Quick Testing
Page 45
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ALTHOUGH wheel balancing is not widely practised by operators of heavy vehicles in this country, it is commonly done in Australia where II is considered that improved tyre. life results. A piece of equipment produced there for the purpose and now available in Britain is the Replex electronic balancer sold by Repco, Ltd„ 59 St. James's Street, London, W.1.
A component known as a vibration pick-up is placed under a suspension member such as a wishbone, and the wheel is spun by an electric motor. The pick-up is connected to a wheeled cabinet from which a beam of light is projected on to the wheel when it is at maximum unbalance. This position may be determined when the wheel is stopped by reference to a mark which is initially made on the tyre wall.
A meter on the cabinet indicates the amount of unbalance so that the appropriate weight can be applied to the 'rim. The process is stated to be simple and quick, whilst it is claimed that the pick-up can detect vibrations as small as 0.001 in. Repco supply, weights of different sizes.