How to bench test wheel runout

[John Larkin]

I am planning to buy some used wheels but do not have an opportunity to put them on a balancing machine first to check the runout. I have bought a bent rim before and want to avoid it if possible. I am trying to come up with a way to make a DIY tester. I was thinking of something that could bolt to the backside of the wheel center with a swinging arm on it to check the outer rim to make sure it is parallel to the center. I don't have a car to take with me with the same bolt pattern so I can't bolt them to my car either. Surely there is something. It would have to be a perfectly perpendicular arrangement. I do have a good wheel I can set it up on first.

 

[TexasT]

Jack your car up, remove the front wheel, bolt the prospective wheel on and spin.
That is the best way in my opinion. How bout a friend's car to take along.
Anything you build would be bulky and hard to store.
I thought some more. Maybe with a knuckle and rotor something could be threaded on the end of the spindle, and have an up and out piece with adjustment for different offset and diameter. But then there is the rear lip. Can't just flip over all wheels.
Or just roll them on a flat surface, ans figure you will get a bad one now and again. Most can be "fixed" these days, though some not worth the cost.
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[novaderrik]

if you are buying them in person, ask the guy if you can mount them on his car and spin them while looking at a good reference point... you can use anything solid as a reference point- the outer tie rod is perfect for this.. if you want to get really technical about it, bring along a dial indicator and a magnetic base and use those last few thousandths of an inch of runout as an excuse to take a few bucks off the price..

 

[John Larkin]

I have called him and asked if he has a vehicle we can use to spin them on - waiting on a call back. I do have a dial indicator and magnetic base. That was the best I could come up with also.

There should be something available like a giant bicycle truing stand. I bet I could make one out of a pair of axles and some square tube steel but I don't have any of that lying around..

 

[TexasT]

So, did you get the wheels? I wanna see em, as my CFO rarely lets me get cool new stuff.

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[John Larkin]

I am waiting on a call back for an address and time. Craigslist you know, sometimes yes, sometimes no. Kills me that people have time to put items up but more times than not they never return calls, some family emergency, blah, blah, blah. Talked to the guy Friday, told him price was fine, then 3 days and two voicemails later, no contact. Ugh.

 

[TexasT]

Oh well, it is a holiday weekend. You are right about the lackadaisical attitude of seller and buyers . I never have them come to the house. I like to meet them at the gas station a few blocks from my house. I just dont trust people.
Good luck with em.

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