Hi all, I've just aquired an old on-car wheel balancer, but no instructions. Has anyone used one of these, and could help? I think it's from the 1970s, with a fibreglass cover, a seat which looks like it belongs on a bicycle, a drum at the front connected to a motor to spin the wheel, a big strobe light and a device with a small rubber wheel which looks like it should perhaps run on the wheel?
Hope someone can help.
Ohh! they were good! My fathers old Rover 2000TC needed one of them to balance the front wheels properly. None of the other types of wheel balancer available in the 70's would do the job properly. The improved ones available in the '80s worked Ok. I seem to remember that you could see where to put the weighs because the of strobe. Can't remember how to use one now some 40 years later. Dave
Hi- all this seems vaguely familiar to me except the device with a small rubber wheel. As far as I can remember, these devices used an adjustable stand, which was used to raise a bellows type device to the underside of your track rod arm, and the movement of the arm produced minute air movement ( suction/ blowing) which triggered the strobe to flash. Could this be the item you are trying to describe? Perhaps if you could post photos somewhere we might be able to help a bit more.
By the way, these balancers were usually 415volt ( 3 phase) although I think they did produce a 240v (1 ph ) version in very small numbers. I would make sure you have the right version before you raise any hopes!
"email test" wrote
I remember watching one of these at work. ...I wonder how many cars fell off the jack.
I also presume things got tricky when fwd became more common (I never had my rears of a rwd balanced on one of these). As far as I can deduce it could also only correct out of round imbalance, not side to side.
I remember using one of these (or very similar - don't remember any seat) when I was an apprentice mechanic back in '85. They were all three-phase as I remember.
Here are some pics:
The 'probe' has a rubber wheel on the end of a spindle which spins inside a coil. I assume there should be a way of clamping it so it touches the tyre.
I've replaced the mains wiring (single phase by the way) and the probe wiring just to make it safe to test, and it spins up fine. I just need to know what to do with the 'probe'!
Cheers, Robin.
Bump - anyone?
replying to email test, seamus wrote: will i have one from around the 60/70 and is as you describe so i was looking for the bulb for mine if you could let me know please where to look model 107040 serial no 513 thank you
replying to email test, seamus wrote: will i have one from around the 60/70 and is as you describe so i was looking for the bulb for mine if you could let me know please where to look model
107040 serial no 513 thank youHave something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.
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