Let's talk tire balancing

[dbeardslee]

O.K. - here's the sequel to "Let's talk tires". As I'm sure you are all aware, as a tire wears the balance can change. With what dealers and tire shops charge to mount and balance a motorcycle tire (unbelievable!), I'm thinking now is the time to learn a new skill.

I was looking at the No-Mar Tire Balancer - $99 retail. Anyone had experience with this product? Anyone know a cheaper alternative? Got any balancing tips/tricks to share?

[Pat Kelly]

You can make a jig just like that out of 2 X 4's.
After changing the tire I put the axle back in the wheel and prop the ends of the axle in the slightly open gate of our metal fence. One end of the axle is on the fencepost and the other end on the gate. There ar slight depretions that keep it from falling off.
Spin the tire (slowly) and let it come to rest. mark the top. Spin it again (a couple of times) and see if the same spot ends-up on the top. If it does then opposite that is the heavy spot and your mark is where weight is needed. When the mark ends-up in different places evey time it is spun then the tire/wheel is balanced. Sometimes you get lucky and it takes no weight.

Someting I've done in the past is check my wheels with no tire on it. This will find the heavy spot of the wheel. If after mounting the tire it stops at that heavy spot of the wheel, you can rotate the tire and balance it with no weights. I know there is a dot on the tire that is supposed to line-up with the valve stem. I have moved the dot up to 180 degrees from the stem and gotten a good balance with no weights.

[dbeardslee]

Pat - so you're saying you just use the existing axle? Where can I get the appropriate fence and gate ?

[GNEPIG]

Quote:
"Someting I've done in the past is check my wheels with no tire on it. This will find the heavy spot of the wheel. If after mounting the tire it stops at that heavy spot of the wheel, you can rotate the tire and balance it with no weights. I know there is a dot on the tire that is supposed to line-up with the valve stem. I have moved the dot up to 180 degrees from the stem and gotten a good balance with no weights."


I do this at work on the super expensive wheels, the kind of wheels that would look like crap with wheel weights hangin off of it.
I also do this to wheels that I balance at home.

dbeard, that is a very nice lookin tool, I think I might get one also.

[dbeardslee]

Speaking of weights, where's a good place to get them? My understanding is that cycle tires are routinely balance to 1/4 ounce - correct? Do you need the little hammer/plier tool for the job?

[81xsproject]

Yeah... I payed $80 to get a set mounted recently only to get home and find that neither wheel had any weights on them. I called the shop to let them know they had forgot (since I asked for mount and BALANCE when I dropped them off). Turns out they didn't even have a balancer at the shop. They did what GNEPIG described. So, I threw it on the balancer discussed in THIS thread. Surprise, surprise, they still needed over an ounce and a half on each wheel. $80 to mount 2 tires! I won't be returning to that shop again.

[prometheus578]

"A weighty question, indeed!"

Use your axle, as the others have mentioned.
Most shops use sticky weights.
http://shop.alljet.com/shop/productd...heel%20weights
Can be bought in several colors, but for our rims, I use Black, as that's the color of the section where the weight goes(I didn't have to think too hard about that one)
They're in all the catalogs, so any shop can order them for you... Motion Pro, K&L Supply, etc.
Or can be ordered on-line.
I've never had them fall off.
Just make sure the rim is clean before you stick them on.
Time saving tip:When mounting your own tires... Do not remove the old weights till you're ready to balance. Depending on the quality of the new tire, some of them are pretty close to being nicely balanced already and it's the rim that may be out of whack.
Often, the new tire/rim is in balance without relocating the weights.
If it does need to be rebalanced, pull off the old weights but don't throw them away. Put the tire on the axle and let the heavy part settle to the bottom. Using the old weights(if they're the sticky ones, take a pair of wire cutters and cut the old weights into their 1/4 oz sections.
Jam these old weights into the tire tread (top of the tire)as needed to balance the tire. When the tire balances... you'll now know how many "new" weights to stick on the rim.
To remove the adhesive the old sticky weights left on the rim, use WD40 and your thumb nail.

And, as always when you have your tires off... stick your finger in the wheel bearings and spin them. If they're tight or grindy or clicky-feeling, replace them.

[dbeardslee]

"A weighty question, indeed!"

Prom - You're ate-up Great advice as always. Thanks.

[GNEPIG]

I have this same set-up at home and balance just as Prom has stated:
http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...ght=balance%2A

If a tire and wheel set up is out of balance less than 1 oz, I don't put any weights on. Since no one can feel that a tire is outta balance under 3 1/2 oz or until 160 mph, less than 1 oz is redundant especially on bikes that have wheels/rotors as heavy as ours.

[prometheus578]

"I'm becoming unbalanced."

http://roadstarclinic.com/content/view/83/130/
Easy to make.
Now.. the purpose of the extra wheel bearings... Once you place your wheel and axle shaft on the thing, those bearing are to help the axle/wheel spin easier.
The wheel balancer we had at the shop had a similar set-up. Two free spinning bearing disks on each side that the axle rested upon.
Funny... I had never seen those little bearing disk things move! It was always the wheel spinning around it's axle. As far as I'm concerned... Propping your wheel and axle up on the fence gate will work just fine.
Don't have a fence? Balance the tire with the axle spanning the gap between your washer and dryer.
Real lazy....? Leave off the speedometer gear housing and the brake caliper, and balance it on the bike.

[Pat Kelly]

I've done it on the bike before.





Balancing that is.





Wheel balancing.

[AlanB]

Hi Guys,

Balanced wheels make an amazing difference to the bike.

I use two kitchen chairs and the bike's own spindle.......

AlanB

[prometheus578]

My washer and dryer are in the garage... kitchen chairs upstairs in the kitchen.
Hmm...but I do have a coffee pot in the garage...
And I do have forks in the kitchen...

[planedick]

Perfedt balance

My friend Scott that bought the '79 has a balance shop in Corona and does his own wheels. The difference is, he does a "dynamic" balance. That is in addition to the type the tire shops do it is also balanced side to side. Don't know if that makes a difference. I have my tires done at Cycle gear where I buy them. It costs $20 for mount and balance and I've never had any problem.

[egsols]

Just had my done at a local shop. Owner used to run a Kawi race team. Just a small shop full of 20+ year old bikes.

He has a balance stand made up of a couple 1 1/2 inch square steel tubes with flanges welded on the bottom and then bolted to his bench. He leaves the axle in the wheel and throws on an ABEC 5 (or equivelent) bearing on each end of the axle which he then puts on his stand. Each bearing fits nicely in the square tube and as such holds the wheel in place and allows it to spin very freely.

Once he put the weight on, he could set the tire in any position and it wouldn't rotate!

He charged me $76 to mount and balance two tires, disposal on the old, 4 new exhaust gaskets and tax. Plus that's Canadian Dollars!

I'll be back.