DBS wheel balancing
Discussion
AMDBSNick said:
Impasse said:
I think you're making the DBS out to be some sort of exotic machine full of scary mystique. It's just a car with very conventional components bolted onto the grubby side of the chassis. Some have had issues in the past not understanding the elimination process of tracking down a wheel wobble, but the basic premise of rotating mass balance is the same as a Fiesta.
The initial question in the OP was where to get the wheels balanced in Derby. And wheel balancing is a very straightforward and methodical process, but requires attention to detail on to be perfect.
Once the wheels and tyres are confirmed to be true and subsequently are weighted correctly, any other undulation is a fault or manufacturing defect elsewhere - often the unnecessarily large brake discs. This can sometimes be solved by balancing the wheel while it's mounted on the car as then you're attending to the whole rotating mass. Crude and with future servicing limitations, but not exactly ground breaking technology. It's not rocket science.
I bow to your superior knowledge. I was on about full Geo for those of us who actually use our cars enthusiastically The initial question in the OP was where to get the wheels balanced in Derby. And wheel balancing is a very straightforward and methodical process, but requires attention to detail on to be perfect.
Once the wheels and tyres are confirmed to be true and subsequently are weighted correctly, any other undulation is a fault or manufacturing defect elsewhere - often the unnecessarily large brake discs. This can sometimes be solved by balancing the wheel while it's mounted on the car as then you're attending to the whole rotating mass. Crude and with future servicing limitations, but not exactly ground breaking technology. It's not rocket science.
The chap was very simply taking the piss. Does he still have the Beissbarth?
Sump said:
Oh my friend, never say that on the internet. You just never know who is on the receiving end 
OP for balancing just call around and find someone who has a Hunter Roadforce. It'y by no means the only machine that can balance your wheel but it's a very expensive machine to purchase over other wheel balancers. Therefore it's reasonable to derive that the shop is pretty serious about their gear and would know what they are doing.
You are not my friend, odd statementOP for balancing just call around and find someone who has a Hunter Roadforce. It'y by no means the only machine that can balance your wheel but it's a very expensive machine to purchase over other wheel balancers. Therefore it's reasonable to derive that the shop is pretty serious about their gear and would know what they are doing.
AMDBSNick said:
Sump said:
He wasn't doing anything special. He was doing a 4 wheel alignment back to factory settings. No advance setups for fast road or whatever.
The chap was very simply taking the piss. Does he still have the Beissbarth?
You have no idea what he was doing, another odd statement The chap was very simply taking the piss. Does he still have the Beissbarth?
AMDBSNick said:
V8 Animal according to the experts on here anyone can do this. Get down to Kwikfit Derby. Jobs a good 'un
If they have the specifications for the required geo set-up then, yes, yes they can. A multi-thousand pound laser guided machine makes the whole process a lot simpler, but you'd get the same results with a piece of string and basic mathematics. The caveat for both examples being - if the procedure is carried out correctly. And that's the biggest issue, finding a competent mechanic. But don't think the DBS is particularly different or special to any other car with regards to how the suspension is bolted on.
Impasse said:
AMDBSNick said:
V8 Animal according to the experts on here anyone can do this. Get down to Kwikfit Derby. Jobs a good 'un
If they have the specifications for the required geo set-up then, yes, yes they can. A multi-thousand pound laser guided machine makes the whole process a lot simpler, but you'd get the same results with a piece of string and basic mathematics. The caveat for both examples being - if the procedure is carried out correctly. And that's the biggest issue, finding a competent mechanic. But don't think the DBS is particularly different or special to any other car with regards to how the suspension is bolted on.
Issues happen when people roughly stick on the first weight slightly wrong and then just keep adding weights until the machine goes 000
I'm convinced some AM owners are deluded into thinking they're running some unique NASA-esque spacecar.
AMDBSNick said:
V8V12VTECwoollie said:
Thoroughly recommend WIM in Chesham. Very knowledgeable and thorough. The main advantage of using Works Service is that they have one of the only Hunter Roadforce machines in the country and that is by far the most accurate way to get the balance correct.
Guess where most S2000's have been done 
Nearly ten years ago he had a mobile set up and we organised "alignment meets" we did 7 on one day once!
http://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/362897-n-midlands-...
Not sure he can balance CCM's though?
BTW BR have access to Roadforce balancing as well
Edited by mikey k on Tuesday 21st April 18:23
I've experience of CG, WIM, Buckley (where jockman went) and a fair few other place so can probably shed some light on pricing etc
Many tyre places now have 4 wheel laser alignment systems and will have a go at resetting your alignment back to the factory spec for your model year.
Many get caught out by Astons as you need to remove the shear plates to make adjustments (Buckley did with Jockman) none of them ever factor this in to the ~£100 job and often end up rushing it. I'd liken them to your local Pharmacist.
WIM know about this, allow for it and charge more than £100 for Astons because of it. They are a cut above and their pricing is competitive for this sort of work. Much like a GP Doctor.
Chris @ CG comes at it from a different angle, he is a suspension engineer (no seriously!). He is the go to guy for many Porsche race cars/teams. He is very very knowledgable on coil overs, corner weighting, damper dyno etc. He can diagnose suspension issues from looking at tyre wear patterns. His depth of expertise and experience allows him to charge £200-300/car according to the level of work involved. It also means he can turn down work on straight forward road cars where he cannot add his value. This obviously makes him look expensive on most road cars other than exotica. Much like a surgeon
Over the years I've used Chris on my highly modified 425BHP S2000 with coil over and "trick" suspension
Buckley/WIM/Dayton Autos on my other RWD road cars
F1/Kwik fit etc on my FWD run arounds
IME this really is an area where you need to pick carefully and expect to get what you pay for!
Edited by mikey k on Tuesday 21st April 20:58
Thanks Mickey a inform ended post.
I've decided now to have geo and balancing but undecided yet as where to go.
I have lost a few weights so the vibration about 100mph is uncomfortable so I must have it done.
I know it's only a car with std wheels but it was the advice I was given by works which prompted my post and Stratstone mini balanced my last car which was never the same as before.
This time I want it spot on but don't wish to be ripped off.
Thanks for the info.
I've decided now to have geo and balancing but undecided yet as where to go.
I have lost a few weights so the vibration about 100mph is uncomfortable so I must have it done.
I know it's only a car with std wheels but it was the advice I was given by works which prompted my post and Stratstone mini balanced my last car which was never the same as before.
This time I want it spot on but don't wish to be ripped off.
Thanks for the info.
Do Centre of gravity have road force balancing? And that shouldn't be hundreds to do as the video I've seen they just load the wheel rather than spin it in free air. I'd loved to find a reliable place in the midlands with the gear for all my cars as I seem to be unlucky with balance.
And having suffered a serious alignment issue with my daily driver (scrubbed a set of rear tyres in 3k of motorway driving) I can assure you the £80 tyre fitters who do it may at best do a bit of tracking if its not far out, but to do a full geo you may need to remove panels to get to the all the adjustments and every time you touch one, the others move out so you go round in circles. A good half day is what it takes to get camber, toe and god know what else they listed right.
And having suffered a serious alignment issue with my daily driver (scrubbed a set of rear tyres in 3k of motorway driving) I can assure you the £80 tyre fitters who do it may at best do a bit of tracking if its not far out, but to do a full geo you may need to remove panels to get to the all the adjustments and every time you touch one, the others move out so you go round in circles. A good half day is what it takes to get camber, toe and god know what else they listed right.
Jonsv8 said:
Do Centre of gravity have road force balancing? And that shouldn't be hundreds to do as the video I've seen they just load the wheel rather than spin it in free air. I'd loved to find a reliable place in the midlands with the gear for all my cars as I seem to be unlucky with balance.
And having suffered a serious alignment issue with my daily driver (scrubbed a set of rear tyres in 3k of motorway driving) I can assure you the £80 tyre fitters who do it may at best do a bit of tracking if its not far out, but to do a full geo you may need to remove panels to get to the all the adjustments and every time you touch one, the others move out so you go round in circles. A good half day is what it takes to get camber, toe and god know what else they listed right.
Finally a non bell end And having suffered a serious alignment issue with my daily driver (scrubbed a set of rear tyres in 3k of motorway driving) I can assure you the £80 tyre fitters who do it may at best do a bit of tracking if its not far out, but to do a full geo you may need to remove panels to get to the all the adjustments and every time you touch one, the others move out so you go round in circles. A good half day is what it takes to get camber, toe and god know what else they listed right.
I'm sorry but the days of string are long gone, next people will be talking about hanging nuts from the arches to set camber.
With road force wheel balancing and alignment it is going to cost. I need to take my V12 in for both at some point. Just the alignment (not balancing) on my RX-7 10 years ago was £120 and it was bloody superb afterwards, so its fair to assume you'll have no change out of £200 for an AM in this day and age.
Of course some will still harp on about the dark ages of Lazyeye alignment but those that have never had their cars setup correctly will never appreciate the benefits. AM's are not rocket ships but much like any car will benefit from correct alignment (you just might get a bit more life out of your tyres too)
With road force wheel balancing and alignment it is going to cost. I need to take my V12 in for both at some point. Just the alignment (not balancing) on my RX-7 10 years ago was £120 and it was bloody superb afterwards, so its fair to assume you'll have no change out of £200 for an AM in this day and age.
Of course some will still harp on about the dark ages of Lazyeye alignment but those that have never had their cars setup correctly will never appreciate the benefits. AM's are not rocket ships but much like any car will benefit from correct alignment (you just might get a bit more life out of your tyres too)
No one has discussed using old fashioned lasers to align. The alignment that has been discussed here has all be been based on modern Hawkeye or Beissbarth machines....
No one has denied that 4 wheel alignments is excellent practice either.
My issue has come in at a standard 4 wheel alignment back to factory settings costing £350 from COG when WIM charged £80.
No one has denied that 4 wheel alignments is excellent practice either.
My issue has come in at a standard 4 wheel alignment back to factory settings costing £350 from COG when WIM charged £80.
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