[1funride]

Looking for opinions on low cost tire balancers around 1200.00 or less. My shop space is limited so a huge unit with hood wont do and yes I know I can go to the local garage and have it done. This is a home shop. I was considering the Atlas WB-HS which is a hand spin unit and the Weaver 937 which is a motor spin unit.

Most used units don't have ALU mode (used for aluminum rims) which IMO makes them obsolete.

The Atlas unit has optimization mode for minimizing wheel weight amount and split mode for hiding weights, the Weaver unit does not have these modes for the model 937 and 957, as far as I can tell.

Eagle has a low cost unit, but I haven't heard much about it.

Anyone have experience with these or other units for reliability, performance, part availability, support etc? The Weaver seems to have a descent reputation but also lacks a few features as compared to the Atlas. The Atlas has some less than perfect reviews.

[Keith Seymore]

Subscribing.

I've already started mounting my own tire/wheels; balancing would be the logical next step.

K

[1funride]

I have been mounting mine for about 5 or 6 years now. Been using a bubble balancer and have had great success. Recently I did a set of tires for my wife and they are not balanced. I think it is a wobble which requires dynamic balancing to correct. I don't buy real expensive tires either with 5 cars and some snow tires it doesn't seem to pay off.

[Mr Anonymous]

About five years ago, I ended up with a coats rim clamp changer and Hoffman balancer. Both needed minor work, and have paid for themselves many times over, especially since w*l-M*rt will dispose of used tires for $1.50 here locally. Your $1200 seems a bit high, at least around here. I got both machines for less than half of that, and both needed minor work that I completed in a few hours.

I'm either lucky or good, I can generally get a tire balanced 0.00/0.00 on the first try now. The air powered changer takes more compressor than I have, so I am patient. But damn, you save a fortune on tires if you do your own work! I never imagined I'd use it as much as I have, and it makes side money off your buddies!

[1funride]

I am really looking for the ALU functions, as that allows you to place tape on weight in a variety of locations and maintain balance. If a balancer does not have ALU mode it will give weight values assuming clip on weights, which would be further out on the rim, this requiring different weight values. The balancers now give the option of clip on inside and tape on in a variety of locations as well. Most used balancers I have seen with this capability are pretty expensive used. I think people are selling the old ones without this capability, so that is my push to a new model.

[Chief of the 60's]

I have a Snap-On spin balancer and a cheap cone style bubble balancer. Which one gets the most use? The bubble balancer. As a matter of fact, in about an hour I will be using the bubble balancer on some Chrysler 17" wheels.

[Bruce Meyer]

Originally Posted by Chief of the 60's

I have a Snap-On spin balancer and a cheap cone style bubble balancer. Which one gets the most use? The bubble balancer. As a matter of fact, in about an hour I will be using the bubble balancer on some Chrysler 17" wheels.

I also have a cheap cone style bubble balancer. It works great. Very cheap. Less than 100 bucks.

[Half-Inch Stud]

Bubble Balancer is on the short list. Good to 45 MPH.

[Bruce Meyer]

Originally Posted by Half-Inch Stud

Bubble Balancer is on the short list. Good to 45 MPH.

More like 120 MPH. I used it to balance 15X32 slicks on my 10 sec 67 GTO. Also used it on regular street tires that I cruise on the Highway at 75+ MPH. No problem.

[ponyakr]

Back in the old days, I bought a used tire machine & bubble balancer from an area tire shop. Welded an extension on the machine to handle 10 & 12" wide wheels. Did all my drag & dirt track tire mounting, and also sold & mounted a few tires for others.

Back then, I assume that thousands of tire shops used a bubble balancer. Don't have a clue when most of 'em switched to something else.

Hey, on some dirt track & truck tires/wheels, I balanced 'em by mounting 'em on a front hub, with the brakes backed off. I called it "gravity balancing". Hey, the heaviest part of of the tire/wheel has to go to the bottom. Then put the weights on top. Sometimes took a little trial & error, to get the right amount of weight But it always worked. Granted, these were not high speed vehicles. So, that method worked great on 'em. Don't have a clue how good this would work on higher speed vehicles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yW554vVKgQY

[Chief of the 60's]

Originally Posted by Half-Inch Stud

Bubble Balancer is on the short list. Good to 45 MPH.

LOL!

[Chief of the 60's]

Originally Posted by Bruce Meyer

More like 120 MPH. I used it to balance 15X32 slicks on my 10 sec 67 GTO. Also used it on regular street tires that I cruise on the Highway at 75+ MPH. No problem.

Yep

People seem to forget, weren't around or just got into old cars to realize that a bubble balancer was used from the corner gas station to many dealers back in the day. Only your big dealerships had a Hunter Head balancer.

[1funride]

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...ictureid=13532

I agree bubble balancers worked great years ago and that was all anyone had/used, BUT the tires were 14", 15" and big tires were 16". I have used a bubble balancer for years, with mixed results on 20" tires or even 18" tires.

My intent of the original post was to gain insight on real world experience of low cost spin balancers, and I am still hoping to gain some if available, and would really like insight on the Atlas and Weaver balancers if possible.

As a side note, many will know, some wont. A static balance works off gravity, a tire can be statically balanced but not dynamically. Static balance works in one plane (call it vertical, up and down with respect to road), there is a second plane formed when a tire spins (call it horizontal, about the tire axle centerline). Dynamic balance is needed when a tire has a heavy side or heavy side to side, as it spins the heavy spot(s) want to move to the center of the tire, which creates a wobble and vibration as the heavy sides fight to get to center. If the side to side weight imbalance was the same, the tire would balance on a bubble balancer, even an axle type bearing balancer (heavy side rolls down) wouldn't pick it up. The increased width in tires magnifies the issue as well. I thought a bubble balancer was doing same job as a spin balancer until I dug into it , balance is balance weight is weight right? Nope, not exactly, and definitely not for dynamic imbalance. There are also a few other tire factors that can cause vibration but are out of my spending limit to even consider, ill be happy with a static and dynamic balance. See pic.

[Chief of the 60's]

Are you going for a land speed record? Are you doing this for a living? Like I said, I have a Snap-On spin balancer and a cone style bubble balancer. I have a business and I go 126mph in one car and quicker in the other. I also just did a set of 17" Chrysler wheels with low profile tires on that very bubble balancer. No issues. Some people need to step away from their slide-rule, stay off of Google, stop over thinking or engineering simple things and get some grease under their fingernails. Or..... Leave car work to the gearheads.

[1funride]

Chief of he 60s

Are you going for a land speed record? No. My wife wants her car to drive smoothly at highway speeds. I like my wife so I try and make her happy.
Are you doing this for a living? No. Read post, this is for my home shop.
I have a Snap-On spin balancer and a cone style bubble balancer. Snap on makes some great tools, is yours a modern unit, if not I suspect you don't understand why it falls short and wont work for modern rim profiles. Try Googling it.
I have a business and I go 126mph in one car and quicker in the other. Great. I just want my wife's car to ride smoothly.
I also just did a set of 17" Chrysler wheels with low profile tires on that very bubble balancer. No issues. I'm impressed....really
Some people need to step away from their slide-rule, stay off of Google, stop over thinking or engineering simple things and get some grease under their fingernails. Yeah, we engineers haven't used slide rules in 50 years, we use modern tools.
Or..... Leave car work to the gearheads The cost savings and lack of knowledge by some so called gearheads is why I do my own tires.........

[Half-Inch Stud]

Originally Posted by Bruce Meyer

More like 120 MPH. I used it to balance 15X32 slicks on my 10 sec 67 GTO. Also used it on regular street tires that I cruise on the Highway at 75+ MPH. No problem.

Thanks for the MPH smooth ride check.

[Formulajones]

I bought a new set (pneumatic changer and electric spin balancer) several years ago after the set I had before got taken out by a lightening strike. I have a Snap On bubble balancer that must be 40 years old I never use. Prefer the electronic spin balancer. Can't remember the brand I bought off the top of my head now and I'm not out in the shop but it's been a good set that does an excellent job. Think I spent over $2,000 on them and that was several years ago.

[track73]

What's wrong with the Hunter spin balancer? Just be careful and don't let the adapter fly off when your ear is on the fender.

[Chief of the 60's]

Originally Posted by track73

What's wrong with the Hunter spin balancer? Just be careful and don't let the adapter fly off when your ear is on the fender.

LOL! I haven't used that in years. The last time I did was on my '62 GP 8 Lugs. Almost lost a hand in the process.

[Chief of the 60's]

Originally Posted by 1funride

I also just did a set of 17" Chrysler wheels with low profile tires on that very bubble balancer. No issues. I'm impressed....really.........

Really

Originally Posted by 1funride

The cost savings and lack of knowledge by some so called gearheads is why I do my own tires.........

So buying a $2000.00 spin balancer to use once every 2-4 years is worth it? LOL!

Originally Posted by 1funride

Yeah, we engineers haven't used slide rules in 50 years, we use modern tools.........

This explains everything.

Just buy a bubble balancer. If you are capable of using one, the balance will be just fine.