OT Tool Gloat - Pic

[CCWKen]

This isn't exactly Machining related but it is a tool. I picked this up yesterday at a local auction. It's a Snap-on Wheel Balancer model WB400. It's the older cousin of the new 410 that lists for $7350. I got mine for about a 98% discount.

Best of all, it works!

[PolskiFran]

Ken, Just remember, with a few special adaptors that machine will balance other things too!

Frank

[Your Old Dog]

Looks like a great deal! Can you get any use out of it? You got a tire shop or just that unlucky with nails in the driveway

(I know, sometimes the deal is so good you gotta make it anyway even if it ain't needed !!)

[CCWKen]

Can you get any use out of it? You got a tire shop or just that unlucky with nails in the driveway

LOL... The CCW in my name stands for Custom Car Works. I don't run a tire shop but I do have occasions to mount custom wheels and swap tires. Not to mention my own "parking lot" full cars and trucks. And as Frank mentions, they can be used for a number of static balancing tasks--Not just wheels.

It will balance truck tires up to 50" in diameter to within 5 grams and car tires to within 2 grams for dynamic balancing (two dimensional). It also came with a load of car and truck adapters.

Yep, I be happy!

[Dawai]

How duh we get the harley flywheels bolted to that thar thing?

I balanced the last set on rollers from skateboard wheels.. had a heck of a time.

[wierdscience]

That pisses me off.Not because you got a good deal,but because I missed one.

Local tire shop was closing about 15 years ago,owner offered me a balancer,tire machine,wheel weights and a brake lathe all working and less than 5 y/o for $250.I had just bought a new drillpress and was out of spare change.I asked my brother(mechanic) if he would loan me the money or go halves on the deal.His words were"awh,we don't need that stuff"

Not three months later he came home complaining"we should have bought that tire machine,they just charged me $45 to mount and balance four tires" I am still kicking him,last time I had four trailer tires and five truck tires the mount and balance cost me $90 and I had to pay another $9 for new stems.

Glad you got a deal!

[torker]

Balancing other stuff??? So is there anyway you could balance driveshafts with one of those...if you made a tailstock for the far end?
I'm thinking not but it'd be cool if it'd work.
Russ

[winchman]

So, how does it work? I see a handle on the left end that looks like it's used to turn the wheel/tire after it's mounted. The lack of a shield tells me it doesn't turn very fast. The computer remembers the variation of load on some sensors as you turn the wheel, and it tells you where to put which weights around the inside and outside of the wheel. Is that it? How fast do you have to turn it?

That seems sorta in between static balancing and dynamic balancing, but it should be pretty useful.

I don't think it will work for anything that's not completely supported on the spindle of the machine.

Roger

[wierdscience]

Balancing other stuff??? So is there anyway you could balance driveshafts with one of those...if you made a tailstock for the far end?
I'm thinking not but it'd be cool if it'd work.
Russ

Russ local shop has thier own high-tech shop built driveline balancer.It's an old lathe with a three jaw on the spindle and a steady rest affair that uses three air up go-kart tires to center the driveshaft.

In use they chuck the spline yoke,plop the opposite end in the steady with the tires just touching and located about 2/3s the length of the shaft from the chucked end.A "toolpost" holds a piece of chaulk within 1/8" of the shaft tube near the back yoke.They just spin the shaft up to 500rpm and advance the "tool" until it leaves a mark.The chaulk marks the heavy side.Then they use a collection of various weghts and a hose clamp.Clamp the weight to the lightside(opposite the mark) and spin it up again.If the correct amount of weight is found the first time a piece ALMOST the same weight is tacked on.

It's simple as hell and it does work,I suppose there is a fancy machine for that,but when you think about it all your reaaly dong is offseting the weight of the weld seam in the tube.

[wierdscience]

So, how does it work? I see a handle on the left end that looks like it's used to turn the wheel/tire after it's mounted. The lack of a shield tells me it doesn't turn very fast. The computer remembers the variation of load on some sensors as you turn the wheel, and it tells you where to put which weights around the inside and outside of the wheel. Is that it? How fast do you have to turn it?

That seems sorta in between static balancing and dynamic balancing, but it should be pretty useful.

I don't think it will work for anything that's not completely supported on the spindle of the machine.

Roger

I watched one in action awhile back,I didn't pay to much attention to it,but the thing spun the tire up maybe 20-25rpm for a few seconds and then it coasted down to a stop.The tire man then turned the tire by hand slowly while watching the readout,I guess it showed him where to hang the wieght and how much was needed.He ran the tire again to make sure it was good.One tire he did twice,he had to switch to a smaller weight.

[CCWKen]

I watched one in action awhile back,I didn't pay to much attention to it,but the thing spun the tire up maybe 20-25rpm for a few seconds and then it coasted down to a stop.The tire man then turned the tire by hand slowly while watching the readout,I guess it showed him where to hang the wieght and how much was needed.He ran the tire again to make sure it was good.One tire he did twice,he had to switch to a smaller weight.

Yep, this one is hand powered. You turn the handle to get the speed up between 70-84rpm. It's surprisingly easy and takes about 2 seconds or less. It's basically just a flip or two of the crank. It beeps when you have the right speed and you let go of handle. (one-way clutch) About 5-8 seconds later, it beeps again and you stop the wheel. It lights arrows on which way to turn the tire to align to a mark on the machine. When you're there, it displays the weight to place at that point. In dynamic mode, it indicates both inside and outside weight and locations. (They may be in different locations.)

What's slick is that it has it's own rechargeable battery and can be used anywhere or plugged into an outlet for 120v. It's portable and easy to roll around or store. No bulky machine bolted to the floor taking up space!

[franco]

Ken,

As a matter of interest, have you ever bothered balancing wood spoked wheels with detachable rims and integral hubs, e.g. Model T, Chev 4 etc? If so, how do you go about it? I suppose you could get a rough trial and error static balance on a front wheel with the wheel mounted on the car, but I can't think off hand how you could balance a taper mounted back wheel without an expensive dynamic balancer which can balance wheels in place on the vehicle.

I have respoked quite a number of wooden wheels, but because of the low road speeds of the vehicles involved, wheel balance is not a real problem, so I have never bothered trying to balance them. I've often wondered if there is a reasonably easy way to do it though.

franco

[winchman]

The narrower the tire/wheel, the less need there is for dynamic balancing.

Roger

[Rex]

Ken, I'm envious. I mount and balance tires for my race cars. Bought a Hunter balancer a couple years ago, but it's the big one with the hood. I'd much rather have one like you have, but I've been looking for one for years with no success.

So, wanna trade? <G>

[Carld]

With a little imagination and fabrication you would not believe what can be balanced with that little jewel. Good buy Ken.