Proper Use of Wheel Load Checker

[arbita1]

Can anyone that has one of those wheel load checkers give me some advice on using it.

I was playing with mine yesterday. I was having problems with the wheels slipping off the pin. Especially in the front (7" wheels). I managed to mess up my finger pretty nicely too as a result...don't ask.

What position should the bar be at the starting point? Straight or angled up? Basically where do I lift from? Do I raise the jack as high as I can and then lift or get it so the bar is level and then lift...I hope this makes sense.

I tried using some heavy rubber to prevent damage to the wheels from the pin. It worked fine on the rears (9" wheels), but the fronts kept slipping out.

I found a good technique using a file folder. I raise the wheel high enough to slip it under the tire, then lower it and raise it again high enough to slip it out. I had some good repeatable results.

I found my rears to be RL - 790 RR - 690

I hurt myself before being able to check the fronts.

[914efi]

The paper method is what I use, but it is hard with only one person using the lever style tester that I am assuming you have. I made my own version using a bottle jack and it is very easy to use solo.

[911 tweaks]

what is this paper test... some sort of corner balancing method vs. using scales??
Cool!
Bob

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

Yes, it's for corner balancing. You basically use a device that looks sort of like a tall jack, with a lever arm that at the short end (inboard of the fulcrum) fits under the 12 o'clock position on the wheel rim. Then you lift the wheel till it comes just off the ground with the long end of the lever arm (outboard of the fulcrum) and a hydraulic gauge gives you a read that allows you to calculate the percentage of the car's load on that wheel.

The purpose of the paper--which has nothing to do with the actual tool--is that when you can slip it out from under the wheel, you know the wheel has just minutely come off the ground, which is what you want.

Arbita1, as for getting the tool under the narrow rim of a front wheel, I had the same problem and made an aluminum device curved to fit the inside of the rim. As I remember--it's been awhile--I put duct tape on the device and duct tape on the rim, and the contact between the two kept the thing from slipping out.

By the way, if anybody wants to buy my weight-jacker tool, I've got one for sale. Used once. (Well, actually four times--once for each wheel.)

[911pcars]

Originally Posted by Formerly Steve Wilkinson

Yes, it's for corner balancing. You basically use a device that looks sort of like a tall jack, with a lever arm that at the short end (inboard of the fulcrum) fits under the 12 o'clock position on the wheel rim. Then you lift the wheel till it comes just off the ground with the long end of the lever arm (outboard of the fulcrum) and a hydraulic gauge gives you a read that allows you to calculate the percentage of the car's load on that wheel.

The purpose of the paper--which has nothing to do with the actual tool--is that when you can slip it out from under the wheel, you know the wheel has just minutely come off the ground, which is what you want.

Arbita1, as for getting the tool under the narrow rim of a front wheel, I had the same problem and made an aluminum device curved to fit the inside of the rim. As I remember--it's been awhile--I put duct tape on the device and duct tape on the rim, and the contact between the two kept the thing from slipping out.

By the way, if anybody wants to buy my weight-jacker tool, I've got one for sale. Used once. (Well, actually four times--once for each wheel.)

Basically the same method I use, a crescent-shaped piece of aluminum stock, approx. 2x6"; the same contour as the lip of the wheel. A hole locates the pin of the load checker on one side. On the opposite side, a thick piece of leather cushions the aluminum-to-aluminum contact with the wheel.



Sherwood

[MatthewBrum]

I'm making one of these with a load cell and display I purchased on ebay. I'll start a thread when I get it finished

[arbita1]

Originally Posted by 911pcars

Basically the same method I use, a crescent-shaped piece of aluminum stock, approx. 2x6"; the same contour as the lip of the wheel. A hole locates the pin of the load checker on one side. On the opposite side, a thick piece of leather cushions the aluminum-to-aluminum contact with the wheel.



Sherwood

Where did you get this crescent shaped aluminum from?

Originally Posted by MatthewBrum

I'm making one of these with a load cell and display I purchased on ebay. I'll start a thread when I get it finished

Cool.

[911 tweaks]

who ever starts a thread on making these, please post that info on THIS thread so I don't miss it!!
A dumb question... is 1 device all you need or do you need 2 or 4 ?? I guess 1 and the procedure is you measure 1 wheel and record the value... then lower it and which wheel do you measure next and record?
Anything but $1500+ bucks for a scale set up but maybe that is the real way to be doing this??
Bob

[TimT]

the procedure is you measure 1 wheel and record the value... then lower it and which wheel do you measure next and record?

Yes

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

Where do you get the crescent-shaped aluminum piece???? You MAKE it, forgodsakes. Go to Home Depot, get a strip of cheap aluminum stock, cut off a six-inch piece with a hacksaw, (you do have a hacksaw, right?) and bend it to shape.

[RSTarga]

I hope you are disconnecting your sway bar when you do this , otherwise results are worthless.

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by Formerly Steve Wilkinson

... (you do have a hacksaw, right?) ...

If you do not already own a hacksaw, then just CNC yourself a hacksaw, and then you can use it to cut off the piece of bar stock.

[arbita1]

Originally Posted by Formerly Steve Wilkinson

Where do you get the crescent-shaped aluminum piece???? You MAKE it, forgodsakes. Go to Home Depot, get a strip of cheap aluminum stock, cut off a six-inch piece with a hacksaw, (you do have a hacksaw, right?) and bend it to shape.

Originally Posted by RWebb

If you do not already own a hacksaw, then just CNC yourself a hacksaw, and then you can use it to cut off the piece of bar stock.

Ouch.

Now that you said that I feel dumb. I was picturing something much more complicated in my head.

I'll try that out...right after I finish the CAD program to run the CNC machine to fabricate a hacksaw.

[edbaus]

I used a piece of tire that I cut out to protect my wheels. Works good as protection and resistance to slipping off.

Ed

[bkreigsr]

I had an adapter made in a shop that is pretty easy on the Fuchs.

[911 tweaks]

are you guys doing the weighing with what level of fuel? Also, are you putting your body weight worth of steel dumb bells on the drivers seat to best simulate the car in use??
Any other tid bits aside from disconnecting the sway bars...?
Thanks, Bob

[bkreigsr]

I use a fuel load that's an average of a typical track session (three qtrs - to - half tank) as my personal optimal load. I use two white plastic 5 gal pails filled with sand, one on the seat, one under the steering wheel, to stand in for the nut-case driver.
Bill K

[Tom '74 911]

I'm welding up an adjustable adapter that will slide in the center of the wheel - where the center cap normally resides. It will be height adjustable to be able to set it appropriately for the "checker" to be level with the wheel just off the ground (paper test). I'm planning on (2) - one for the front and one for the rear as I run different height tires and don't want to have to fiddle with them once they're set up. I'll post some photos when they're done; Hopefully by the end of the week.

Tom

[911 tweaks]

if done in a garage that has its cement floor pitched out towards the entry doors so water will run out of the garage when a wet vehicle enters... do you need to take this into account i.e. make sure the base of the jack/tool are "level" to each other or is that ocd?? My garage floor has about 1-1.5" of pitch per 10'...
Bob

[edbaus]

Yes, A level floor is an absolute must. It has more effect on corner balancing than most everything you can do.