I have a rear tire that I'm being told is beyond balance. I laced and trued the wheel so should I break down the tire and see if the wheel balances without it ? It's 20 bucks everytime they put a wheel on the machine. I bought the tire last year so I would hate to throw out a new tire. Anyone ever use the liquid tire goo????
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Tomterrific
XS650 Junkie
STOP paying for tire balance. Use the axle resting on jack stands. The heavy spot will go to the bottom. Mark the spot and lift it 90° in either direction and mark again. Eventually you will have an average and a good idea where the heavy spot is. Use solid core solder wrapped around the spokes as balancing weights. This is the traditional way to balance motorcycle wheels and tires.
You should have checked the balance of the rim and marked the heavy spot before you put on a tire. Most tires have a colored dot signifing the light spot. By matching the spots during installation the wheel and tire will be close to balanced.
I did as above but screwed up and had the dot opposite the heavy spot on the rim. I noticed this when I put the Avons on my old Triumph and the assembly was too far out of balance. I removed the tire and installed 180° and the assembly was in perfect balance! I don't count on being that lucky again.
Tom
You should have checked the balance of the rim and marked the heavy spot before you put on a tire. Most tires have a colored dot signifing the light spot. By matching the spots during installation the wheel and tire will be close to balanced.
I did as above but screwed up and had the dot opposite the heavy spot on the rim. I noticed this when I put the Avons on my old Triumph and the assembly was too far out of balance. I removed the tire and installed 180° and the assembly was in perfect balance! I don't count on being that lucky again.
Tom
Yes, I would pull the tire and check the rim balance. If your true is off in the vertical plane (up and down), that can throw the balance off big time.
I balance my own wheels as well. Being that wheel weights can cost as much as $2 each and being that I'm a cheap S.O.B., I've taken to casting my own .....
http://[URL=http://s1020.photobucket.com/user/bmwbobz/media/Suspension-Frame/Wheels/Wheel%20Weights/Cast2.jpg.html][ATTACH=full]293018[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=full]293367[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=full]293019[/ATTACH]
I balance my own wheels as well. Being that wheel weights can cost as much as $2 each and being that I'm a cheap S.O.B., I've taken to casting my own .....
http://[URL=http://s1020.photobucket.com/user/bmwbobz/media/Suspension-Frame/Wheels/Wheel%20Weights/Cast2.jpg.html][ATTACH=full]293018[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=full]293367[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=full]293019[/ATTACH]
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Well, when I got the rear wheel back from the shop, I noticed the valve stem was at an angle. The guy said he spun the tire 180 degrees to try and make it better. When I broke the tire off the bead and looked inside, the tube was balled up at the stem. There is no way a tire would balance with a folded over tube. I took it back and they re did the job. The tire was out 2.25 0z. now its fine.
5 twins, I have to make a mold like yours. I don't think I will go through this again.
Thanks to all for some great advice.
5 twins, I have to make a mold like yours. I don't think I will go through this again.
Thanks to all for some great advice.
Maddog Marty
Alotta Patina
Geez, 5Twins...is there anything you don't do on these things? Wow..very nice work...a man after my own heart, evidently.
I agree, 5twins, that is very sharp.
Jeez, this keeps getting worse. I went to my local bike night tonight, and the bike jumped arouned so bad at 50 mph I stopped. I pulled the wheel weights off, and the bike rode great. I should have taken my 40 bucks for the spin balance,and burned it!!!
Cafe-Dave
XS650B
5twins, you are adjsuting the weight by pinching/filing some off? Or did you make a two size mold? I can't seem to keep the new adhesive back weights on these piss catchers.
With permission I may monkey see monkey do your mold.
Toms idea of solder wire wrapped is OK but I can't get the wraps tight enough to keep them on the nipples, they fall to the hub end when parked?? I guess it does the job when moving as they fall back.
With permission I may monkey see monkey do your mold.
Toms idea of solder wire wrapped is OK but I can't get the wraps tight enough to keep them on the nipples, they fall to the hub end when parked?? I guess it does the job when moving as they fall back.
tadd442
dude.....
Yes, I would pull the tire and check the rim balance. If your true is off in the vertical plane (up and down), that can throw the balance off big time.
I balance my own wheels as well. Being that wheel weights can cost as much as $2 each and being that I'm a cheap S.O.B., I've taken to casting my own .....
AWESOME!
Tomterrific
XS650 Junkie
5t,
Sometimes I get the impression you have too much time to play. Or maybe just enough! :^)
Tom, who for the first time packed his Krausers like suitcases, instead of tool boxes / refrigerators, and wowed the XS crowd at Mid-Ohio. I still got dinged for not using the Kitty Litter boxes I used on the Triumph. :^(
Sometimes I get the impression you have too much time to play. Or maybe just enough! :^)
Tom, who for the first time packed his Krausers like suitcases, instead of tool boxes / refrigerators, and wowed the XS crowd at Mid-Ohio. I still got dinged for not using the Kitty Litter boxes I used on the Triumph. :^(
The molds are both the same size. They were made by bolting 2 1/2" thick pieces of plate together and drilling down into them with a 5/8" drill bit in a drill press. The "domed" top of the weight is nothing more than the angled flutes on the end of the drill bit. A smaller hole was then drilled all the way through for the old spoke stub to stick into. A little material was ground off the mold halves between the 2 molds to allow the sheet metal piece to fit in. Steps in the sheet metal hold the spoke nipples at the proper height.
You can just partially fill a mold to get different size weights or, like you said, clip or file a weight down to make a lighter one. I've been pretty lucky so far in that most of the wheels I've done are balancing up pretty good with just one weight. Guess I picked close to an ideal size to make them. Don't know what they weigh, maybe about an ounce.
I was all set to make the change to the dyna beads and asked my dealer about them. He said he doesn't like them and won't use them. He said if any moisture gets in the tire or even real high humidity, the balls clump up and the tire gets all out of balance. One day it may be fine, the next it might be jumping around like a jack rabbit. He still balances tires the old fashioned way using weights and, well, so do I.
You can just partially fill a mold to get different size weights or, like you said, clip or file a weight down to make a lighter one. I've been pretty lucky so far in that most of the wheels I've done are balancing up pretty good with just one weight. Guess I picked close to an ideal size to make them. Don't know what they weigh, maybe about an ounce.
I was all set to make the change to the dyna beads and asked my dealer about them. He said he doesn't like them and won't use them. He said if any moisture gets in the tire or even real high humidity, the balls clump up and the tire gets all out of balance. One day it may be fine, the next it might be jumping around like a jack rabbit. He still balances tires the old fashioned way using weights and, well, so do I.
sgallaty
Antihero
5twins man, I have to say - you are the man.
I used to cast lead soldiers in latex molds, so I was actually expecting to make bead weights for my junk by getting some latex or similar casting material and casting some positives.
I used to cast lead soldiers in latex molds, so I was actually expecting to make bead weights for my junk by getting some latex or similar casting material and casting some positives.
