Guys,
Any of you know where I can find a shop localy (Oakville) that has a Road Hunter GSP9700 balancer and knows how to use it? Thanks!
Why a road hunter?
He meant to say “Hunter” not “Road Hunter” 
And he wants a 9700 because it’s simply the best on the market at the moment.
A decent tire balancer is as good as the best tire balancer… they all do the same thing, except one will have a larger motor, and be able to accept a larger overall diameter and rim width. Honestly, you wont notice a difference between a good balancer and the best balancer, because more often then not you’ll throw the weights at some point in a construction area and that balancer wont make a difference.
Go to any reputable shop, give them the information they need, then get them balanced…
You so don’t even know anything about wheel balances judging by the ignorance of that statement.
Go read about some of the capabilities of a gsp9700 and you’ll see that it does many many many many many things that others do not. specifically straittrak and true road force measurements.
Sorry if that was harsh, but it’s true 
also to add to my point, the gsp9700 report is the only balancer report that high-end wheel manufacturers will accept as valid test for replacing tires with manufacturing defects. why would that be if its the same thing?
You’re not listening…
For what he requires, he needs a BALANCE. Regardless of what other balancers can do, he needs a basic balance to keep the tire wearing straight. Even the guys who mount tires on race cars all day do just that.
There are certain things that going with the best is helpful, other things are simply a waste. This is one of those things.
Like I said, it’s not going to matter in a month or so because he’ll kick the weight off anyways…
411.ca
get a list and call and ask?
You’re not listening…
For what he requires, he needs a BALANCE. Regardless of what other balancers can do, he needs a basic balance to keep the tire wearing straight. Even the guys who mount tires on race cars all day do just that.
There are certain things that going with the best is helpful, other things are simply a waste. This is one of those things.
Like I said, it’s not going to matter in a month or so because he’ll kick the weight off anyways…[/quote]
Haha why do you keep saying the weight will come off? I’ve never had one come off, ever.
Also, he never said he needed a balance… trust me when I say he needs more than a balance. I sit beside him at work 
I’ve kicked 7 total off my 240, on 5 separate occasions, and 2 off my new vehicle…
If he needs more, then lets hear why, I’m down for learning new things…
7? what the crap.
i’ve only even rarely heard of that even happening.
maybe the place you bring your car to are morons or something? hahah… i dunno
Well, no they aren’t crap, do alot of mid- high end work…
I beat the hell out of that car… most cars that track and don’t tape the wheel weights, loose the weights… the same goes for guys who drift on and off the street, especially if they hit curbs…
Then again, they’re not exactly scholars either…
Anyways… so what needs such precise balancing and load testing before it’s placed on a vehicle… I’m curious, because I’ll tell you, the ontario challenge cup and gt class race cars get a standard balance and away they go.
Blah blah blah… why does every thread need commentary from the “experts”?
It’s a legit question… I wouldn’t mind knowing… maybe there is a setup that requires more the a balance, like I said, I’m down for learning…
What does it really matter to you ?
i had the wheel weights fly off at 160 in my parts 929 that i bought off ty, then i hit the brakes and rememberd it had no back brakes.
but seriously, are you planning on wanganing your drifter at 330 down the 403 or somthing?
haha, anyway to answer the original question in the thread
Straight from Hunter:
9700’s in Oakville, ON:
- MTC tire [I think this is Mississauga Tire -John]
- Kennedy Ford
- Nissan’ Oakville
- Volkswagen’ Oakville
- Jag Oakville
- Lexus Oakville
- BMW Oakville
- Saturn Oakville
- Honda Oakville
Oh and Bob, I’m not sure the exact reason Hurricane wanted the balance on a 9700…
But I’ll tell you one thing… I had my tires balanced at Tire Depot in Mississauga where I bought my tires and it was fine… or at least I thought it was until I had them rebalanced on my buddies 9700… without even thinking it would make a different the first thing I noticed when I got on the highway was how damn smooth it was, it took me a few minutes to realize that it was because we rebalanced the wheels. I’m not sure what they use at Tire Depot but whoever did it was a clown or the machine just simply isn’t as good.
i realize a single case isn’t a good test - but that was how it went down in my experiences with it.
Also, the hunter 9700 has a few crazy ways of placing the weights, if I remember correctly one of them involves some weird method of putting more weight on the tire but it helps make the ride more smooth. i think it was something like you put them in 3 places around the wheel - sort of in a triangle, as opposed to just one place, i guess it offsets the inconsistancies in weight more evenly somehow…
… yeah i’m pretty much talking shit right now but its something like that!
ill vouch for hunter products in general… i was trained on the fancy hunter digi alignment machines as well as the 9700… and wowie their shit is good.
the 9700 does things that most shops would not even utilize. and even more would not even understand…
Why the GSP9700?
Eliminate Tire and Wheel Vibration with the GSP9700 Road Force Measurement®
Hunter’s GSP9700 is both a balancer and a vibration control system. It is also a Road Force Measurement analyzer for passenger car and light truck tire/wheel assemblies.
Each tire/wheel assembly is tested for the amount of dynamic/static imbalance and Road Force.
The GSP9700 simulates a “road test”, with a unique “load roller” which applies up to 1400 lbs of force against the rotating assembly. The roller measures the loaded runout of the assembly (deflection while under load) and automatically recommends corrections when needed. The GSP9700’s technology eliminates many of the time consuming, subjective and often non-productive manual measurements previously used to diagnose and repair ride disturbance concerns.
The following image shows an example of a GSP9700 diagnostic screen.
While driving a vehicle, consider all the wheel-related items that can cause vibration
Wheel Imbalance
Runout of the:
Rim
Tire
Rim and tire as an assembly
Force Variation of the Tire
Mounting Error While Balancing
Issues Related To The Vehicle:
Bent hubs
Mounting of the wheel to the vehicle hub off center
Excessive radial runout of the studs
Out of balance rotors and drums
Up until now the wheel service industry could just balance wheels. The GSP9700 fills the gap doing 75% more than wheel balancing.
Let’s review some of these issues:
Wheel Balance
Have you ever heard a customer say he is still receiving wheel vibration complaints after he has balanced wheels? Many people do not realize that balancing is only a small portion of wheel vibration. If the wheel never came in contact with the road, then balancing would be sufficient. A square wheel can be balanced, but a square wheel will not give a smooth ride.
Runout
Not usually checked until there is a problem. Bent rims or defective tires might be found “by an experienced eye,” but we all know that most operators of this type of equipment have little experience or training. Is it the runout in the rim, tire or a combination? How much is too much? Is it affecting the ride quality? These questions are tough to answer. Runout is usually considered after the customer comes back complaining. This diagnostic time is usually done at the expense of shop labor profits and can be time consuming. What about the customers who have a problem and don’t return going to another shop looking for an answer?
Many rim manufacturers measure runout during the assembly of the rim. The valve stem location is sometimes drilled to the request of the OEM at the low or high side of runout or a paint dot or stamp is placed at the identified location.
Many rims on the market today are also purposely designed so that the pilot hole is .002-.004" off-center to allow for adjustment capabilities by the assembly lines when encountering force variation on the tire. It gives the chance to adjust for tire force variation if runout is induced into the rim. But up to this point ONLY BY THE OEM!
Up until now, anyone could measure rim runout at the bead seats with a dial indicator. The drawbacks? It’s too time consuming. The GSP9700 will automatically measure the inner and outer bead seat and determine the effects on ride quality.
Force Variation (Tire Uniformity)
Radial force variation is the amount of change in stiffness of the sidewall and footprint when a load is placed against the tire. There are specifications and acceptable limits from tire manufacturers. Up until now, force variation has been measured only by OEM’s in an industrial setting using equipment in the range of half a million dollars. For example, a tire and rim could be perfectly round when measured with a dial indicator (free runout) and the wheel will still vibrate when driven due to excessive force variation. Many tires on the market today have a “paint dot” or mark on the tire that indicates either the high side or low side of force variation. Many have attempted to solve vibration problems by blindly “Lining up the dot” with the valve stem. The operator assumes the “dot” is the high point of radial force of the tire and the wheel valve stem hole is the low point of runout of the rim. Unfortunately, this is not always true. Many tires are not marked and many wheel manufacturers do not use the valve stem as the low point. Other OEM’s use the marks to indicate high points instead of low points! The GSP9700 eliminates any guesswork. The locations of runout and tire force are quickly located and measured. The GSP9700 also automatically determines if they can be used to solve an existing non-balance related vibration, before any extra work is performed.
Mounting Error
The wheel, when balanced, must be mounted on the vehicle the same way it came off the balancer. All too often, the technician improperly mounts the wheel on the vehicle off center and the balance is compromised.
Today’s vehicle designs are lighter and more sensitive to road feel. It has become more critical to be aware of wheel mounting on vehicles to eliminate vibration during balancing.
The GSP9700 will automatically alert the technician when a mounting error is detected on the balancer, thus preventing improper centering on the balancer from taking place.
In Conclusion:
With the GSP9700, virtually all possible complaints due to Wheel Balance, Tire Runout, Rim Runout, Tire Force Variation, and Mounting Error are all eliminated before the tire and wheel assembly is placed on the vehicle.
100% Seamless Quality Control of all wheels going out the door. It takes no more effort by the operator, no more steps than doing an everyday type of wheel balance.
If there is a vibration coming from the vehicle when it is driven after the wheels are measured on the GSP9700… then the problem IS NOT WHEEL RELATED! No more wasted diagnostic time. No more swapping of tires. No more falsely blamed tires sent back to the manufacturer. No more loss of profits tracking down blind vibration problems that cannot be traced. This is good for the tire dealer, this is good for the tire manufacturer, this is good for the consumer. There is no other piece of equipment available doing such a task.
Now if there is a problem. What can we do to fix it?
Grinding the tire? Ugh… Who wants to have their brand new tire ground away? There are numerous serious problems associated with this type of technology.
Match the heavy spot of the tire with the light spot of the rim? No. For years, traditional wheel balancers have offered this form of weight optimization. The primary benefit here is reducing weight; however, this does not take into consideration force variation. In some cases, weight optimization can even increase force variation complaints. The vibration becomes worse.
Hunter Engineering chose a better direction.
clearly not me talking
GT
i use that balancer all the time for all my drifting needs, i got my ways, the thing is awsome
Maybe you should start bringing your car to a different place, especially since your weights keep on coming off. I don’t care if you’re a hardcore drifter. That shouldn’t happen especially if they do alot of “mid-high end” work.
Brupppp!
[quote=“birdhou53”]
Maybe you should start bringing your car to a different place, especially since your weights keep on coming off. I don’t care if you’re a hardcore drifter. That shouldn’t happen especially if they do alot of “mid-high end” work.
Brupppp![/quote]
Maybe I like tossing weights?