Can drums/rotors be balanced?
 

i heard from a former midas worker that rotors/drums can't be balanced, but i'm thinking they can.

What is the low-down on this?

P.S. This ties in with the thread that i started entitled "overdrive vs. direct drive+high gear."

Anything that turns can be balanced. That being said a brake shop probably doesn't have the equipment to do so. Ask a good automotive machine shop if they have the properequipment. Drive shaft makers also.

Drums & Rotors come balanced from the Factory or Remann shop. Unless they are severely worn they're probably fine.
You can see the round Lead weights on these Al. Drums.
http://www.bowtiepower.com/images/drumoutside.jpg
Cast Iron Drums with rectangle weights.
http://www.britishv8.org/articles/Im...ession6-DD.jpg

This is absolutly true.

rotor balance
 

I have an old Bear spinner wheel balancing Machine, It has a couple sets of mounting plates with multiple holes for different wheel patterns. When you can't match up the bolt holes there are a couple cones with a one inch bore used to mount a brake rotor or hub, Static balance is easy. To spinn balance a rotor I would have to change out the steel driver wheel that contacts the tire . I have seen quite a few rotors with large Roll pins pressed into the cooling fin holes. Just like drive shafts I don't like using one that has a lot of balance weights.

This month's issue of Auto Restorer magazine had an article about balancing rotors. The author used a cheap Harbor Freight motorcycle wheel balancer. It's easy to put balance weights in between the fins on a vented rotor. Solid rotors and drums are tougher - drums require welding, solid rotors require drilling holes.