On 2 Nov 2003 20:28:23 -0800, garbage@nc.rr.com (Mr. Speck) wrote:

>thanks for the replies!-- that valvoline site was helpful too!
>i think i understand about balancing and alignment now, but what
>exactly do they do when they find the tire is unbalanced-- how do they
>balance it?
>and why would a tire be unbalanced in the first place? i mean the rim
>and wheel are all symmetrical right? (except for the valve stem-- is
>that what they have to balance out?)

Irregularities in the tire itself.

>John's idea of a homemade balancer's interesting-- seems like it'd be
>tough to get it to balance at the exact center of the tire, and if you
>were even slightly off it seems like it would give a significantly
>false read.

If the level were off center place something of equal weight (another level?)
opposite it.

>what would you do once you got the weights on it so it was balanced?
>do duck tape them to the side of the tire?

Using the same weights any shop would use. Just tap them on with a hammer.

>where do the weights go?

Wherever you place them when balancing the tire.

>John M. <jcm1139trash@bellsouth.net> wrote in message news:<261bqv0bt7p0me8651k9imt05cs81dftv0@4ax.com>. ..
>> 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.