Balance correction system with on-car runout device

An integrated balancing system for correcting imbalance in a tire/wheel assembly, comprising:

• an off-car balancer, said off-car balancer measuring an off-car balance condition of the tire/wheel assembly and measuring an off-car runout of a surface of the tire/wheel assembly while the tire/wheel assembly is mounted thereon;
• an on-car runout device, said on-car runout device measuring an on-car runout of said surface of the tire/wheel assembly while the tire/wheel assembly is mounted on a vehicle hub;
• and
• a computer operatively communicating with said off-car balancer and said on-car runout device through a communication link.

A method for improving on-car mounting of a tire/wheel assembly having a predetermined runout high spot location, comprising the steps of:

• measuring a radial runout of a vehicle hub;
• communicating said radial runout to a computer;
• calculating a location of a maximum hub runout within said computer;
• displaying said location of said maximum hub runout;
• and
• mounting the tire/wheel assembly to said vehicle hub with the predetermined runout high spot location opposite to said maximum hub runout.

A method for correcting an imbalance in a tire/wheel assembly, comprising the steps of:

• mounting the tire/wheel assembly on an off-car balancer;
• measuring the imbalance of the tire/wheel assembly while the tire/wheel assembly is rotated on said off-car balancer;
• measuring an off-car runout of a surface of the tire/wheel assembly;
• calculating an amount and an angular location of a balance weight to counteract the imbalance;
• subsequently mounting the tire/wheel assembly on a vehicle hub;
• measuring an on-car runout of said surface of the tire/wheel assembly;
• communicating said off-car runout and said on-car runout to a computer;
• calculating a difference between said off-car runout and said on-car runout;
• and
• calculating an amount and a location of a final balance weight to counteract said difference between said off-car runout and said on-car runout.

An on-car runout device for measuring runout in a tire/wheel assembly that is mounted on a vehicle hub, comprising:

• a powered roller operatively engaged with the tire/wheel assembly;
• said powered roller rotating said tire/wheel assembly below approximately 300 rotations per minute in an unloaded condition;
• a runout measuring device operatively engaged with a surface of the tire/wheel assembly, said runout measuring device generating runout information for said surface of the tire/wheel assembly while said powered roller rotates the tire/wheel assembly;
• a computer operatively communicating with said runout measuring device, said computer receiving said runout information;
• a sensor connection operatively linking said runout measuring device and said computer, said runout measuring device transmitting said runout information over said sensor connection to said computer;
• and
• a display operatively communicating with said computer.