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EZ Balancer Lite

Old 10-10-2011, 10:14 AM
  #1  
GBR2
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Default EZ Balancer Lite

In search of a better balancer than my current Great Planes CG Machine, I came across the two balancers sold by Southwest Systems. I settled on their Lite version as I didn’t need the capability of their large balancer plus the cost was significantly lower for the Lite version.

I received the disassembled balancer in a small package which had each of the blue anodized parts individually wrapped. There was also a hardware package and a photocopied set of assembly/use instructions.

Things I didn’t like after assembly and usage:

1. The photocopied instruction pictures were OK but could have been better. Some of the detail was hard to make out and there weren’t enough of them. In addition, there is no mention that the instructions are available on line as a PDF file with color pictures. The PDF file is much better, detail wise, but there should be more photos and more close-up ones.

2. The bushings used for the actual heart of the system have a higher shoulder on them then the thickness of the metal arms they are going into, so they can not be easily press fit into the arms. I ended up having to support the arms at each end and actually hammer the bushing through the arms.

3. The hardware supplied is to short lengthwise. There are no flat washers supplied and as a result, the anodizing under the butterfly nuts gets damaged when they are tightened. While this is a cosmetic issue, it ends up making the cross member just look ugly over time.

4. The whole cross member assembly is just cheesy. It is this member that is suppose to allow the two bases to stay parallel with one another and form a perfect rectangle but it is almost impossible to do this without the bases rotating on the 2 pivot points formed by a pair of screws and butterfly nuts. No matter how careful you are in making the bases parallel, even putting the model on the balancer can cause the bases to shift ever so much and throw off the ability of the balancer to work properly.

5. The bushings are supported by ¼-20 screws. The problem with this is that the threads from the screws tend to dig into the bushings and defeat the purpose of a drag free pivot point. Not sure why they couldn’t have either used ball bearing here or at the least have a smooth surfaced pin that supported the bushings.

The actual assembly instructions could have been better, especially the all important installation of the bushings in the proper sides of the arms. I got it right but had to look at it quite a few times before I convinced myself I was doing it properly. The true test of course is how well does it balance a model.

The answer is not very well, at least if you want to really be accurate about it. One of the first things you notice when you put the model on the balancer is how wobbly it is. It does not feel very solid. I used a glider with a known CG point. I put the glider on the balancer with the nose down and let it balance. The model did not quite come up to a level surface at the stab as it should have. I lifted up the nose and released, the balancer does it thing and now the nose is elevated. In other words, the balancer would not return the model to the original position that it first chose.

Now I did get the base plates as parallel as I could before I started but found having put the glider on the arms and moving into position on the arms had undone the parallel setting. So I reset that with the glider still on and tried again with the same result, the model would not return to the same balance condition each and every time.

So I whipped out my Great Planes CG machine and tried it. Got it balanced properly on the CG machine and did the same thing, pushed the nose or the tail down and let it rebalance. Each and every time the model returned to the same exact position.

So the problem with the EZ Balancer Lite appears to be caused by 2 things, first the bushings riding on screw threads that can dig into the bushing causing drag and second the inability of the bases to stay square. Both contribute to the balancer not being able to return the model to the same condition each and every time.

So for $79.95 plus another $ 7 – 8 they want for shipping, it just isn’t worth it. Certainly overpriced for what you get. There were things that I did like:

1. I do have to say that the anodizing was nice.

2. The metal pieces were well made.

3. The built in stops for the arms were nice and it was easier to position the model on the balancer than on the CG machine.

However, it certainly is not a better balancer and I think it is vastly overpriced for what you get. If they can get a drag free pivot point and figure out how to truly lock the base plates parallel to one another, then they might have something.

I rate it a 4 out of 10.


Left to right: First picture is the assembled balancer, second is the pivot point assembly, third is one of the butterfly nut crossmember adjustors, last is anodizing damage.
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Old 10-10-2011, 10:50 AM
  #2  
VIRGINIA MODEL BUILDERS
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Default RE: EZ Balancer Lite

Have you contacted the manufacturer. If so I would love to see what they say.
Thanks for the heads up I was going to buy one.
Old 10-11-2011, 08:12 PM
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tacx
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Default RE: EZ Balancer Lite

Here ya go. Some scrap wood and about $8.00 worth of parts from Home Depot.

1. 2 stove bolts with wing nuts. (Home Depot).

2. The rods are out of a screen door bracing kit. (Home Depot)

3. A pair of replacement rollers for a shower door. They have ball bearings. (Home Depot)

4. 4 rubber bumpers (Home Depot)

It's adjustable and carries a good amount of weight. It handles my 150 Twist with a 220 Saito with no problem.

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Old 12-20-2011, 06:57 PM
  #4  
tailskid
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Default RE: EZ Balancer Lite

I have one and really like it...but mine is 2-3 years old now.
Old 03-08-2013, 09:16 AM
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hairy46
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Default RE: EZ Balancer Lite

Thanks for the heads up, I was going to order one and thought I would find out more about them, they are 86.00 dollars now! Sounds like I can do better for the money!

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