Does anyone have a balancer like this? My nephew was helping me and he just couldn't get the tire/wheel on and knocked it over. All is good but a bunch of oil spilled out. Do any of you guys know what oil to use and how much? Thanks, Gene.
We used one of those years ago. I think it said to use 10 w 30 oil and I think there was a level indicator line on the inside where you pour the oil.
Agree, it should have a full mark. In case someone else here doesn't know, the oil is only there to stabilize it from wobbling forever, and it keeps any very light breeze from rocking the wheel while you wait for it to stabilize. Great balancer, split the weights something like 20 degrees apart unless it's just a small amount of weight.
I would be interested in knowing how old you think it is as I have one that looks identical & from the same company, but it has a plastic body. I was thinking mine was maybe from the 60's. I haven't used it in probably 15 years as I use CounterAct Balance Beads in everything. God Bless Bill https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ar-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/
I have one. I used engine oil in mine . Works good. I made three divotts in the floor for the feet to go in so I dont have to keep readjusting it. I use it more for when I make up rims with new centers than any thing else.
That's an M-60, I have a M-76 (plastic case). My manual says "Remove the chrome balancer head out of the dampener basin and fill the basin to the top of the step on the center post with SAE 20 motor oil. Approx. 6 fluid ounces" https://www.liberatedmanuals.com/TM-9-4910-743-14-and-P.pdf
I've had one for decades, I think you will find most any motor oil is sufficient, however mine looks to be transmission fluid, I would think regular 30w might provide better dampening.
Used the same model, Gulf Service Station, H/S job early 70's. We serviced the local OSHP cruisers. Them boys went triple digits on the norm back then. Don't recall ever having a re-balance on the BFG Lifesaver Radials they ran. Damn those things were heavy! Cool tool!
I use automatic transmission fluid in mine. only because that's what was in it when I got it. probably similar to the recommended 20 W
When the new electronic balancers came out, we tested one against the bubble type. Do the bubble test first, check it on the new one. The old balancer was pretty close.
I asked a older guy at a alignment shop that did tire balancing about a bubble balance years ago He said we'll if Dale Earnhart can go 200 MPH on bubble balanced tires you can go 55 . I use mine on my personal stuff never had a issue. If ever had a notable issue then ill go have it rechecked on a modern machine . The new stuff can do things bubble balance cant do .
Nice old static balancer. Hello, We got our start learning about these machines as almost every gas station had one in the back garage area. Tire accessories and service at gas stations provided by the top neighborhood mechanics were lifesavers for the family cars. Since our neighborhood Mobil Gas Station had one and they provided the initial balancing on all of our family cars, it was natural to learn and watch as the mechanic did his thing. As the years went by, those places got the “motorized on the car balancers” that surp***ed the static balancers. Now, it was on the car as if it was “road conditions.” So, the accuracy was better, or at least felt better and the tire wear was much longer with alignment. Finally, the “spinning off of the car balancing” we see today took over and there is no question as to the quality of balancing the new tires, unless they need tire truing first. Note: Then, the whole set up and fix goes back to the mechanical skills of the installer… YRMV Jnaki From an old post: Well, here we go again. Some folks do, some folks don’t. As early as we were involved in hot rods, drag racing and even motorcycle racing, tire balancing was very important. No one likes to go down the highway, dragstrip or dirt road shaking the front end of any vehicle. If you are on a long distance flat surface for miles with handlebars on an unbalanced front wheel, it will feel like you have been squeeze handle with heavy springs like those weight places used to have. (Twist and squeeze) Not only are you fighting the constant bouncing, but the pull of the wheel, the wear and tear on your grip is horrendous. So, it does the same to the front end on most cars. The wheel bubble balancer was good to use weights to get the bubble in the center. But, it did not take into consideration of the spinning wheel. We can all balance the bubble on a static wheel. So, is the tire round, did you get the tire shaving shop to show you how much your tires are not round from the tire stores or companies? The bubble is still in the middle… so one is feeling good about “balancing.” If one takes the static wheel bubble balanced tire on a tire shaving machine, it will show how much it is not round. What, tires not round? The spinning wheel balancer, the “dynamic” called version, shows how the movement of the wheel is necessary to show the odd spots for the weights. This is as close to good balancing as possible. Yes, we can all use a static balancer and get that bubble in the middle. But, does it show how balanced it is when spinning on a drum or axle? The 50s-60s solution was to balance them with new weights. But, with new weights, you were just counter balancing and not making the tire ride in a round fashion. We can all balance the bubble. So, the proper thing was to shave the tires. Sometimes the shavings left on the floor of the shop was horrendous. 1000s of miles seemed to be laying in a pile at the base of the tire shaving machine. But, it did make balancing simple and no m*** quan***ies of weights. Now that the tire is round and balanced, the wheel alignment can take place, on a spinning machine. Not a tire opposite bubble balancer. If one just rebalances the wheel/tire on a bubble balancer, it still will give the same results. So, get those tires to a tire shaving place and watch how much rubber it takes to get it round. It will break your heart to see so much rubber on the ground. Then take it to a good shop that knows the machine spinning version. Lion's Dragstrip 1958-59 We had all of our Firestone stock factory tires shaved and balanced on the 58 Impala. Each time, it was not the bubble balancer, but the spinning wheel machine. Do million dollar race teams balance the tires on a bubble balancer? Low speeds, high speeds or constant speeds on a freeway or open highway. The need for a tire to be round, is step one. Step two is to check suspension for out of alignment or repairs, step three is to get the tires mounted and balanced on a spinning machine for the best results. No one wants to go through the 1/4 mile with tire shaking. It definitely lowers the resistance as the tires were round. Every time we got a new set of tires for any of our cars, tire shaving was the second thing done, after mounting them. Then the tire shop used the spinning wheel balancer to get it as close as possible for the smoothest handling possible. Photo by Vnak When I got a new set of Inglewood wide tires for my 1965 El Camino, the shaving place was close by. So, I spent an hour of so getting those new tires shaved. My amazement was the rubber on the ground at the shop. But, the spinning balancing took less weights and alignment made driving wonderful. No shakes, no drifting, added to the total miles cruising and long road trips until I got my second set. I put on more miles on my shaved tires, than my friend who just bought a new set the same time as I did and did not get the tire shaving, machine balancing and alignment… YRMV
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