Has anyone had any experience with this machine? If someone had a -SLIGHTLY- bent rim would this machine help to take the vibration out of it? How much does it typically cost/tire to have it done? Those who have used it; did you have to go back 3-5 times until they FINALLY got it right. Or were they proficient enough to get it right the FIRST time?

Thanks,
SHUMAX

 

Used it on the... Max actually...

Well, you shouldn't ahve to go back, you adjust it till the machine shows it's balanced... so there's no reason I go back, unless they really suck.

Vibration due to bent rim is a tough one. REason being that the vibration might not be caused due to improper balance. But rather, when it rolls to the part where it's bent, the tire support could be different in that area.

HAving said that, I hvae a bent rim, slight... and during the process, they detected it. The machine's recommendation is replace rim or fix. But the guy went ahead and adjusted the best he could. They've since put that rmi on the back and I haven't felt it. But I tell you this machine is great and is worth it. I think at discount tire, it was $9 more per corver to do. You only need to do it once for the life of the tire.

-Shing

 

I have used it and had great results. As with any precision machine, if the person that is using is not trained properly, it will be still be perfect, just perfectly wrong.

The Hunter will see that the rim is out of round and compensate for it. Your results will vary with the rim. As stated above, the machine is only as good as its user, but in this case it makes the job a lot easier for the user.

As far as the cost, it will depend on how much they have to do. The basic will run $8 - 12 per tire, while the full blown balance can cost as much as $25 per corner. The fill blown job is where they find the high and low points of the tire and the rim, remount the tire on the rim to match them up, then balance them with the needed weights. Needless to say, this can take a while.

Lovejoy

 

if you have a bent rim this machine won't really do anything cause it is bent and always be there no matter what. so my suggestion is buy a new rim or put it on the right rear and run it till you can get a new rim. i use the machine everyday at work and it works wounders, but the only thing about is when you do a road force variation (how rough the tire is on the road) with low profile tires they always fail. all my tires on my car are aparently bad according to the machine but the run perfectly fine. so, anyways point being even tho the machine may say a tire is bad it doesn't mean it will vibrate. but if i were you since it is a bent wheel i would buy a new wheel.