tire machine & bubble balancer

Mike Fisher · Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 5:14 pm Post subject: tire machine & bubble balancer

Invested $110 in Harbor Freight tire machine & bubble balancer. Worked great @ the ARCO in the 60's! Never have to pay/argue w/tire salesman again! Very Happy

vwracerdave · Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 5:53 pm Post subject:

The Goodyear racing tire wholesaler in my area still uses a bubble balancer on all the tires they mount.
_________________
2017 Street Comp Champion - Thunder Valley Raceway Park - Noble, OK
2010 Sportsman ET Champion - Mid-America Dragway - Arkansas City, KS
1997 Sportsman ET Champion - Thunder Valley Raceway Park - Noble ,OK
Featured in Dec. 2001 HOT VW's Magazine page 63

Watch my racing video's http://www.youtube.com/user/okvwracer/videos

Mike Fisher · Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 6:09 pm Post subject:

Never got any complaints from customers back then! We were pushing our own 55-65 Chevys to 120mph+ Rolling Eyes

wcfvw69 · Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:02 pm Post subject:

I would be interested in how balanced the tires would be if you ran it up to speed? I bought a Snap On tire spinner built in the 60's. It's a one horse power motor that spins the front tires (that are still on the car) up to 90mph. The great thing about balancing tires on the car is it balances EVERYTHING (drums, tires/rim, hubcap). On the front tires it balances BOTH the static and dynamic balance.
_________________
Contact me at [email protected]
Follow me on instagram @sparxwerksllc

Decades of VW and VW parts restoration experience.
The Samba member since 2004.

**Now rebuilding throttle bodies for VW's and Porsche's**
**Restored German Bosch distributors for sale or I can restore yours**
**Restored German Pierburg fuel pumps for sale or I can restore yours**
**Restored Porsche fuel pumps or I can restore yours**
**Restored Porsche distributors or I can restore yours**

Mike Fisher · Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 6:33 am Post subject:

We had one of those Snap On tire spinners @ the ARCO. We never used it since we got such good results w/bubble balancer.

powellscooter · Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 8:05 am Post subject:

Always had good results with bubble balancers too. Remember the drum, hub etc is so close to the axis of the "spin" it really has little effect on the balance. What you are mainly correcting is the tires imbalance.

speed holes · Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 5:53 pm Post subject:

I bought one of the mounting machines for $40 a few weeks back, haven't used it yet because the hole in the center of a stock wide 5 wheel is too big to clamp down, need to get a old drum or a wheel adapter, something with a small enough center hole to bolt the wheel up to. I'll probably pick up a bubble balancer soon, actually saw one in an antique store a few months ago and I keep meaning to run back and grab it if its still there, I remember it being super cheap.

One question, how are you seating the bead? The old starting fluid and fire trick? Or is it as simple as putting a ratchet strap around the tread of the tire and filling it with air? I need to go down to a tire shop and watch how they do it, spent enough time in the waiting rooms of those damn places I should know everything by now.

Mike Fisher · Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 9:32 pm Post subject:

You will have to rig up something for wide 5 wheels. I just got my machine bolted to the concrete floor of the barn w/1/2" concrete anchors today. I think you could use a ratcheting tie down strap to help expand the tire to get it to inflate? I'm not familiar w/"the old starting fluid and fire trick"? We used to beat w/rubber mallet & lots of soapy water to get them to inflate! We had an inflatable band that we inflated around the tread that helped some. Unless you're mounting WIDE wheels they should inflate.

speed holes · Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 12:21 am Post subject:

The starting fluid trick:

Link

vw (o\!/o) nut · Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 7:28 pm Post subject:

Erik G · Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 12:30 am Post subject:

damn, I use more fluid than that on a car rim. it works well on a 135, not so well on the new fuch 4.5 repops with smart car tires
_________________
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

baja72 · Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 12:35 pm Post subject:

Please do not use starting fluid to inflate tires!!!! Busted knuckles ( sometimes w/ rachet strap) heal faster than burns or worse. We do not need to lose some one in the V-Dub family due to a stupid accident!

dave millard · Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 3:28 pm Post subject: bubble balancer

I bought an old service station bubble balancer on ebay over a year ago. I found somone on the samba that makes wheel adapters for VW wheels, whether 4 or 5 lug. I bought a 5 lug adapter and have been using it on the bubble balancer. The setup works great balancing my bug wheels.
dave


Hello! Log in or Register \| Help \| Donate \| Buy Shirts	See all banner ads \| Advertise on TheSamba.com

	Forum Index -> Custom Wheel/Tire	All times are Mountain Standard Time/Pacific Daylight Savings Time
Page 1 of 1