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Harbor Freight tire changer & balancer
Posted: Mon May 28, 2018 9:01 am
by John d
Okay, it's redneck engineering. Oiled wheels bearings on 2x4 stand clamped to changer. Works great.
BTW, this was the first tire I had that needed no weights.
Re: Harbor Freight tire changer & balancer
Posted: Mon May 28, 2018 9:28 am
by bungie4
Git'r done.
Re: Harbor Freight tire changer & balancer
Posted: Mon May 28, 2018 12:02 pm
by LeeDavis
Replace the clamp with duck tape and you're there.
Re: Harbor Freight tire changer & balancer
Posted: Mon May 28, 2018 12:29 pm
by spklbuk
John d wrote: ↑Mon May 28, 2018 9:01 am
BTW, this was the first tire I had that needed no weights.
Ain't that a beatch?
Nicely executed engineering.
Re: Harbor Freight tire changer & balancer
Posted: Mon May 28, 2018 12:45 pm
by bungie4
Necessity is mother.
Re: Harbor Freight tire changer & balancer
Posted: Tue May 29, 2018 3:36 pm
by bigjohnsd
My concern would only be the stiction of those bearings.
Re: Harbor Freight tire changer & balancer
Posted: Tue May 29, 2018 4:26 pm
by John d
bigjohnsd wrote: ↑Tue May 29, 2018 3:36 pm
My concern would only be the stiction of those bearings.
No stiction to speak of. You can spin that wheel on the extra set of oiled wheel bearings, come back 5 minutes later and need to stop the wheel with your hand. Those wheel bearings have the grease removed and are nicely oiled up. The wheel really doesn't really want to stop spinning, you need to use your hands to slow it down or wait forever for it to stop.
If however the extra set of wheel bearings had grease in them, there would be some minor stiction as you suggest.
Re: RE: Re: Harbor Freight tire changer & balancer
Posted: Tue May 29, 2018 7:21 pm
by silverback
bigjohnsd wrote:My concern would only be the stiction of those bearings.
They usually don't have enough to cause issues. If they do, you need new bearings. Its not uncommon for my wheel to turn in the bearings as opposed to the shaft moving when balancing.
But, if you're really worried about it, take that balancing rod and chuck it up in a drill press and break out the Mother's. Give it a mirror finish. Then you'll be able to balance it down to a gnat's ass. It does make a measurable difference. Worth it? No. But still...
Re: Harbor Freight tire changer & balancer
Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2018 7:05 am
by philharmonic
Hmmm I do this without the oiled bearings, just using the wheel bearing in the wheel. Haven't had a noticeably out of balance wheel, always put it on the center stand and take it up to 110 mph or so to make sure.
Still, I will see if I can find a cheap set of used bearing because this is def. a better, more accurate way.
Thanks.
Re: Harbor Freight tire changer & balancer
Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2018 9:06 am
by John d
philharmonic wrote: ↑Sun Jul 08, 2018 7:05 am
Hmmm I do this without the oiled bearings, just using the wheel bearing in the wheel. Haven't had a noticeably out of balance wheel, always put it on the center stand and take it up to 110 mph or so to make sure.
Still, I will see if I can find a cheap set of used bearing because this is def. a better, more accurate way.
Thanks.
If you buy new bearings, then you always have a spare set on hand. New bearings are relatively inexpensive when bought at any local bearing supply shop.
Re: Harbor Freight tire changer & balancer
Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2018 10:08 am
by Hppants
I sure wish I would have bought one of those tire changers when H/F was selling them. Every once in a while, you find them on flea-bay, but the shipping makes it cost prohibitive.
Re: Harbor Freight tire changer & balancer
Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2018 12:23 pm
by ionbeam
In a parallel universe, FJReady makes a balancer someplace between John's and a Marc Parnes setup. Russ uses low friction skateboard bearings with his balancer. Give the tire a small spin and you will think that you have invented a perpetual motion machine. Russ uses cones to center the wheel on the center rod and uses a spring which rests between the centering cones and clamping collar to put pressure on the cones to keep the wheel centered. His setup comes with "V" blocks for the center rod to rest on. I'm happy with the balancer and it's nice that fellow NERD and friend FJReady is close enough to stop by and pick it up in person.
Release the wheel and it will quickly rotate the heavy spot to the bottom. Rotate the wheel 90° and release it and the wheel will return the heavy spot to the exact same bottom position showing that the results are consistent and exact.
Re: Harbor Freight tire changer & balancer
Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2018 1:51 pm
by bigjohnsd
ionbeam wrote: ↑Sun Jul 08, 2018 12:23 pm
In a parallel universe, FJReady makes a balancer someplace between John's and a Marc Parnes setup. Russ uses low friction skateboard bearings with his balancer. Give the tire a small spin and you will think that you have invented a perpetual motion machine. Russ uses cones to center the wheel on the center rod and uses a spring which rests between the centering cones and clamping collar to put pressure on the cones to keep the wheel centered. His setup comes with "V" blocks for the center rod to rest on. I'm happy with the balancer and it's nice that fellow NERD and friend FJReady is close enough to stop by and pick it up in person.
Release the wheel and it will quickly rotate the heavy spot to the bottom. Rotate the wheel 90° and release it and the wheel will return the heavy spot to the exact same bottom position showing that the results are consistent and exact.
I gots one of these and we balance 6 sets of tires over the BH Roundup II week. It works great. You need one. JSNS
Re: Harbor Freight tire changer & balancer
Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2018 1:55 pm
by bigjohnsd
Hppants wrote: ↑Sun Jul 08, 2018 10:08 am
I sure wish I would have bought one of those tire changers when H/F was selling them. Every once in a while, you find them on flea-bay, but the shipping makes it cost prohibitive.
https://m.harborfreight.com/motorcycle- ... 60810.html
https://m.harborfreight.com/catalogsear ... re+changer
Re: Harbor Freight tire changer & balancer
Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2018 7:55 pm
by raYzerman
Got me one of those FJReady things too.... best one out there IMHO. Ease of use, love that spring loaded thingy.
Re: Harbor Freight tire changer & balancer
Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2018 8:00 pm
by bungie4
raYzerman wrote: ↑Sun Jul 08, 2018 7:55 pm
Got me one of those FJReady things too.... best one out there IMHO. Ease of use, love that spring loaded thingy.
Yup. Works the treat.
Re: Harbor Freight tire changer & balancer
Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2018 11:12 pm
by John d
ionbeam wrote: ↑Sun Jul 08, 2018 12:23 pm
In a parallel universe, FJReady makes a balancer someplace between John's and a Marc Parnes setup. Russ uses low friction skateboard bearings with his balancer. Give the tire a small spin and you will think that you have invented a perpetual motion machine. Russ uses cones to center the wheel on the center rod and uses a spring which rests between the centering cones and clamping collar to put pressure on the cones to keep the wheel centered. His setup comes with "V" blocks for the center rod to rest on. I'm happy with the balancer and it's nice that fellow NERD and friend FJReady is close enough to stop by and pick it up in person.
Release the wheel and it will quickly rotate the heavy spot to the bottom. Rotate the wheel 90° and release it and the wheel will return the heavy spot to the exact same bottom position showing that the results are consistent and exact.
This is probably the cats ass if you working on different makes and models, and I know Russ made some awesome stuff like the zerk fitted rear suspension link I'm still riding on.
Re: Harbor Freight tire changer & balancer
Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2018 6:55 am
by HotRodZilla
ionbeam wrote: ↑Sun Jul 08, 2018 12:23 pm
In a parallel universe, FJReady makes a balancer someplace between John's and a Marc Parnes setup. Russ uses low friction skateboard bearings with his balancer. Give the tire a small spin and you will think that you have invented a perpetual motion machine. Russ uses cones to center the wheel on the center rod and uses a spring which rests between the centering cones and clamping collar to put pressure on the cones to keep the wheel centered. His setup comes with "V" blocks for the center rod to rest on. I'm happy with the balancer and it's nice that fellow NERD and friend FJReady is close enough to stop by and pick it up in person.
Release the wheel and it will quickly rotate the heavy spot to the bottom. Rotate the wheel 90° and release it and the wheel will return the heavy spot to the exact same bottom position showing that the results are consistent and exact.
That's the one I use, and I've never had a tire out of balance. One of my favorite tools!
Re: Harbor Freight tire changer & balancer
Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2018 8:27 am
by Hppants
Somehow I don't think that is the same H/F model that they used to have. A lot looks different, including the price. IIRC, the tire machine of choice used to be $200.00. I'm gonna research it.
Would need to get No-mar leverage bar too.
Re: Harbor Freight tire changer & balancer
Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2018 10:03 am
by wheatonFJR
Hppants wrote: ↑Mon Jul 09, 2018 8:27 am
Somehow I don't think that is the same H/F model that they used to have. A lot looks different, including the price. IIRC, the tire machine of choice used to be $200.00. I'm gonna research it.
Would need to get No-mar leverage bar too.
If yer gonna invest in a tire changer anyway that you are going to use for years...why not get the lowest priced nomar?
Best tool for the job...you won't regret it. Smitty approved.