The problem with wheel balancing is finding a machine that is properly
installed and calibrated, then having a tech properly mount the wheel and
then properly installing the brakes. The next problem is that balancing
can only do so much for defective tires and bent wheels. Most persistent
balance problems are the result of tires or wheels. The tire industry
calls it ride disturbance and depending on age and condition, may be a
warrantable defect. I recently got Michelin to give me some credit for
ride disturbance on my front motor home tires.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Don Hanson
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2007 10:43 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Wheel balancing

  How does everyone go about getting their tires balanced correctly?  Is
there a certain type of balancer that one needs to find in a shop?  I
recall reading that our wheels are 'lug-centric' or some such thing that
I've not encountered elsewhere.
  Usually, I use my own bubble balancer, have done so on my race car and
street car wheels, but the vanagon rims, it doesn't seem to work very
well..I get them close, about as good as my local Les Schwab does with
their computer spin balance machine..Which is to say  that I still have
irritating shimmy..low intensity..not too bad, but bad enough to try to
balance them again, better.
  Any advice on this subject?
  Thanks, Don Hanson