How to do wheel balancing in the garage conditions.

Balancing wheels with their own hands.

Wheel balancing – one of the activities that ensure the stability of the car on the road and affect the safety of traffic. Many car owners believe that high-quality balancing can do only specialists СТО. Partly they are right, but there is not always an opportunity to go to the masters, and to delay the procedure is impossible. In this situation, you can perform wheel balancing with your own hands in the conditions of the garage. There are ways to carry out this procedure without professional equipment.

Why balancing is necessary

Uneven tire wear or disc damage leads to imbalance, that is, a violation of the distribution of weight of the wheels relative to the horizontal and vertical planes. There are two types of imbalance:

1. Static, when the axis of rotation shifts in relation to the axis of inertia and begins to move the center of gravity up and down.
2. Dynamic, when the axis of rotation intersects with the axis of inertia, disrupting the distribution of the wheel’s mass horizontally. The disc makes a figure of eight during the movement of the car.

Two types of imbalance are distinguished: static and dynamic.

Imbalance causes the wheels to vibrate during driving. Wheel imbalance, especially when driving at high speed, affects handling, increases the length of stopping distance, and leads to premature wear of the chassis components.

Unbalanced wheels cause loss of control when driving at high speed. But even if there is no accident, the constant vibration leads to destruction of the hub bearing, and with time, to the damage of the entire axle system.

The task of the procedure is to return the wheels to balance during rotation. The result of balancing is an even distribution of the wheel’s weight relative to the axes of rotation.

How often to carry out

There are no clear and specific recommendations for all vehicles on the frequency of balancing. It all depends on the operating conditions of the vehicle, the condition of the wheels and other factors. Specialists recommend carrying out balancing:

1. During a tire change. In reputable service stations the procedure is included in the cost of “re-shoeing” your car.
2. When a wheel hits an object or falls into a pit. Such situations lead to disc damage and wheel imbalance.
3. After 15000 km of run. During the season, few motorists wind such number of kilometers, so the standard car is enough balancing when changing tires.
4. Every 8000 km to fans of aggressive driving style.
5. Before a trip over a distance of more than 1,500 km.

Signs of imbalance

The main signal of imbalance is the appearance of vibration. The intensity of the vibration transmitted to the cabin depends on the degree of imbalance. Sometimes the entire body begins to literally shake at speed.

The vibration pattern tells you which wheels are out of balance:

• the front ones bouncing off the steering wheel;
• the rear ones make the rear seats vibrate.

Other signs of imbalance are increased fuel consumption, rustling tires when driving, uneven wear and regular flat tires.

Ways to Balance

Using the advice of experienced drivers, you can balance your tires yourself the old-fashioned way without the use of a special machine. It will take more time than it would take a master at the service station, but it will help save money.

If you want to do it yourself, you can do it in your garage

To perform the procedure yourself, you will need the following tools and materials:

• jack;
• balancing weights;
• chalk or a marker;
• a set of keys.

Interesting! To balance wheels on cast or forged rims, it is advisable to buy self-adhesive weights. But in the winter time such weights may stick from the temperature changes.

Balancing weights are needed to do the balancing.

Without removing the wheel

The process of balancing yourself consists of the following steps:

1. Preparatory. The wheels are cleaned of dirt, stones stuck in the tires, caps are removed, tire pressure is lowered, old weights are removed. The jack is set on one side of the vehicle, releasing 2 wheels. Check the free rotation of the wheels. If the wheel turns hard, you need to uncouple it and loosen the hub nut.
2. Determination of the easy point. Turn the wheel counterclockwise and wait for it to stop. Mark the upper point. Then turn the wheel clockwise and again mark the upper point. The middle point between the two marks is the easy point.
3. Installing the weights. Use the hammer to put weights of 10 to 45 grams on the point found, starting with the easy weights. After that, spin the wheel and wait for it to stop. The weights should be at the bottom. If this is not the case, the light weights are removed and the heavier weights are put on. Use more than 60 grams of weights per wheel is not recommended.
4. Static balancing. As soon as the weights are down after stopping, they begin to move apart in different directions. The wheel begins to rotate and the weights begin to move apart. The goal of the process is to get the wheel to stop in a different position each time. Once this begins to work, the weight is distributed evenly, i.e. a static balance has been achieved.

This is the sequence in which the procedure is carried out with each wheel. To verify the correctness of balancing performed, you need to drive a car at least ten kilometers at a speed greater than 90 km / hr. If when driving you do not feel jolts and knocks, it means that everything is performed correctly. If the procedure is performed incorrectly, there are specific bumps in the steering wheel.

For your own confidence at the first self-done balancing you may pass diagnostics in service station. If the masters will confirm that everything was done correctly, in the future you can do the procedure yourself.

Important: Self-balancing in the garage is acceptable only for static imbalance. The elimination of dynamic imbalance requires the use of equipment. Specialists recommend going to the service if the car is equipped with worn tires and old bent discs. It is impossible to balance such wheels without special equipment.

On a self-made stand

It is possible to make the process of balancing easier by making a self-made stand in the garage. In this case, you will not have to remove the brake pads from the wheel and loosen the step nut.

Homemade stand simplifies the process of balancing the wheel

The stand is assembled from an old hub with a working bearing. The hub should be mounted on a frame so that the wheel rotates freely and the whole structure is firmly anchored to the surface. It is convenient to use vertical metal studs as a frame, between which the wheel is mounted. Further steps for balancing are the same as the previous method of performing the procedure.

On the machine

Even an experienced motorist in a garage balances “by eye”. Therefore, there can be no full confidence in the correctness of the process. In specialized workshops, balancing is performed on computer-controlled machines.

Modern workshops are equipped with CNC balancing machines.

The machine consists of a cone-shaped support for mounting the wheel, a rotating electric motor and sensors. The wheel rotates while performing tire fitting, and at the same time the computer detects vibration and pressure. Sensor readings help to accurately calculate the weight and location of the weights.

The workshops are equipped with two types of machines:

1. Manual – where the master measures the wheel with a ruler and manually enters the data.
2. Automatic – the information is read by sensors and displayed on the monitor in digital or graphical form.

According to the type of supports used, the machines are divided into:

1. Soft, which measures the parameters of the wheel, taking into account the oscillation of the supports.
2. Hard, which measures the pressure and phase of the rotor.

Interesting! On rigid machines you can test various parts, but the quality and accuracy of measurements for this reason is reduced.

Most modern services are equipped with automatic balancing machines. The master puts the wheel on the shaft, clamps it with bolts, and unscrews it. Sensors detect the end runout points. The computer determines the intensity of the runout and calculates the weight of the weight to be attached to the calculated point. The computer will also tell you if the wheel cannot be balanced.

Balancing with pellets

One of the newest methods of balancing wheels is the use of special pellets instead of weights. The essence of the technique is pouring special pellets into the tire, sliding in the inner space during the movement. Such free movement eliminates imbalance during speeding.

Modern wheel balancing techniques involve the use of microbeads

The advantage of this method is that the pellets are poured once, and they perform their intended function throughout the life of the tire. The disadvantage of this balancing method is the high cost of pellets. That is why balancing by this method is not popular at present.

Video: balancing wheels with your own hands

Mistakes during the procedure

If the balancing process is carried out with a violation of technology, the problem of vibration at best will not be solved, and at worst – will further aggravate. The most common mistakes are:

1. Balancing in the presence of dirt on the wheel. Even pebbles lodged in the tread can disturb the additional imbalance. The overall picture, even on accurate equipment, will be out of balance, and you can’t get the wheel to zero out.
2. Balancing a wheel that has disturbed tire or disc geometry. If the wheel is even slightly dented or warped, it must be pre-rolled on a special machine. Rotation of the wheel with a hammer or other percussive tool is not permissible.
3. Do not overtighten the hub bolt on the balancer. This could cause wheel misalignment and you could end up with a bad balance.
4. Faulty mounting of the tire on the rim. Often even experienced balancers do the job improperly. This adds inertia to the wheel.
5. Misalignment during wheel mounting on the vehicle axle. Such a problem occurs due to improper tightening of bolts. If even a properly balanced wheel is misaligned, it will vibrate.

In order not to encounter such troubles, it is necessary to carefully choose a car service center and monitor the work of craftsmen. Qualified specialists give a guarantee for their work and show balance results on the machine display. If the master forbids the presence of the owner of the car during the work or does not give a guarantee, it is advisable to refuse his services.

The balancing of wheels is an important element of technical condition control. Well-timed procedure will not only help to increase ride safety and comfort, but also to prolong the life of the car, preventing premature wear of the chassis system parts.

Independent balancing of wheels: methods, possible errors

At every technical inspection also check and eliminate imbalance. But no less effective and independent balancing of wheels, for which wrenches, a regular set of locksmith tools and a hammer can be found in the garage. Stock up on chalk. Also buy a set of devices, balancing weights from 10 to 100 grams, without which the procedure is impossible.

Stability of a car on the road, and therefore, the safety and comfort of driving, largely depend on the balance of wheels. Every driver has more than once gone to the tire fitting shop on this issue. But many garage masters cope with the case with their own hands. Carry out wheel balancing at home is not difficult, if you thoroughly study the topic.

What you need for balancing wheels

The weight of the tire in its different parts should be the same. When the distribution of weight relative to the vertical or horizontal axes of inertia is violated, they speak of imbalance.

Unbalance is divided into two types:

1. Dynamic – when the distribution of mass is disturbed in the horizontal plane: the wheel makes a “figure of eight”.
2. Static – violation of mass occurs relative to the vertical axis: the tire bounces up and down on the road.

Manifestations of imbalance are different, but the consequences are equally dangerous. Appeared vibration, rhythmic shocks from the wheels cause damage to the suspension and the entire chassis of the car:

• The ball bearings are destroyed:
• The silent blocks get damaged;
• hub bearings come undone;
• Uneven wear and tear of rubber.

When wheel balancing is needed

Wheel imbalance affects the comfort of the rider: the driver gets a bump on the steering wheel, passengers are thrown up on the seats.

Tire balancing is necessary:

• at the time of seasonal “re-shoeing”;
• if a wheel has received a heavy blow, ran into a road pothole;
• the car has covered 15,000 km at a quiet pace;
• the vehicle has driven 8,000 km in an extreme manner;
• when a long journey of 1,500 km and more is expected, and immediately after it.

At every technical inspection also check and eliminate imbalance. But no less effective and independent balancing of wheels, for which wrenches, a regular set of locksmith tools and a hammer can be found in the garage. Stock up on chalk. Also buy a set of devices, balancing weights from 10 to 100 grams, without which the procedure is impossible.

If your car has stamped rims, the printed parts will do, on cast ones – self-adhesive (adhesive) repair accessories. The latter are unreliable: the glue spoils in the cold, the parts fall off.

How to make a stand (machine) for balancing

Construct a homemade device, having made a drawing of the device. Find a wheel hub in working condition, remove the bearing dust cap.

The wheel balancer for your own hands is a metal structure consisting of a frame and mounted on it vertical profile racks.

Install the hub on the frame between the racks so that the roll has a free rotation. Keep in mind that dynamic wheel balancing on a homemade machine is not possible: “figure eights” are eliminated on professional benches in car repair shops.

Methods of balancing with your own hands

Car mechanics use several ways to restore the disturbed weight distribution of car tires. It will take longer in the garage than in a tire shop, but you will save money.

Without removing the wheel

Clean the tire tread from dust, dirt, and pebbles stuck between the tread blocks. Remove the hubcaps, bleed the air from the tires. You have completed the preparatory stage.

What is wheel balancing

1. Put the car on the jack, back up from rolling and falling.
2. Make sure the wheel turns freely. If it is tight, unbolt the wheel, loosen the hub stud.
3. Spin the tire to either side. After stopping mark the top position of the tire with a chalk.
4. Repeat the unwinding, but already in the opposite direction. Also mark the upper position of the wheel.
5. Measure the distance between the marks, and find the middle point between them. This is the so-called light point – the cause of wheel imbalance.
6. At this point, first put small weights on it: start with a mass of 10-45 g.
7. Spin the wheel again. It is good if after stopping the weighting items were at the bottom: twist the tire and spread the balancing devices on the sides. The task of the home tire fitter is to achieve that after the next spinning out the roll stopped in different positions. When this is achieved, the weight is distributed evenly – you have successfully eliminated the imbalance.
8. Fix the fixtures with a hammer.

Balancing is not always successful the first time. If unsuccessful – the weights do not end up at the bottom – increase the weight of the elements, continue to rotate.

On a self-made stand

Dismantle the stingray. Place it on the hub between the stands of the wheel balancing equipment you built with your own hands. Next, twist the tire in different directions, mark the upper position, then proceed as without removing the stingray.

It is necessary to adjust the autotire not in pairs, not by one suspicious: once you have taken up the matter, check the uniformity of weight on all four tires of the car.

On the machine

The home auto locksmith does everything “by eye”. To check yourself, take your vehicle to a tire shop. There, the stingrays are placed on a professional device that consists of a cone-shaped support, an electric motor for rotation and sensors. The places where the weight is missing are shown by the computer.

How to balance a wheel with a cone

It is possible to eliminate imbalance by the old-fashioned, grandfather’s method. As a cone is suitable construction stud and a few washers.

Self-balancing of wheels

Remove the tire from the car, put it on a cone-type homemade device. Insert the device into a stump. The wheel will be in horizontal position: untwist or rock it, wait for it to stop. Evaluate which side is elevated, and attach weights to it, starting with the lighter ones. When the roll is parallel to the ground, you have finished balancing. Secure the weights with a hammer.

Using pellets.

An interesting but not widespread method of balancing with pellets (beads) due to its high cost. Ceramic or glass beads are coated by the manufacturer with silicone. The beads are poured into the tire’s cavity, and once for the entire life of the rollers.

When the car moves, a centrifugal force is created: under its action the elements are distributed inside. The electrostatic pellets “stick” to the rubber in places of weak weight, eliminating imbalance on the move. This results in automatic self-balancing under changing driving conditions.

Possible balancing mistakes

Beginning drivers are often frustrated with homemade wheel balancing because they make a number of mistakes in the process.

• The wheel was not cleaned before the procedure. Pebbles and gravel stuck in the tread shows imbalance. The overall picture is blurred.
• Balancing is done on a bent and crumpled disc that has lost proper geometry. Attempting to straighten the disc with a hammer does nothing.
• The hub pins of the homemade balancer are tightened too much. This disturbs the alignment of the tire.
• The tire on the disc is not properly mounted. The tire in this case is given additional inertia, the balance will not be accurate.

Do I Need to Balance Wheels

Mount the wheel after balancing according to technology: observe the order and tightening torque of the bolts, so that there is no misalignment and misalignment.

Signs of improper work

After wheel balancing, self or in service center, drive 8-10 km at speed up to 90 km/h. If the work is done with violations, you will feel the characteristic bump in the steering wheel, vibration.

What are the dangers of errors

If you can ignore the discomfort of the trip, then you can not close your eyes to the serious consequences of improper balancing.

Adjusting the wheel balance

The danger is that an unbalanced roll loses traction properties. The tire’s contact patch with the road constantly changes, and the car’s handling rapidly deteriorates. The car can jump out into the oncoming lane or go into a skid.

There is no stability of car’s behavior on the wheels with imbalance, so the braking distance increases, deceleration is unpredictable. Improper balancing is the cause of accidents on the roads and failure of the suspension and chassis units of a car.