Wheel Balancing question
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 455
Likes: 0
From: Williamsburg VA
Wheel Balancing question
I am getting ready to have new tires put on my '05 Convertible and I have had corvette owners mention to me that when having tires/wheels put on my C6 I need to have a Hunter Roadforce Balancer used. I went to the dealer today and the service tech I spoke to, although helpful, didn't really seem to know that much about it.
Can anyone offer me some insight? Does this machine offer that much of a difference versus one at my local Merchants (Hunter DSP9500) ?
The Merchants "accidentally" received the tires I inquired about (and I do believe the gentleman is being truthful about that), but they don't have the HRFB that I am inquiring about. So the worst case scenario i that I buy the tires from Merchants and carry them across the street (literally) to the dealer for the work. I just want to make sure its necessary before making a mountain out of a molehill.
Thanks, Mike
Can anyone offer me some insight? Does this machine offer that much of a difference versus one at my local Merchants (Hunter DSP9500) ?
The Merchants "accidentally" received the tires I inquired about (and I do believe the gentleman is being truthful about that), but they don't have the HRFB that I am inquiring about. So the worst case scenario i that I buy the tires from Merchants and carry them across the street (literally) to the dealer for the work. I just want to make sure its necessary before making a mountain out of a molehill.
Thanks, Mike
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
From: Gainesville Florida
I am not at all an expert, but the roll force variance mount and balance takes into account what your compressed tire, under the weight of the car behaves like, when rolling at speed. Given the large size of the wheels and tires, this balancing system can identify any special "indexing" of corrective weights needed, or indexing of the actual tire mounting to get a truer balance mimicking actual driving conditions. I did have a troublesome set of tires on my '94 Vette and had them remounted and balanced this way - it did improve the balance and feel. It does cost more to accomplish this. On the other hand, if your tires are high quality and true, and the same for the wheels, I believe the tradition mounting methods have worked just fine, as is the case on my '07 Vette. 
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 10,924
Likes: 853
From: Daytona Beach FL
I've got several sets of wheels and have had numerous sets of tires mounted and balanced and never got anything but a basic balance - and that's worked well on both my '05 coupe and '06 Z06.
I'd only worry about a road force balance job if a basic balance doesn't give good results.
Bob
