John L Posted June 25, 2015 Report Share Posted June 25, 2015 Can anybody recommend a garage that can balance using the right adaptors for the hub, in the Kent area. Have been to 2 garages today that say they can do them , but they don't have the right adaptors, and I'm not sure that they will be right, have to put them back on the car and try them out. John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fireman049 Posted June 25, 2015 Report Share Posted June 25, 2015 Hi John ~ Without the correct adaptors the wire wheels cannot be properly balanced. Don't waste your time and money. Cheers ~ Tom. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
derekh Posted June 26, 2015 Report Share Posted June 26, 2015 Where in Kent are you? I had mine done at A2 Tyres in Sittingbourne and the got it right. Derek Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TriumphV8 Posted June 26, 2015 Report Share Posted June 26, 2015 We made the two inside/outside cones from aluminium by ourself on a lathe and take them with us to the tire garage. So any garage is able to balance the wheel as long as they accept that there is a different way to balance wire wheels. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
monty Posted June 26, 2015 Report Share Posted June 26, 2015 We made the two inside/outside cones from aluminium by ourself on a lathe and take them with us to the tire garage. So any garage is able to balance the wheel as long as they accept that there is a different way to balance wire wheels. Make some more & hire or sell them! Always had a devil of a job getting anything done properly near to me! Where all the people with wires (TR's, MG's, Astons, Jags etc etc.) get them done properly I don't know! There is a place in Slough (WWS) but have no experience of them & a bit of a trek for me up he dreaded M4! Cheers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
monty Posted June 26, 2015 Report Share Posted June 26, 2015 Make some more & hire or sell them! Always had a devil of a job getting anything done properly near to me! Where all the people with wires (TR's, MG's, Astons, Jags etc etc.) get them done properly I don't know! There is a place in Slough (WWS) but have no experience of them & a bit of a trek for me up he dreaded M4! Cheers. Sorry, meant MWS in Slough! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
monty Posted June 26, 2015 Report Share Posted June 26, 2015 I have just found that there are 2 different kits on the market for help in balancing wire wheels. MWS sell the Cutteridge kit @ £180 but there is also a similar thing called the Smoothride @ around £85 from XK Engineering near Coventry. You would take the adaptor kit along to your local tyre fitter who would use it to balance the wheels. Simple, except for the initial outlay! Maybe each region in the Club could purchase a kit, charge a deposit & a small charge to hire & get the outlay back quickly?! Cheers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
grumpy2 Posted June 26, 2015 Report Share Posted June 26, 2015 Find a place that will balance them on the car. I did that with my old MGB and the difference was astonishing. Gary Quote Link to post Share on other sites
monty Posted June 26, 2015 Report Share Posted June 26, 2015 Find a place that will balance them on the car. I did that with my old MGB and the difference was astonishing. Gary That's the problem! Finding a place that knows how to do it & has the correct adapters (hardly anybody)! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TriumphV8 Posted June 26, 2015 Report Share Posted June 26, 2015 Balancing on the car is without adaptors. It is mainly the Hofmann Finishbalancer SD-10 that is sold these days from the tire shops because the system interfears with the modern ESP and so on. If you drive one wheel, what is necessary to balance, the electronic gets mad and thinks that there is something severely wrong and starts breaking ..... So we are able to get these professional machines at a good price. They start from 200 GBP what is quite a good prive for a Triumph round table with 10 members because balancing is about 35 GBP per axle. Also 85 GBP for an adaptor set is a fair price. This is the balancer I bought some time ago and I am happy with it. It is easy to use and results are really worth the effort. I balance the wheels every time I took them off the car for cleaning. http://www.ebay.de/itm/HOFMANN-SD10-Finishbalancer-Finish-Balancer-Reifenauswuchtmaschine-Wuchtmaschine-/161672713667?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_77&hash=item25a471d5c3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
grumpy2 Posted June 26, 2015 Report Share Posted June 26, 2015 That's the problem! Finding a place that knows how to do it & has the correct adapters (hardly anybody)! Balancing on the car needs no adapters. I found a place n chester via yellow pages. They just said on car balancing. Part of a chain called central tyres. Been there for years. Worth trying Quote Link to post Share on other sites
monty Posted June 26, 2015 Report Share Posted June 26, 2015 Balancing on the car needs no adapters. I found a place n chester via yellow pages. They just said on car balancing. Part of a chain called central tyres. Been there for years. Worth trying No Central Tyres near the Cotswolds & taking the complete car rather than just the wheels into your usual tyre fitters fills me with dread, anxiety & worry! Past history with tyre fitting shops to prove it! Just taking in the wheels is a challenge in most places near here! Will use MWS when I need to I think. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted June 26, 2015 Report Share Posted June 26, 2015 Hi Monty, MWS near Slough are very good at what they do. You will have no problems. Regarding making the cones - I use an old splined adaptor with the internal hole filled and drilled out to take the balancing machine spindle. The spinner has its outer face turned down to be flush to allow the balancing machnie's lock nut to locate. The wheel then sits on the adaptor. Which reminds me I should have got this to Alec quite a while ago now. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ian Vincent Posted June 26, 2015 Report Share Posted June 26, 2015 MGOC are offering wire wheel adapters for £65. Rgds Ian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TriumphV8 Posted June 27, 2015 Report Share Posted June 27, 2015 http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/wheels/wl110.htm Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tomfpurves Posted June 27, 2015 Report Share Posted June 27, 2015 MWS at Slough are excellent.As they import and distribute wire wheels they are expert.Also customer friendly. Tom Quote Link to post Share on other sites
trevor Posted June 27, 2015 Report Share Posted June 27, 2015 It was awhile ago , but got mine done a Watling tyres in Rainham as the then Kent Group leader had made the adaptor for them . Trevor Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philrylance Posted June 29, 2015 Report Share Posted June 29, 2015 I realise you are a long way away but this might help if you ring them for advice. Frank Watts tyres in Sutton in Ashfield has an on car wheel balancer. It is like a sideways on vacuum cleaner wheel belt which lays against the tyre, spins it and shows the results on a screen. Works a treat for IRS cars as well, but I believe it is rare to find a garage with one. Cheers Phil Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John Morrison Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 (edited) You can Buy a brand new static wheel balancer for under £50 ex Ebay, a pint will get you a selection of knock on weights from your freindly tyre fitter and you will never have a problem again, do all four wheels, steel, wire or alloys in an hour, fit the best if there is a big discrepancy to the fronts and go and drive your car. Simples, John. Edited June 30, 2015 by john Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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