Does anyone here have any experience/knowledge using one of these for do-it-yourself home wheel/tire balancing?
Pittsburgh Portable Static "Bubble" Wheel / Tire Balancer?
- Thread starter 01CuHed
- Start date
I'm sure it highly depends on your tire choice, but I have had poor luck with anything less the roadforce and a knowledgeable operator.
Balancing a tire isn't really about balancing a tire.
Balancing a tire isn't really about balancing a tire.
My problem is finding a "knowledgeable" mechanic that also knows how to use an impact properly. Ha! The last yo-yo didn't fully secure some of my rim weights and managed to cross-thread 2 of my lugs. Yes I got a full refund but I replaced my two lugs myself after seeing their work!
You need to shop around. Balancing tires is just about the only work left that I don't do myself and it took me several tries to find a shop that did them right. It goes faster if you can bring in the tires off of the Jeep ready to be balanced and when they mess up just absorb the loss and try again.
Also tell them from the beginning that you want stick on weights and absolutely no impact used.
Here's where I'd start the search: https://www.hunter.com/gsp9700 I'd suggest staying away from chains and dealers... I found they either won't touch my tires/rims or hire techs who play "wheel of fortune" and stick too many weights on.
I will say that I've been going to Discount Tire for at least a decade now. I've never once had an issue with them, ever. They mount and balance the tires perfectly, honor their warranties (and their work), and this seems to be consistent with the 3 locations I've been visiting over the past 10 years.
I wish I could be of more help in regards to that machine and balancing my own wheels, but this is just one of those things where it's just easier for me to pay someone else.
I wish I could be of more help in regards to that machine and balancing my own wheels, but this is just one of those things where it's just easier for me to pay someone else.
I have heard good things about DT, although iirc there was mention that they're not servicing tires that aren't sized correctly for the vehicle? I think somebody brought them 8" wide rims and DT wouldn't allow it? I'd have to find the post...
This is true. I was walking to the manager at my local store when I was in there last month. I'd asked him about that super stretched tire look you see on some of the ricers / euro trash cars these days (you know, the look where there's practically no sidewall at all cause the tire is so stretched).
He told me they won't do those sort of installs because it's dangerous, and it's a liability for them. He'd also mentioned they won't re-install wheel spacers. They'll put new tires on your vehicle with wheel spacers, but you'll have to go home and reinstall the wheel spacers yourself. Again, he said it was a liability thing, which actually makes sense.
I'm not sure where they draw the line. My rims are 8" wide and they always install my 33s without any issue whatsoever. However, I'm assuming there's a point where if I were to bring them let's say a 16" wide tire, they may not install it on my 8" wide rim.
In those cases, you're stuck with a smaller shop that isn't a chain like Discount Tire.
I wouldn't want to be the guy who is trying to mount and balance a 37" tire in my garage though. I can't imagine that's much fun!
I don't envy you. Just removing the 33" spare off my tailgate is a back breaker! With a 37" I'm guessing that's the point where you probably need 2 people.
It's a pain, but I do them myself. It helps having a big breakfast to get some extra meat on your bones that day. You just gotta get dirty and hold the tires close to your body and learn how to sling them.
I think the tires had a shipping weight of 75lbs or so plus another 33lbs for the rims. So I'd estimate just over 100lbs per corner.
alittleoff
TJ Addict
Damn, I just looked at weights of my tire and wheel combo. 129# No wonder it felt so heavy to mount my spare.
alittleoff
TJ Addict
Just be grateful we don't have to deal with split rims on our rigs! Many a broken arm, or worse, dealing with those things!
sgtjdgelinas
TJ Enthusiast
Would balancing beads work on Jeep tires? I know they typically use them on commercial vehicles that have large, hard to balance tires. I have yet to see anyone mention them though.
@UnoBurro I had shimmy problems for 8-9 months. I almost bought a static wheel balancer after having no success with the local shops ‘getting them balanced right’. However, I questioned my ability to do it as well as the guy on the video. I finally got new tires and all my shimmies went away and she drives like a dream
@CasterTroy uses them in his 35’s. I tried them in my old 31’s that had a shimmy. It didn’t change a thing. As per above, though, I think my tires were bad. Some people swear by them
I really appreciate all the feedback! Most of my Jeep maintenance/repair is done by me whenever possible but balancing tires means a trip to some shop and hope for the best. Ha!