honda-guy

iTrader: (55)

ive notice the tires move about 1" around the wheel at end of each track day, that was the last time i marked it with A6. ill have to mark with A7 to see if it's any different.

i usually do rotate tires from left to right on second day of weekend event. so the tires could possibly move back to original spot after the 2nd day. but i cross rotate, so back to front. then i guess that wouldn't work since the back tires doesnt move on the wheel like the fronts do.

but bubble balance is cheap and easy, and does help. ive run it without balance on track before and it could shake really bad at certain mph.

LetsGetThisDone

iTrader: (1)

I don't see how the bubble balancer is that effective. There is nothing to center the wheel on the "balancer". If it had a centering cone and a way to clamp the wheel down it would work fine.


For track driving, tires should be balanced. I can see it not being a huge deal for autocross since you're pretty much constantly turning, braking, or accelerating hard in 2nd, maybe 3rd, gear and vibrations will go mostly unnoticed. As opposed to getting up to 140+ on a 1/4 mile long straight away.

honda-guy

iTrader: (55)

i've used bubble balancer for over a season. seems to be fine for me. id still prefer a real balancer but i don't have room in my garage to keep one.

silversilvia

nomar manual changer + bubble balancer, paid for itself now and a lot easier to use than a HF one. i have used it on low profile 18's without a problem (after learning the technique)

heel2toe

iTrader: (41)

Bumping this thread back up. Any issues with a simpler tire mounting machine when it comes to a really short and stiff sidewall? At what point does a more sophisticated machine become a necessity?

Given this would be solely for personal use I don't need the best tool possible but also don't want to invest in something and find out its nearly impossible and hate life every time I use it.

EVOizmm

iTrader: (10)

the newer machines with additional assist arms make it easier to mount/dismount without scratching the wheels. And older/simpler machine can work just fine. I've seen a lot of off- brand machines for $2k for the set of changer/balancer.

Balrok

iTrader: (15)

Eh I dunno. I already have the struggles of not having a lift at home so adding this struggle to the mix instead of paying a friendly shop ~80 bucks on average 3-4 times a year max.... I'd find more benefit from a good welder for the price personally.

heel2toe

iTrader: (41)

Well, I bought my first house 6 months ago and am a proud owner of a Rotary 2 post lift as of a couple months back. So Im slowly acquiring equipment for my dream garage.

I'd rather spend my money on a quality product since they are more robust and when the time comes for a replacement part it'll probably be easier to source. However I'm trying to establish where that line is between what is considered a quality product vs overkill for a slappy such as myself given that Im not opening up a tire shop.

LetsGetThisDone

iTrader: (1)

If you know how to use two tire bars on the wheel to hold the tire down, a standard Coats changer is all you need. I used to (still can) mount low pro's all day on 3 piece wheels no problem with e regular changer, two tire bars, and plenty of lube. All in knowing how to do it. Scratching wheels is rookie crap. As long as the machine has a plastic duck head on it, there's no excuse.

Robevo RS

iTrader: (16)

i never had balanced tires on my race car. makes no difference. Even on tarmac.

Balrok

iTrader: (15)

That brings up a point i've never bothered to prove myself but i've heard more then once. So we go out and collect say 4oz of other peoples rubber EASY inside the wheels and sometimes on the outside after a session. In some cases people throw the weights because they weren't taped down. So, how many of you with sensitive bottoms (besides the hungarian ) have stopped balancing and saw no difference over the years?

honda-guy

iTrader: (55)

i've notice difference between bubble balance vs none at all. it depends on how bad the balance is off. about a quarter of the tires i've used on the bubble balancer, i end up not even adding any weight to the wheel, since the balancer is not sensitive enough. i only add weight when it's more than 1/2 oz. but if i don't add when its more than 1oz, the steering wheel can shake pretty bad on fast sweepers that it makes it hard to steer.

honda-guy

iTrader: (55)

i don't think you need a super expensive one that touchless. i got mine used for $800, was $1400 new. i've mount 30 and 35 series tires all the time without issues and never scratch a wheel. take your time until you get the technique down. i mount and flip tires about 10 times a year for my car. that's about $800 in one year. it paid for itself in the first year. and you have the convenient of doing it when you want.

LetsGetThisDone

iTrader: (1)

I notice on the street. Idk if I would notice on track with concentrating on driving and what not. We don't don't balance tires for the off road truck.

EVOizmm

iTrader: (10)

I always balance my wheels, and typically rebalance before events. another perk of having your own changer/balancer.

Some race teams balance the rim only, and don't bother with the tires. But that could be because real race slicks are much lighter than most of your DOT street tires.

Like some have said, you have to know what you are doing. Some machines have some additional assist arms and stuff, but you can still scratch wheels or even ruin a tire.

I'm running a 20+ year old FMC tire changer and have been changing all kinds of stuff. I cant say I've never scratched a wheel, but if I charged what a normal shop would charge, I could easily afford to buy a new rim one in a while.