DIY tyre changing and balancing

[Adam43]

There is the cost and the pain getting to and from a place to change tyres so I was thinking of buying myself a wheel changer and tyre balancer. Now I can't run to a proper pneumatic jobbie, however I've seen a reasonable (cheap) tyre changer and a separate balancer. However cheap might mean crap, so I thought I'd ask if anyone had any experience of these devices? The ones I were looking at are

Sealey TC960 Tyre Changer	and the	Sealey GA10 Wheel Balancer
Which I can get for about £50.		I've seen these for about £50 too.

So, a waste of money? Or useful?

It strikes me that these are a decent size and could come to race meetings too? However I've never seen anyone else with one, does that mean something?

Interesting thread from the past:
Is it really worth balancing wheels on a heavy racing saloon?. Doesn't help here, but found it in my searches.

[Tim Falce]

I've been looking at the same items since my local tyre firm wanted £30 to change and balance 2 wheels. The only downside I can think of on the tyre changer is breaking the bead to start with and damaging an alloy wheel.
The balancer looks OK, After all that's what was used years ago and it worked OK. Where can you get them for that price?
Just had a look at a blown up picture on Ebay. The bead breaker is at the bottom and I suppose the wheel sits on the top to remove the tyre.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by falcemob

=The balancer looks OK, After all that's what was used years ago and it worked OK. Where can you get them for that price?

Ah, I can't get the Sealey one for much less than £100
http://www.justoffbase.co.uk/GA10-SEALEY
However a cheaper one is http://www.manchestertools.co.uk/whe...e-p-27594.html
Sorry if I got your hopes up.
I've just been looking on ebay too and ithas a cheaper balancer and the changer for about what I said.

Just had a look at a blown up picture on Ebay. The bead breaker is at the bottom and I suppose the wheel sits on the top to remove the tyre.

I wonder if it takes practice.

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by AdamAshmore

I've just been looking on ebay too and ithas a cheaper balancer and the changer for about what I said.I wonder if it takes practice.

The hardest part is starting to get the tyre off the rim, once you've done that all you do is rotate the bar round the rim. The pneumatic ones rotate the rim around the bar.
The cheap balancer looks like the same thing but all grey.

[Adam43]

How tight are the tyres on the rim after you let all the air out?

[Tim Falce]

They can either fall off or be stuck solid. At times I've had to use to have to use a hammer and chisel to break the bead but that's where the problems start with alloys.

[bucko]

i was browsing when i see this my brother has just started rookie rods (yep i know oh dear ) but it is cheap but one thing he wanted to save on is changing his own wheels (standard nova rims )
how do you use the balancing tool !!

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by bucko

how do you use the balancing tool !!

The top of the balancer has a bubble in it like a spirit level. You sit the wheel on top of it and literally balance it horizontally.

[bucko]

that simple

thanks

[Al Weyman]

I used to work as a tyre fitter for a few months years ago and we had to use that sort of gear (60's) and we managed OK, even used to do some truck stuff. For a hundred quid I would say its worth a go I will say though forget about portability as both of those bits of kit especially the remover/fitter will need firmly bolting down to a concrete floor. So that also begs the question do you have the space in your workshop for something you may use several times a year max.

[Adam43]

Thanks for the bolting down tip. I do have room for that, so I think I will probably go for it. I estimate that in the normal course of the year myself and family probably change 2-3 dozen tyres. So it isn't much, but will make changing cheaper. And, of course, will probably end up doing a bit more for friends if I have the equipment.

[Al Weyman]

Also remember when you bolt it down that you have sufficient room to walk all the way round it with the long pole. Let us know how you get on as it is something I considered once and had a look on eBay for something.

[Dave Brand]

Bear in mind that static balancing may not remove all the imbalance. If mass is not equally distributed across the wheel/tyre assembly you'll suffer from an out-of-balance couple - to balance that out, you need a dynamic balancer.

[midgetman]

I've got one of those 50 squid tyre changers Adam. The big centre pole doesn't go through the hole in the centre of an MG Midget Rostyle, don't know if a B one is bigger. If you're ever anywhere near north Wiltshire you can pop in and try it.

It's possible to take tyres off without bolting the gizmo down, but b. hard work single handed. Never tries fitting them though.

[DJJ]

I do not see the benefit in balancing, as as you are on the track rubber build and such you have lost the balance.

[Al Weyman]

I tend to agree and have never had any problems with wheels out of balance, its not as though you are cruising at 70 mph for long distances. Also strictly speaking stick on weights are a no no I believe and should be taped over although quite what that achieves I don't know.

[Adam43]

Might as well start out correctly. I don't believe that the build up is as much of a problem as an unbalanced wheel can be.

There is a shall I bother balancing thread here:
http://tentenths.com/forum/showthrea...light=balancer

[the-enginetuner]

Hi Adam i am sure the tyre removal bar supplied as standard is not suitable for alloy wheels. A bar for alloys is available i think at a cost of around £50.00 might be worth checking before you buy. As for securing it to the floor, i thought of using raw bolts (with a bolt head not a stud and nut) this would leave the floor flat, gromets in the holes would help stop them filling with dust.(you could just screw in the bolts but there is a chance of tripping over them) Hope to find some options at the race car show on friday

hth Tommy

[GORDON STREETER]

The middle of the range diameter tyres are normally not too bad to break the seal but the large dia ones with small aspect ratio can be a sod. I have used a short plank of wood and the Trannie on a few occasions at clubbie meetings with great success. As far as wheel balancing goes some vehicles (and set up)are a lot more prone to wheel wobble than others. Also its difficult to balance some wheels unless you have a balancer with a program that you can use to balance the wheels only from the outside or centre, competition cars normally run bigger brakes that will knock the inner weights off if they are stick on.

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

competition cars normally run bigger brakes that will knock the inner weights off if they are stick on.

Not just competition cars - I've had that problem with a couple of my road cars (Peugeot 405, Alfa 145).