Was thinking about picking up a bubble balancer and balance my tires myself since all the shops wanna charge more than what the machine costs. I can get the balancer for $50 and all shops want 15-20 a tire to balance, although Im told by one of the shops you can not use a bubble balancer to balance a 33.5 tire. Any one have insight on this, I bet there just blowing smoke to get me to go to them.
We have some very expensive computer balancing equipment at the shop.
We also have a 60-year-old bubble-balancer that the glass is so scratched that you can hardly see the bubble anymore.
On the rare occassion that I actually do balance a tire on one of my trucks, I shun that fancy flashing lights stuff and use that old bubble.
The bubble cannot tell a lie; those computers have no qualms about lying on a regular basis.
Most bubble-balancers require an adapter ring to fit 8-lug SRW or DRW wheels.
Harbor Freight sells a very good bubble balancer and they also have the necessary adapter.
The guy that told you a bubble could not work with large diameter tires does not know his business very well.
There is no maximum diameter; so long as you can get it up on there, it will balance it.
A good bubble balancer is exceedingly sensitive, taking forever to quit moving around.
If it's movement is somewhat sluggish, it is not gonna be very sensitive.
The trick to a good job is to ascertain how much lead it needs, then put half of it on the opposite side of the wheel, dividing that amount and nailing the weights on about six-inches apart, each weight three-inches from the center of the balance point.
Now, lay the wheel back on the balancer and do likewise with the remaining 1/2 of the lead.
The absolute best wheel balancing money that you can spend is about three hundred bucks for a set of CENTRAMATICS that mount behind the wheels.
Another trick is to pour FOUR-ounces of B-Bs, yes B-Bs like you used in your old Red Ryder, into the inside of each tire; you will be amazed.
Don't waste money on so-called "balancing beads"; they are nothing special whatsoever and the same can be accomplished with plain old sand; B-Bs are better.
I run a big tire shop, with several employees, lots of equipment, and way too many air-guns --- I hate the things and wish they were all at the bottom of the sea ---; no way would I allow strangers or friends to mess with the lug-nuts/wheels on any of my trucks or trailers.
It never ceases to amaze me how
people
will ignorantly take their pride and joy into a tire shop and allow just any idiot to change/balance/install their wheels; not me, no way, I will do it in the driveway myself.
