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They work very well. The beads go inside the tire, so how would they be littering the country?
Leo
Leo
If every car had them, they'd be a fantastically common and indestructible item. Remember those soda zip tops in the '70s? They were everywhere you looked.
I got some off Amazon about the time this thread started and they work great. I did have an issue checking tire pressure once. A couple beads got stuck in the valve while checking tire pressure and let the air out....wtf....lol. Had to pull the valve and remove the offenders. I now make a point of having the valve stem better than halfway to the top of the tire, at least, before checking pressure. Keep a valve remover tool handy if you're going to check tire pressure while out and about, ya never know.
I've been using Ride-on, an orange-colored gel product advertised as both a sealant and balancing agent, for several years in the tubes in my 650 - very smooth! Obviously not recoverable like beads would be.
I've been using BBs in tubeless tires on my car, truck, GoldWing, two Honda CB 750C's, and a couple of trailers. I weigh them and use the same weight recommended for the tire on Dyna Bead's charts.
One nice thing about the beads in a tube type tire, you can mount the tire and install the beads later, or, have a shop install the beads after you mount the tire. AND NO UGLY WHEEL WEIGHTS ON YOUR PRETTY RIMS.
I buy some tires at Walmart, but they will NEVER mount or balance a tire for me ever again. That way I can clean the bead area on the rim, use a much better quality valve stem, and balance the tire with BB's myself. So, no more inferior mounting from Walmart with slow leaks that have to be constantly checked or removed and re-mounted.
Scott
One nice thing about the beads in a tube type tire, you can mount the tire and install the beads later, or, have a shop install the beads after you mount the tire. AND NO UGLY WHEEL WEIGHTS ON YOUR PRETTY RIMS.
I buy some tires at Walmart, but they will NEVER mount or balance a tire for me ever again. That way I can clean the bead area on the rim, use a much better quality valve stem, and balance the tire with BB's myself. So, no more inferior mounting from Walmart with slow leaks that have to be constantly checked or removed and re-mounted.
Scott
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Tomterrific
XS650 Junkie
The dynamic ring balancers work. High speed industrial equipment use this principle as well as everybody's washing machine. You may notice an unbalance spin cycle at first but then it smooths out. There is a ring at the bottom of the tub with water. Balance Masters has a variety of balance rings, not cheap. I made my own rings for our family CRV. It took out the minor, yet irritating, tire vibration the shop could not fix.
It is applied science, not voodoo!
Tom
It is applied science, not voodoo!
Tom
Sawyer Rob
XS650 Member
Why wouldn't "lead shot" from a shotgun shell work??
SR
SR
Lead shot is too soft. After awhile it would become lead dust and that can be hazardous when you change tires. Breathing the lead dust is not good for you.
There are lots of sellers of ceramic beads on Ebay. Some are too big to fit through the valve stem of a tube. These would work ok for tubeless tires.
I need to order some more beads, I just put new tires on the 83. Shinko 712's. They don't feel bad but there is just a bit of vibes, The beads will get rid of that.
Leo
There are lots of sellers of ceramic beads on Ebay. Some are too big to fit through the valve stem of a tube. These would work ok for tubeless tires.
I need to order some more beads, I just put new tires on the 83. Shinko 712's. They don't feel bad but there is just a bit of vibes, The beads will get rid of that.
Leo
It should work. Some lead shot may even fit through the valve stem of a tube. Use the weight in the Dyna Beads chart. I would like to see lead shot after 8,000 to 10,000 miles. The BBs look just fine at the end of a tires life, the thin copper coating is just turned to dust.
Scott
