New (very old building) shop

[napa68]

If you do not have them, get yourself a set of pin plates. It mounts the wheel lug centric as opposed to hub centric. Older wheels are not always hub centric, and some newer wheels (or aftermarket) do not have a proper surface to mount the wheel. The balance job is only as good as how it's mounted to the balancer.

The tire equipment is some of the best money I have spent (only second to hoists)

[Too Many Projects]

Happy for you that you got the tire equipment. I bought my old pair 10 years ago and have used the crap out of them. I was buying older wheels with junk tires at swap meets and having the tires dismounted at a local Walmart for a few dollars. Osha passed a law back then that they can't touch any tire more than 10 years old, as they may explode or come apart as the tech is handling them and cause an injury. I took 2 tires to them that were flat and the beads were already broken to remove and they still wouldn't slip them off the wheels. They claimed if they got caught doing that the Osha fine was thousands of dollars. Another controlling oversight of big brother gone awry. That was the turning point of me getting my own equipment. As you say, having the wheels properly balanced has been a big benefit of that purchase.

[Lynn]

Ever start a "clean up" project that took about 10 times longer than expected? Of course you have. I have had this old Craftsman box for over 50 years. Bought the top box in 71 from a co-worker. Then bought the bottom box the next year. Used it professionally until I got out of law school in 1990. Can't believe all the crap (non tools... you know, the little parts you think you might need next week, or in my case next millennium) that I accumulated in that set.

In all this time, the sliders have never been removed and cleaned. I emptied every drawer, took it all apart, removed all the sliders and cleaned them up in the solvent tank. Lubed them all up with a good graphite grease, and finally got it back together Sunday afternoon. It is beat to hell, but all the drawers slide easily now. As you can see, I also put new wheels on it. One of the swivel casters had not ball bearings left. Didn't swivel too well.

BTW, the stickers were already on it when I acquired it. PO raced an L78 Nova. I think it was a 68 that he bought new when he returned home from Viet Nam. Could have been a 69. I picked up the 1977 vintage SO box because I thought they would look nice together in my 1919 shop.

And no, I still don't have all my tools back in the boxes. Should get there this weekend.

[Lynn]

BTW, Mitch: "Osha passed a law back then that they can't touch any tire more than 10 years old, as they may explode or come apart as the tech is handling them and cause an injury."

That guy was full of crap. Probably just spewing the company policy. There is no such law. There is an industry standard against putting 10 plus year tires back in service. Shop would be exposing itself to some liability if you brought in old tires and they mount them. Or you brought in an old tire and they plugged it. There is no reason they can't dismount and discard an old tire. If that were REALLY the law, then how would one get new tires put on an old vehicle?

[Too Many Projects]

Originally Posted by Lynn

BTW, Mitch: "Osha passed a law back then that they can't touch any tire more than 10 years old, as they may explode or come apart as the tech is handling them and cause an injury."

That guy was full of crap. Probably just spewing the company policy. There is no such law. There is an industry standard against putting 10 plus year tires back in service. Shop would be exposing itself to some liability if you brought in old tires and they mount them. Or you brought in an old tire and they plugged it. There is no reason they can't dismount and discard an old tire. If that were REALLY the law, then how would one get new tires put on an old vehicle?

Pretty much my thought at the time too, but I was turned down by a local tire store too with about the same story ?? But, that's OK, as I pursued getting my own and never looked back.