New Wheel Balancer Evaluation

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FJReady

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I've been using my buddy's wheel balancer the last couple years and always felt it had a couple short comings: the two little bearings used on each end of the main shaft seemed to have a little too much friction. I think the outer races perhaps rub on the angle iron they were bolted to. I also thought that the thumb screw used on those cones didn't always give a reliable clamp onto the shaft. It was hard to be sure the m/c wheel bearings were in solid contact with the balancer cones.

So I'd been thinking about building a different balancer of similar function but with a couple improvements. Here it is:

IMG_3404.jpg


The construction is pretty simple. The shaft is hardened and ground carbon steel. The collars and bearings are off the shelf commercial grade stuff. The only custom items are the two aluminum cones that a friend made for me in his shop.

The whole thing works better than I anticipated. Hard to detect any noticeable friction in this set up.

The black collars clamp very nicely on the shaft without a chance of marring the surface. The aluminum cones have .001" clearance on the shaft and slide easily but don't wiggle around at all. The little compression spring you see keeps the cones firmly planted in the wheel bearing. Very slick, I must say. (Slicker than Bust's sheep on a Saturday night!)

Here it is in the wheel:

IMG_3394.jpg


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Going around:

IMG_3403.jpg


Non-marring shaft collar:

IMG_3405.jpg


Redneck front end stand:

IMG_3401.jpg


Removed front tire. Roadsmart with over 10K, believe it or not.

IMG_3406.jpg


As far as sensitivity of the balancer goes all I can say is that I could easily detect the addition of a 1 gram weight taped to the wheel. I think this set up is so sensitive that I probably fussed too much over the degree of goodness required. I was trimming the tape on weights with side cutters in BB sized pieces to fine tune the balance.

I haven't been able to road test yet. Some hairy thunderstorms are moving through the area today. I'll report back after I hit the ton for balance feedback.

FYI. I checked the wheel balance without a tire on it. It is way out. I used a chunk of wheel weight about 25 grams to make it close. Unfortunately the PR2 doesn't have light spot indicator so I didn't bother trying to 'match' the tire to the wheel.

I have not tried this on the rear wheel yet. (maybe in a month or so when the Azaro gives up). I'll post up how it works on the rear too.

Russ

 
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Excellent job! :yahoo:

Would metal be more stable than wood for variation etc?

Typical Roadsmart front tire wear, they wear funky. Mine looked like that after only a few thousand miles.

 
Very elegant!

Seems potentially slightly more accurate than a Parnes unit with the allen collar mechanism and possibly higher end bearing, but just slightly less convenient compared to thumb screws or the chamfered bearing carriers.

I'd like to have the equipment and skills to do the kind of machining to do that stuff!

 
Nice set up!

Once the rim is balanced most PR2's require little weight, at least from our gangs experience with about 10 sets so far. I'm right with you on the front rim...mine is off 22 grams. I leave a 20 gram weight attached and balance from there.

--G

 
Very impressed. Looks like the mutts nuts to me.

Looks to me like a perfect project for some enterprising machinist! Any takers.....................? :rolleyes:

Don

 
Nice setup. My only modification would be the elimination of the collars and the spring; drill and thread the aluminum cones and simpify the rig.

 
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You will find that it will take a significant out of balance condition for you to feel it, so don't worry about getting too anal.

The Harbor Freight balancer has a good concept, and is cheap (ensure it is squared up first usage). Better cones, but suggest using brass hex screws and all will be golden.

 
Looks interesting, how do you get it to spin fast?

Pics caught my eye, bike in same position, just had Cyclegear, put on my new conti motion front tire, about to go mount it now.

Looking at your mounted new tire was good, I was concerned that the thread pattern on the tires go in the opposite direction...although it follows the arrow.

 
Nice work. You can leave the cones out and the rod and bearings will work just fine for balancing. The wheel does not have to be centered on the rod for you to balance the wheel. The bearings in the wheel + the bearings on the ends of the steel rod will allow the wheel to turn without too much friction.

If you balance the wheel first using the cones and than again without using the cones you will find that the results are the same. I've been doing it that way for years. Many tire-changer-wheel-balancers at race tracks don't use the cones either.

 
Nice work. You can leave the cones out and the rod and bearings will work just fine for balancing. The wheel does not have to be centered on the rod for you to balance the wheel. The bearings in the wheel + the bearings on the ends of the steel rod will allow the wheel to turn without too much friction.
If you balance the wheel first using the cones and than again without using the cones you will find that the results are the same. I've been doing it that way for years. Many tire-changer-wheel-balancers at race tracks don't use the cones either.
I don't use cones or a rod. :p Okay, technically you can call the actual bike axle I use a rod. ;) I used to rely on the wheel bearings and never had a problem, but wasn't happy with the friction. A couple years ago I made a balance stand that adds bearings for friction free spinning.

balance_stand.jpg


But I do like FJReady's balancer! I'd probably make something similar if I had access to a machine shop.

 
I've always thought that a good solid piece of wood enhances most everything.
Wait, Russ, was that your post? Or was Sarah using your account?
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I just stumbled on this thread (can't believe I didn't see it earlier) and that is a damn fine balancer you made there. Can't believe that you never offered to make up a few dozen of those for your closest buds!
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(PS - hope your summer's going well)

 
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Watched them balance tires at Loudon during the races and they don't use cones or even the right diameter rod...after all, the entire weight is on the very top of any rod you use. cones that are not perfectly true might lift the wheel off the rod and throw off the balance...

 
It's just physics. You want the wheels centered on the axle or you are not seeing the true imbalance.

What they do at Loudon I cannot explain, except that a few (too many) years ago we went up there to watch the races one weekend and we were also not very well balanced. I think our shafts were pretty loose and our bearings were un-centered. ;)

I seem to recall a school bus going over that weekend wasn't well balanced either.

No, I had nothing to do with the bus tipping.

 
Fred,

I'd be glad to make up one for you if you need it. I've used it many times now on my bike as well as a couple others. Very happy with the ease of use.

Maybe I should look into making a 'bunch' and offering up for sale here. I figured most folks that would be so inclined to balance their own tires, already had a workable solution.

Summers going well. Someday we'll have to chat about Ohio/W.V. trip. You'll like....

 
I'm in the market for one right now, in fact, I was gonna shop for a Marc Parnes balancer this week. If you can come at the same price or under, let me know and I'll hold off and purchase one of yours.

Maybe I should look into making a 'bunch' and offering up for sale here. I figured most folks that would be so inclined to balance their own tires, already had a workable solution.
 
vtwinn,

the rod is 1/2" dia. Yes, it works on the rear just as well. I'm getting some pricing together to make some to offer up here. This revived thread has sparked some PM's from interested parties. I'll post up something in the business section when ready.

Thanks.

 
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