DIY Alignment & Balancing?

[Mr. Speck]

Are wheel alignment and wheel balancing the same thing? Is it at all possible to do these on your own? I know you need all this crazy equipment, but there's gotta be a way to do it on the cheap? I don't like giving my car to mechanics (I've managed to keep this car from a mechanic for its entire life (5 years) and I don't wanna break my record) I have issues with trust when it comes to my car (and issues with money)
-mr speck
'95 civic DX (that pulls to the left)

 

[Kevin McMurtrie]

Are wheel alignment and wheel balancing the same thing? Is it at all possible to do these on your own? I know you need all this crazy equipment, but there's gotta be a way to do it on the cheap? I don't like giving my car to mechanics (I've managed to keep this car from a mechanic for its entire life (5 years) and I don't wanna break my record) I have issues with trust when it comes to my car (and issues with money)
-mr speck
'95 civic DX (that pulls to the left)

You could do them on your own but it would be hard to beat the $39 usually charged.

Alignment is getting the wheels to pointing straight ahead. If the front wheels are aimed inwards, the car jumps side to side and over-reacts. If they're aimed outwards, the car feals unresponsive and it drifts. The manual way to do this is to mark two points on the back of the tire, measure the distance, roll the car so the points are in front, and measure the distance again. It can be done by driving feel too. Often other angles are tested to see if there is suspension damage.

Balancing the wheels is getting the center of gravity exactly on axis. Doing it manually requires an expensive contraption having a clamp and ball bearing spindle that you don't want to buy. Tire shop balance machines spin the tire while sensing the amplitude and phase of its wobble.

Some tire shops sell lifetime alignment and balancing. If they screw it up, you just keep bringing it back until it's right.

 

[redeyedevil]

Are wheel alignment and wheel balancing the same thing? Is it at all possible to do these on your own? I know you need all this crazy equipment, but there's gotta be a way to do it on the cheap? I don't like giving my car to mechanics (I've managed to keep this car from a mechanic for its entire life (5 years) and I don't wanna break my record) I have issues with trust when it comes to my car (and issues with money)
-mr speck
'95 civic DX (that pulls to the left)

If you can't tell the difference between alignment and balancing, then probably not.

DIY alignment:
http://www.valvoline.com/carcare/articleviewer.asp?pg=ccr20021201ay Step by step link at upper right.

As for balancing you could always remove the wheels and tires and bring them in.

 

[John M.]

Are wheel alignment and wheel balancing the same thing? Is it at all possible to do these on your own? I know you need all this crazy equipment, but there's gotta be a way to do it on the cheap? I don't like giving my car to mechanics (I've managed to keep this car from a mechanic for its entire life (5 years) and I don't wanna break my record) I have issues with trust when it comes to my car (and issues with money)
-mr speck
'95 civic DX (that pulls to the left)

Alignment - don't ask me.

Balancing - An untried idea I had awhile ago involved something called a bull's-eye level. I picked one up at a hardware store shortly after thinking of it but haven't tried it out. It's a spirit level which has a disk shape with the bubble in the center of the top so you level (in any horizontal direction) something by centering the bubble in the center ring. Whether it's sensitive enough I don't know. An apparatus of some sort (tripod?) would be needed to suspend the tire in the air with a wire and that wire would have to come up from the Very center of the wheel. Then somehow get the spirit level positioned in there and lay weights on the rim where appropriate until the bubble is centered. And note that if the level is not positioned on the center of the wheel a counterbalance to it will be needed.

I know this sounds like a lot of work and it probably is but I just like thinking up alternative ways of doing things. Does this sound like it would work?

John M.

 

[Mr. Speck]

thanks for the replies!-- that valvoline site was helpful too! i think i understand about balancing and alignment now, but what exactly do they do when they find the tire is unbalanced-- how do they balance it? and why would a tire be unbalanced in the first place? i mean the rim and wheel are all symmetrical right? (except for the valve stem-- is that what they have to balance out?)

John's idea of a homemade balancer's interesting-- seems like it'd be tough to get it to balance at the exact center of the tire, and if you were even slightly off it seems like it would give a significantly false read. what would you do once you got the weights on it so it was balanced? do duck tape them to the side of the tire? where do the weights go?

 

[Alex Rodriguez]

Are wheel alignment and wheel balancing the same thing?
No.

Is it at all possible to do these on your own?

Only if you have the proper equipment and tools.

I know you need all this crazy equipment, but there's gotta be a way to do it on the cheap?

Yes, pay someone with the equipment and experience to do it right. That is the cheapest way to do it.

I don't like giving my car to mechanics (I've managed to keep this car from a mechanic for its entire life (5 years) and I don't wanna break my record) I have issues with trust when it comes to my car (and issues with money)

find a reputable shop to do the work for you.

 

[John M.]

thanks for the replies!-- that valvoline site was helpful too! i think i understand about balancing and alignment now, but what exactly do they do when they find the tire is unbalanced-- how do they balance it? and why would a tire be unbalanced in the first place? i mean the rim and wheel are all symmetrical right? (except for the valve stem-- is that what they have to balance out?)

Irregularities in the tire itself.

John's idea of a homemade balancer's interesting-- seems like it'd be tough to get it to balance at the exact center of the tire, and if you were even slightly off it seems like it would give a significantly false read.

If the level were off center place something of equal weight (another level?)
opposite it.

what would you do once you got the weights on it so it was balanced? do duck tape them to the side of the tire?

Using the same weights any shop would use. Just tap them on with a hammer.

where do the weights go?

Wherever you place them when balancing the tire.