Thought I would share pics of my contraption I use to balance wheels on the vehicle.
Similar to the old on car strobe balancers, but a lot less money tied up.
Also just tried it on my front driveshaft and its the smoothest its been and that is after 3 driveshafts from two places. With hubs in transfer case out it has 0 vibration at 60mph and just a hint at 70. That was my first attempt at driveshaft balance. Next time I may spin the driveshaft at 70-75 mph. Also have one more trick up my sleeve I should implement into the balance process.
The fact it worked so well on driveshafts surprised me.
Pickup device rod attaches to axle with magnet
For a driveshaft place pickup under pumpkin as close to ujoint as possible.
General radio Stoboscope, fancy strobelight, uses external input from pickup to flash strobe when triggered. Ebay item. Also cool piece of old electronics.
Note clothespins holding a usb camera that I attach to the laptop so I can watch the strobe flash from the drivers seat allowing one person operation.
Close of pickup, a metal rod slide up and down on the piezo switch inside.
Inner workings of pickup, little piezo switch set up that I found online.
It not the easiest or quickest to use, but picks up 1/4 imbalance on wheels. If I could pay someone to get the results I achieve with this contraption I would let them but I am continually let down when I pay for tire balance. I even have access to a coats electronic spin balancer at work but cannot ever get repeatable results from it, I believe it is a centering problem.
Quick instructions.
Jack up wheel and position pickup to axle closest to the tire, I use a hockey puck under jack to allow a little give allowing wheel to move up and down more with each vibration effectively making the pickup more sensitive.
Connect pickup to stroboscope
Strobe flash and trial and error is used to determine the point of imbalance to add weight.
Usually the tire is marked with evenly spaced numbers around the tire to easily identify a point of imbalance, sharpie and hockey tape seems to work quit well. Grease marker is to hard to clean up.
Next the tire is spun with no weights, 120mph seems to work well, 60 on the speedometer since only one tire is jacked up.
The strobelight is positioned to flash on the bottom of tire, 6 oclock position.
Note the closest number caught at the 6 o clock position in the stobe light and its exact position.
The trick is picking the point to add weight it is usually at the 6 o'clock position sometimes ahead sometime behind depend on tire speed
Add weight spin tire again, if the strobe catches the same spot of the tire at 6 o'clock you found the exact spot to add weight.
Keep increasing weight till either the strobe does not flash or opposite side of the tire is caught in strobe. If opposite side is showing too much weight was installed.
I do have a motor and wheel to spin up non powered wheels, but almost all my outfits are 4wd. It seems to work much better to allow the vehicle to spin the tires.
I apologize for pictures not being on an idi equiped vehicle.
I suppose I could add this to my list of services offered under the timing service thread.
Similar to the old on car strobe balancers, but a lot less money tied up.
Also just tried it on my front driveshaft and its the smoothest its been and that is after 3 driveshafts from two places. With hubs in transfer case out it has 0 vibration at 60mph and just a hint at 70. That was my first attempt at driveshaft balance. Next time I may spin the driveshaft at 70-75 mph. Also have one more trick up my sleeve I should implement into the balance process.
The fact it worked so well on driveshafts surprised me.
You must be registered for see images attach
Pickup device rod attaches to axle with magnet
For a driveshaft place pickup under pumpkin as close to ujoint as possible.
You must be registered for see images attach
General radio Stoboscope, fancy strobelight, uses external input from pickup to flash strobe when triggered. Ebay item. Also cool piece of old electronics.
Note clothespins holding a usb camera that I attach to the laptop so I can watch the strobe flash from the drivers seat allowing one person operation.
You must be registered for see images attach
Close of pickup, a metal rod slide up and down on the piezo switch inside.
You must be registered for see images attach
Inner workings of pickup, little piezo switch set up that I found online.
It not the easiest or quickest to use, but picks up 1/4 imbalance on wheels. If I could pay someone to get the results I achieve with this contraption I would let them but I am continually let down when I pay for tire balance. I even have access to a coats electronic spin balancer at work but cannot ever get repeatable results from it, I believe it is a centering problem.
Quick instructions.
Jack up wheel and position pickup to axle closest to the tire, I use a hockey puck under jack to allow a little give allowing wheel to move up and down more with each vibration effectively making the pickup more sensitive.
Connect pickup to stroboscope
Strobe flash and trial and error is used to determine the point of imbalance to add weight.
Usually the tire is marked with evenly spaced numbers around the tire to easily identify a point of imbalance, sharpie and hockey tape seems to work quit well. Grease marker is to hard to clean up.
Next the tire is spun with no weights, 120mph seems to work well, 60 on the speedometer since only one tire is jacked up.
The strobelight is positioned to flash on the bottom of tire, 6 oclock position.
Note the closest number caught at the 6 o clock position in the stobe light and its exact position.
The trick is picking the point to add weight it is usually at the 6 o'clock position sometimes ahead sometime behind depend on tire speed
Add weight spin tire again, if the strobe catches the same spot of the tire at 6 o'clock you found the exact spot to add weight.
Keep increasing weight till either the strobe does not flash or opposite side of the tire is caught in strobe. If opposite side is showing too much weight was installed.
I do have a motor and wheel to spin up non powered wheels, but almost all my outfits are 4wd. It seems to work much better to allow the vehicle to spin the tires.
I apologize for pictures not being on an idi equiped vehicle.
I suppose I could add this to my list of services offered under the timing service thread.
