I am no expert with wire wheels,but i do have some experience with
motorcycle tyres and wheels and the balancing of them. The cheapest way i
have found to balance a wheel is to have two supports that are higher than
the centre of the wheel (axle/jack stands are ideal if they are tall
enough). A piece of pipe is inserted through the centre of the wheel like a
spindle and then the wheel is supported by the pipe across the stands. Spin
the wheel and wait for it to stop, mark the bottom of the wheel with a
piece of chalk and then spin the wheel again. If the same point on the
wheel is at the bottom again then this is the heavy part which needs
balancing, it's usually the bit with the valve. Place a weight opposite the
heavy spot and spin again. If the same spot returns to the bottom then the
weight you put on is too light, if the weight is at the bottom then it is
too heavy. Adjust the weight until neither spot returns to the bottom then
repeat the process until the stop position is completely random. This
method i have been told is used by the grand prix motorcycle teams for
their wheels and they don't have any trouble upto 180MPH so if it's
possible it should be okay for even the fastest TRs. A good thing to do is
to try and get a pipe that fits snuggly into the hole in the centre of the
wheel otherwist the offset causes problems.
Hope this helps
cheers
birdy
Merry christmas to all Triumph dudes, young or old we are all kids.
----------
> From: Zink <zink@pdq.net>
> To: C. Donald Emery, III <cdemery3@thor.pla-net.net>
> Cc: triumphs@autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: Wire Wheel Balancing
> Date: 21 December 1997 05:00
>
> C. Donald Emery, III wrote:
> >
> > Wire Wheel Experts:
> > I put a new set of Dayton 5.5 X 15 in., 72 spoke chrome wires on my
> > '69
> > TR-6 about one year ago. Repeated attempts to have them balanced
> > using the
> > newer computerized spin balancers have ben unsuccessful. They can't
> > center
> > spline wheels. Dayton suggests using the following in order of
> > preference:
> > 1. An Alemite type balancer which balances the tires while on the
> > car;
> > 2. A Hoffman spin balancer with center-lock adapters (Dayton says
> > there
> > were made about 20 years ago and I have a 1 in 100 chance of finding
> > one!);
> > and
> > 3. A good old fashion bubble balancer.
> > The problem is that I haven't been able to find a tire shop with
> > either
> > the Alemite or Hoffman spin balancers. Does anyone know of a tire shop
> > in
> > the Chicago Area or NW Indiana Area with either on of these?
> > If not, has anyone had their wheels balanced using a bubble
> > balancer in
> > the last 20 years?...and if so, how does it work?
> > Thanks in advance for your help.
> > Don Emery
> > Crown Point, IN
> > CC 27639
> > 1969 TR-6
>
>
> Don,
>
> Back in the "old days", when spin balancing was new tech stuff, and you
> had to balance them on the car, it was highly time consuming and grossly
> inadequate. I could bubble balance tires and guarantee them to 100mph,
> and never lose any sleep over someone coming back to me. The trick is
> to make certain that your balancer is as close to perfectly level, as
> you can, before you attempt to balance a tire. Then using four weights
> of equal size you space them at a ninety degree angle from the bubble
> (2-45 degrees on either side of a center line with the bubble, and move
> them away from or towards each other until centering the bubble. But
> you never go more than 110 degrees. If you can not balance it you
> either use heavier weights or lighter weights depending on if you can't
> get the bubble centered or if you have over compensated the weight.
>
> Hard to explain over the wire, but easy enough to show you how in
> person. You attach one weight to the front of the rim and the other
> directly behind it on the inside or back of the rim. The recheck your
> balance. It is kind of a finesse type art form, like adjusting carbs.
> After you learn the tricks, it ain't no mystery. We used to balance the
> wire wheels on Jags, MG's, A/Hs and TRs, even some antique American
> cars, I just hated working with tubes and liners.
>
> As always, this JMO.
>
> Larry Zink
> 1964 Spitffire4
> Houston
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