Drag Slick Balancing ?

Discussion in 'PSI Superchargers Tech Questions' started by TOL, Mar 24, 2019.

  1. TOL

    TOL Active Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2005
    Messages:
    1,350
    Likes Received:
    17
    Okay, maybe this is a dumb question.

    What are most people doing for balancing their newly mounted bead-lock rear slicks?

    Bubble Balance? Spin Balance? Nothing?......

    What do the Big Show teams do? Let the tire vendors take care of it, or do they do it it themselves?

    Thx.
     
    #1
  2. Dave Koehler

    Dave Koehler Member

    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2004
    Messages:
    443
    Likes Received:
    14
    Bubble here most of the time.
    Dynamic when I have the time.
     
    #2
  3. Mike Canter

    Mike Canter Top Dragster
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2004
    Messages:
    4,630
    Likes Received:
    189
    Pretty hard to find somebody to spin balance them anymore. Hoosier and Goodyear don’t have them in there track trailers anymore. They said they couldn’t get parts to keep the machines running
     
    #3
  4. jay70cuda

    jay70cuda Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2009
    Messages:
    1,139
    Likes Received:
    35
    I never balanced my beadocks in 8 years. Never shook or had an issue. But my liners needed balanced as soon as the car started for the first time with those. Tired to spin balance those and still didn’t need feel right. The Hoosier trailer put them on the bubble balancer and the spin balancer was was off. Guess it all depends who’s doing it.
     
    #4
  5. Will Hanna

    Will Hanna We put the 'inside' in Top Alcohol
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    May 6, 2003
    Messages:
    6,706
    Likes Received:
    132
    I have seen people "get away" with not balancing bead locks, but in my opinion they all need to be balanced, especially liners.

    Spin balancing, in my opinion, is by far the best option. At very least in a TAFC. Years ago working for Steve Harker we didn't have our own spin balancer and needed a new set of tires, so we just bubble balanced a set. Couldn't get down the track without shaking. Sent them back, had them do the 180 deal, same result. Stayed over to test on Monday, went and found a truck shop to spin balance. Left the same tune up in it, 5.61.

    You can tell a big difference on the jack stands, especially on a TAFC. With a good spin balance you can rev it up in high gear and set a cup of coffee on the injector. It's really smooth. If it's out of balance, you can feel/see the car shaking when it's in gear. The driver can feel it in the burnout too.

    Yes, it's a pain in the ass. Best recommendation is keep an eye out for a deal on buying your own spin balancer.
     
    #5
  6. MaineAlkyFan

    MaineAlkyFan Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2006
    Messages:
    364
    Likes Received:
    53
    The hardest part is finding a round pair from the factory...

    Chris Saulnier - Team Tigges
    Mechanic Falls, Maine
     
    #6
    Outlaw Funnycar likes this.

Share This Page