft using 2 cones (1 in the center of the hub and 1 through the hole in the spinner). On the few occasions I was able to use the adapter, I found it much better than not using it. However, I found it difficult to find a tire service with a machine that had a long enough shaft or an appropriate selection of cones to mount the adapter.

How many have used a hub adapter for wire wheel balancing? How has the adapter been mounted on the spin balancer? What type or brand name of spin balancer have you found would accommodate the adapter? Are there any suggestions that would helped the balancing process? How satisfied were the balancing results?

Thanks,
Ray (64BJ8P1)

 

[dougsmarkIII]

I just bought and had four new tires balanced for my 66 BJ8 at Discount Tires in Lakewood, CO. I showed the service rep a picture of the way our wire wheels should set on a balancing machine. He put a fairly large cone on the machine for the back side of the wheel. For the front side he turned an adapter or cone so the flat side was against the wheel and screwed down the large wing nut. I watched the wheels turn on the balancing machine, they turned true and straight, no wobble. The new tires (165/80R15 Kumhos) required very small weights.

Doug

 

[daily]

I too am familiar with the half a--ed approach [at best] c/o
the local production tire store.
would love to hear of a reasonable approach readily available
to the long suffering imbalanced,[is bubble method feasable]
with respect 59er

 

[Brinkerhoff]

I have a bubble balancer in the shop that I've used and works well. I've taken computor balanced wheels and tires and checked them on my bubble balancer. It says they're balanced , no reason to think it wouldn't work in reverse I've also done brake drums this way. Its far more accurate and faster with newer technology of course. I can tell you that you need to put your wheels on the front hubs of your car and spin them off the ground . Close one eye and look at the spinning tire, if it has an appreciable hop to it or side to side runout , balancing probably won't help. Kevin

 

[RAC68]

Thanks for responding.

Over the years, I have never felt there was a good method for balancing my wires and tires. Spinning the wheel on the car seemed good for the front wheels but I was never confident the backs were equally well balanced. Spinning the wires on a machine and we have the problem of how to properly and securely mount the wheel. Static bubble balancing leaves a lot wanting when it comes to accuracy, however, may really be as good as the other issue-prone methods that seem to provide the promises but not the delivery of accuracy.

So, should we just settle for what exists locally, send everything to the Wheelman, switch to minilights, or just buy a bubble balancer and play as we do with our carburetors. I can’t believe that, in this intelligent and diverse Healey community, someone hasn’t found a really good, replicable, and locally available method or approach for getting tires on wires balanced accurately.

Doug, it seems like the service rep did his best with what he had to use and I probably will not find anything better. However, has anyone a better approach?

Thanks again and all the best,
Ray (64BJ8P1)

 

[Brinkerhoff]

If your wheels are round or close to it, most any computor balancing equipment will work. Make sure the operator is careful when he sets the wheel up. Once balanced have them reposition the wheel and recheck. If the wheel is balanced when rechecking that would eliminate set up error . Again , and I can't emphasize this enough , if the wheel is out of round visually , it may be able to be balanced on a machine but will still cause your car to shake or shimmy ! Kevin