Match-mounting “Removes Unwanted Vibrations”: Pro-Align

Leading wheel alignment and wheel service equipment specialist Pro-Align is offering an advanced wheel balancer and tyre changer combination designed to solve the most difficult wheel vibration issues. “The majority of difficult vibration issues occur as a result of stiff spots within the tyre wall,” explains Paul Beaurain, managing director, Pro-Align. “These variations mean the tyre does not roll in a uniform manner and vibrations occur. However, as the stiff spots can only be detected under load, they cannot be identified on traditional wheel balancers. This means technicians rely on luck rather than correct diagnosis to solve issues.”

As part of the balance process Pro-Align’s Hunter Road Force Balancer (GSP9700) uses a load roller to apply up to 700kg to the wheel and tyre. During a 10-second process the balancer measures any radial force variation in the assembly. Then by measuring the wheel rim’s accuracy, the GSP9700 can identify the size and location of a stiff spot in the tyre. Once identified, the balancer then shows where to mount the tyre such that the stiff spot is positioned in the wheel rim low spot. Cancelling out the vibration, this is also known as “match-mounting”. Once match–mounted, the assembly would be balanced in the normal way.

The match-mounting process involves rotating a tyre on the rim, ideally by demounting and re-mounting it. However, this process has been made easier by the Hunter Auto43, also distributed by Pro-Align. This leverless tyre changer can accommodate wheels up to 34” diameter and features bead rollers that allow the operator to spin the tyre on the rim, lining up the positions of the tyre stiff spot and rim low spot.
Difficult drift or vehicle pull issues can also be also be diagnosed and corrected with the Hunter Road Force Balancer. As well as measuring radial force variations, the road roller can measure the net pull or lateral force variation between two or more tyre assemblies.

Lateral force variations can cause the car to pull left or right as travels along the road. Once the balancer has measured the amount and direction of pull generated by each wheel it is ‘tagged’, with the best on-vehicle arrangement plan displayed to minimise the pull. Pro-Align says the Hunter Road Force Balancer and Auto 43 tyre changer are particularly suited to workshops that service high performance or prestige vehicles where wheel vibration issues must be eliminated.

Pro-Align Maintains Service with Winter Tyres

Pro-Align fitted its fleet of service and sales vehicles with winter tyres for the first time this year. The company said this should help maintain the high levels of support and assistance, whatever the weather this coming winter. By fitting seasonal rubber, Pro-Align says it aims to maintain its maximum 48-hour response times for any service breakdowns while ensuring its drivers remain safe on the road.

“Ensuring the safety of our staff while maintaining excellent levels of customer service is a key priority for us,” explained Beaurain. “Thankfully the exceptional quality and reliability of our Hunter aligners is second to none. However, if any of our customers do require an urgent service visit, fitting winter tyres ensures we are equipped as best we can to preserve our excellent response times, virtually regardless of the conditions. Last winter, it was often the side roads that caused the most difficulties.”

Pro-Align became members of industry safety group TyreSafe earlier this year. The group has recently campaigned about the added safety benefits of fitting winter tyres from October through until April. The company currently has 11 dedicated field-based engineers responsible for the service of more than 1,700 Hunter alignment systems across the UK. As dedicated Hunter system engineers, the team currently attend more than 94 per cent of service call-outs within 48 hours. Pro-Align says the high level of continuity ensures customers’ profit generation opportunities are not compromised.