On 1 Nov 2003 20:25:10 -0800, garbage@nc.rr.com (Mr. Speck) wrote:

>Are wheel alignment and wheel balancing the same thing?
>Is it at all possible to do these on your own? I know you need all
>this crazy equipment, but there's gotta be a way to do it on the
>cheap?
>I don't like giving my car to mechanics (I've managed to keep this car
>from a mechanic for its entire life (5 years) and I don't wanna break
>my record)
>I have issues with trust when it comes to my car (and issues with
>money)
>-mr speck
>'95 civic DX (that pulls to the left)


Alignment - don't ask me.

Balancing - An untried idea I had awhile ago involved something called a
bull's-eye level. I picked one up at a hardware store shortly after thinking of
it but haven't tried it out. It's a spirit level which has a disk shape with
the bubble in the center of the top so you level (in any horizontal direction)
something by centering the bubble in the center ring. Whether it's sensitive
enough I don't know.
An apparatus of some sort (tripod?) would be needed to suspend the tire in
the air with a wire and that wire would have to come up from the Very center of
the wheel. Then somehow get the spirit level positioned in there and lay
weights on the rim where appropriate until the bubble is centered. And note
that if the level is not positioned on the center of the wheel a counterbalance
to it will be needed.

I know this sounds like a lot of work and it probably is but I just like
thinking up alternative ways of doing things. Does this sound like it would
work?

John M.