Identification of Static Unbalance Wheel of Passenger Car Carried out on a Road

This paper presents a method of identification of non-homogeneity or static unbalance of the structure of a car wheel based on a simple road test. In particular a method the detection of single wheel unbalance is proposed which applies an acceleration sensor fixed on windscreen. It measures accelerations cause by wheel unbalance among other parameters. The location of the sensor is convenient for handling an autonomous device used for diagnostic purposes. Unfortunately, its mounting point is located away from wheels. Moreover, the unbalance forces created by wheels spin are dumped by suspension elements as well as the chassis itself. It indicates that unbalance acceleration will be weak in comparison to other signals coming from engine vibrations, road roughness and environmental effects. Therefore, the static unbalance detection in the standard way is considered problematic and difficult. The goal of the undertaken research is to select appropriate transformations and procedures in order to determine wheel unbalance in these conditions. In this investigation regular and short time Fourier transform were used as well as wavelet transform. It was found that the use of Fourier transforms is appropriate for static condition (constant velocity) but the results proves that the wavelet transform is more suitable for diagnostic purposes because of its ability of producing clearer output even if car is in the state of acceleration or deceleration. Moreover it was proved that in the acceleration spectrum of acceleration measured on the windscreen a significant peak can be found when car runs with an unbalanced wheel. Moreover its frequency depends on wheel rotational frequency. For that reason the diagnostic of single wheel unbalance can be made by applying this method.