Rod & Custom

5
It sounds like magic but when a wheel rolls these
beads orient themselves inside the tire to counter
imbalance. Unseat the bead and drop the beads into
a tubeless tire or use supplied bottles to feed them
into a tube’s valve-stem hole. Innovative Balancing’s
ceramic Dynabeads may outlast the car they’re in.
This type of balancing has
shortcomings: it balances only
statically so it’s most suitable for
narrow wheels. And it requires
that all parts index so they go
back together the exact way every
time. But the worst shortcoming is
availability; the machines and their
operators got rare a long time ago.
But balancing beads eliminate
all but one of those shortcomings.
They’re just tiny balls (usually
ceramic) that freely roll around
inside the tire or, if equipped,
tube. As the tire spins it generates
centripetal force that holds the beads
along the inside of the tire or tube.
Ultimately the beads gather at the
point opposite the imbalance until
they amass enough weight to offset
it. At that point the wheel rolls true
and the spare beads just distribute
themselves equally along the inside
of the tire. When the vehicle comes
to a stop they all come crashing back
down to the bottom.
Like on-car balancers they affect
only a static balance; however, they’re
available everywhere (mail order),
don’t cost much, transfer to new tires,
and constantly correct imbalances
over the life of the tire.
STRAIGHTNESS
No amount of balancing will
matter if a wheel rolls like an egg.
Chris Sage at The Wheelsmith noted
a few things that prevent a wheel
from rolling true. “It’s a good idea
to check all wheels, and especially
old ones, for runout,” he begins. “I
like to build wheels with no more
6
A dial indicator should be part of every
enthusiast’s toolbox. Run it against the side of
the bead to measure lateral runout and against
the inside diameter of the bead to measure
radial runout.
7
Because it’s so close to the centerline a hub or
axle flange bent even a tiny bit will make a
wheel wobble like mad. For this reason most
vocational manuals recommend 0.005-inch
maximum runout.
than 0.015-inch radial and lateral
runout but that’s so we know a
wheel won’t ever be the cause of
any problems.” He even noted that
a wheel with 0.030-inch runout will
likely work just fine. “Until the ’70s
or ’80s the OEMs considered 0.055-
inch runout acceptable.”
Because most wheels center
on the lug nuts on older cars he
recommends seating nuts by hand
before tightening them. “Tire
stores have gotten really bad about
this,” he cautions. “A kid with an
impact can jam the lug nut on
before the lug seats have a chance
to line up.” The consequences
should be obvious.
And some of us are responsible
for a potentially ill fit. It’s popular
to mount Buick drums to old
Fords. However, early Ford disc
wheels with the 5.5-inch pattern
(and some of their reproductions)
mount over a larger diameter
THE MODERN WARRIOR
IN SHOCK & SPRING
TECHNOLOGY
DOUBLE DOWN FOR
PERFORMANCE
WITH NEW VIKING
WARRIOR DOUBLE
ADJUSTABLE SHOCKS
DOUBLE ADJUSTABLE
SHOCKS
STARTING AT $164.95 MSRP!
• Ideal for drag racing, auto cross, street
performance, daily drivers and more – these
shocks do it all!
• Easy bolt-in kits available.
• 19 positions each of independent
compression and rebound adjustment
• Two year warranty on shocks. Double the
warranty of most manufacturers!
• Stock mount and custom mount available in
smooth body and coil-over designs.
• Ultra-lightweight, high travel springs. Conical
and 2 ½” I.D. coil-over springs available.
Lifetime guaranteed to remain within 2% of
original free height and rate.
• Made in the U.S.A.
TOTAL VEHICLE
PACKAGES AVAILABLE.
CALL TO INQUIRE.
Dick Clemmer
Dick’s Hot Rod Shop
August 2014t30%$6450.55