Wheel balancing

[pbrettle]

Advice please...

What am I doing wrong? I have used two different branches of two different leading national tyre fitters and I have failed to get decent wheel balancing at all of them. The slight vibration at certain speeds, indicative of wheel balancing, either comes back with the vibration at a different speed, or worse, harsher than before....oh, and on two different cars!

What am I doing wrong? Is there a magic phrase that I am not using? Should I be taking my car(s) to places that do it properly? Can anyone recommend a tyre place in Suffolk / Cambs / Essex that does a decent job?

Recommendations welcome, as I really think that this is me....

Cheers and sorry for the practical rather than funny post...

Paul

[MikeG]

Paul,

If you have not already tried them - Cambridge Performance Tyres have always done a good job for me and a few other TVR owners in the area. They are on the trading estate next to the Junction Night Club/Park & Ride in Cambridge. I mean the trading estate is next to the "Junction" - the tyre place is at the far end of the estate.

Mike

>> Edited by MikeG on Thursday 2nd May 23:32

[PetrolTed]

Could it be the bearings or something other than the wheel itself?

[JMorgan]

Ask for a precision balance. They put bolts through the bolt holes to centre it rather than the big hole in the middle that might be a bit off.
Thats what I do anyway. A simular problem on my Vixen was sorted with a prop shaft balance. Shoot me down if I'm talking dogs nackers.

[leszekg]

Used to have the same problem with my last Lotus on Goodyears. A specialist advised me to take the car for a long run and warm the tyres up immediately before getting the balancing done and this solved the problem for me. Try this if you're not doing this already.

[Bonce]

I can recommend Cambridge Performance Tyres or Abbey Tyres (Newmarket Rd).
Abbey did a superb job on my wheels after I shed some weights and developed a couple of flatspots on an airfield.

[thub]

JMorgan - the big hole in the centre is the one to centre the wheel to its axle, the bolts just hold it on.

Pardon my ignorance, but what's different between a precision balance and a standard one?

[richb]

Can you not get the wheels balanced "on" the car? I am sure this is possible and will complensate for any out of ballance discs / hubs etc.? R...

[JMorgan]

quote:
JMorgan - the big hole in the centre is the one to centre the wheel to its axle, the bolts just hold it on.

Pardon my ignorance, but what's different between a precision balance and a standard one?

Had a wheel that would not balance once so they did a precision. Big 'ole in the middle visibly orf. Was told that the studs should be dead centre more, if you get me point? Worked, so I ask for that now.

[JohnLow]

You can get a balance done with wheels on the car.
Also, I had a lumpy tyre recently - well worn - but the guy spotted that when he tried to balance it. Took the opportunity to flog me a new tyre of course!

What I did have once - and might be an explanation here - was a new pair of tyres, and immediately afterwards the car was vibrating. Had the tyres checked - yes sir one of the new ones was out of balance but we've sorted it now.

Still vibrating, so I went elsewhere. Tested, yes it's out of balance, corrected, rechecked to be sure -still out of balance.

Turns out .. the clown who fitted the new tyres (at a large well known national tyre fitting company who will stay nameless as this was >10 years ago) had dropped a balancing weight inside one of the tyres ...

[Marshy]

This is interesting. The one thing notable by its complete absence on my TVR has been wheel balancing issues. Not a single unexpected wobble (except for the back end ) in 20,000 miles.

All replacement tyres have been from Cambridge Performance Tyres, so maybe this speaks volumes for them?