Viper pilot

Is it really important to use 'Road Force' balancing for our 35 profile tires?

MrMoose

I mean, it's not a requirement, but it can help to solve steering wheel vibration problems. The Cayman and Boxster for some reason seem stupid sensitive to wheel balance. A Road Force machine tests the tires more similarly to how they'll perform on the road under load and can give a better tire balance.

So a standard balance will work, but the road force machine is less likely to give you wheel vibration issues, I guess is the best way to summarize it.

okie981

I always do road force balance. Anything that can be done to ensure a smooth vibration free ride is worth it, IMO.

absoluteczech

No not necessarily, a good tire guy that knows how to properly balance a tire will be just fine. For example Costco doesnt have Road Force and I've had car that dont have issues.

deilenberger

If you read up on the theory of "Road-Force" balancing, it is supposed to be done by rotating the tire on the rim to match hard spots on the tire to low spots on the rim. That probably works great with some marginal brand high-sidewall cheapo tires on bent steel rims on a trans-camero or something, but on good Porsche rims, with good tires - the idea doesn't work at all. And a good mechanic running the machine will admit that to you. Is it worth the extra money? Your decision, my inclination is not usually.

The best balances I ever got were the old Hunter on-wheel balancer with the motor to spin the tire/rim/hub/brake up to speed on the car. It balanced the entire assembly of tire/rim/hub/brake-rotor or drum... not just the tire and rim. I doubt if any of those old machines still exist, and doubt too that any of the guys who knew how to use one are still alive. It had a nickname of the "Man-Hunter" for when the assembly clamped on the wheel came off at speed. Guys told me that only happens to a guy running it once - from then on they're very careful tightening it up. Probably outlawed now by OSHA rules - it was high-speed machinery you stuck your hand onto while it was spinning at several hundred RPM (IIRC - 90MPH.) There was also an Alemite strobe light system that attached to the suspension, and you spun the wheel up to speed, it would flash so the wheel appeared stationary with the light point at the top IIRC. You added a weight, spun it up again and if it didn't appear stationary there was no longer a heavy/light spot and the wheel was balanced.

Hey - look what you can find on eBay.. https://ebay.us/6FDJfu - a ManHunter..

rdboxster

Been going to the same tire guy for 20 years. He has never owned a road force balancer. He just knows what he is doing. Turning tires on the wheel to offset high spots has been a practice long before road force. The good tire people know how to do this. In my opinion Road force is a way to insure the person who is balancing the tire gets it right regardless of training. If you’ve had good success with a tire shop I wouldn’t worry about it. Don’t know the shop maybe road force will save time by not returning to solve balance issues.

Viper pilot

Sounds like the jury is undecided as to the need or value of Road Force balancing. In my area, out of about a dozen or so tire mounting/balancing shops, only two have the 'Road Force' equipment. Over the last 5 years that I've had my 981 I have gone to the 'Road Force' shops for tire work and it has worked out well. However it may have turned out just as well with the other balancing methods given the quality of the PS4S tires I use.
Thanks every one for your thoughts and responses.

Laszlo_Laz

Most if not all modern shops have road force machines. I’d get them done right and not hard to find.