1963 Corvette aligning front wheels at St. Louis plant.

[Lakota]

If you look at the ceiling in the mirror, I believe that this Corvette is sitting on a Hunter wheel balancing system which was the first system ever designed to balance the wheel, tire and brake drum while on the car for auto manufacturers. Hunter is headquartered here in St. Louis and first deployed the system in St. Louis at the General Motors Plant. Looks like photo taken at Hunter Alignment school, St. Louis.

[Don Rickles]

Originally Posted by Lakota

If you look at the ceiling in the mirror, I believe that this Corvette is sitting on a Hunter wheel balancing system which was the first system ever designed to balance the wheel, tire and brake drum while on the car for auto manufacturers. Hunter is headquartered here in St. Louis and first deployed the system in St. Louis at the General Motors Plant. Looks like photo taken at Hunter Alignment school, St. Louis.

Pretty sure there were wheel balancers that balanced as a unit, on the car much earlier than the 60's?

"Marcellus Merrill first implemented an electronic dynamic wheel-balancing system in 1945."

[Frankie the Fink]

The VisuaLiner was used to calibrate the factory alignment machines; there was still one down the street until 2 years ago that I used several times.

[ptindall]

Originally Posted by Lakota

balance the wheel, tire and brake drum while on the car

Save a penny in manufacturing costs, **** the customer. Obviously this business strategy is not new.

[Frankie the Fink]

The rear trailing arm shims on the '63 Corvette had "through holes" for the front bushing bolt and not slotted shims. They were well and truly one monumental PITA to deal with; that changed in later midyears.

[Aerovette]

Balancing this way is a horrible idea. The first time you buy tires, it all goes straight to hell. Adding to that, rotating existing tires or not putting a removed wheel the way it was positioned when it came off, also throws it all out of balance.

Balance the parts, assemble balanced parts and the system is balanced.

[Don Rickles]

Originally Posted by Aerovette

Balancing this way is a horrible idea. The first time you buy tires, it all goes straight to hell. Adding to that, rotating existing tires or not putting a removed wheel the way it was positioned when it came off, also throws it all out of balance.

Balance the parts, assemble balanced parts and the system is balanced.

They did balance separately then as a unit. These attempts were so not to remove the wheel and tire. You’ll find a BB size welded dot on the wheels and an ink dot on the tires. They “should” line up in theory. The 63 had drum brakes so no spinning rotors yet….

[Aerovette]

Originally Posted by Don Rickles

They did balance separately then as a unit. These attempts were so not to remove the wheel and tire. You’ll find a BB size welded dot on the wheels and an ink dot on the tires. They “should” line up in theory. The 63 had drum brakes so no spinning rotors yet….

What happens when you buy tires or rotate tires?

[Don Rickles]

Originally Posted by Aerovette

What happens when you buy tires or rotate tires?

Not sure what you’re asking but the marks are supposed to show either the lightest or heaviest spot in each. Same with any new tires, there’s marks. They’re not super accurate but….
These machines were made to reduce tech’s time.

[Aerovette]

Originally Posted by Don Rickles

Not sure what you’re asking but the marks are supposed to show either the lightest or heaviest spot in each. Same with any new tires, there’s marks. They’re not super accurate but….
These machines were made to reduce tech’s time.

I saying, there is a hub/rotor/drum and wheel/tire that is balanced as an assembled system (per the picture). If all are balanced collectively, each component change obviously introduces a possible unbalance.

If it is balanced as an assembly, the tire is part of the balancing of the rotor/drum/hub and wheel. Balancing the wheel and tire at a tire shop, would or could wreak havoc on the other components.

If what you are saying is that this final step is simply addressing stacked tolerances, then it lessens the impact when tires are swapped or wheels repositioned.