-It was one of those days-

[R_W_B]

Balance question

(Appreciate all links and info you guys have on this)
Been looking at how to make a static wheel balancer on the internet. It appears you just need to get a stout (and very straight) steel axle rod to hold your wheel during the process. It also appears that having some sort of cone to press each side and keep the wheel stable.

Read that bubble balancers were not much better than no balance and that all you ever see in race pits are static balancers.
Thinking of installing my own tires on new rims (when I get around to buying them).

For years I've always just took my car or truck to the tire store. But some guys are telling me they do their own motorcycle tires. Although it's been 40yrs I too have done tires. When I was in the Army I changed many a pressure ring big truck tire with only a flat maddoc axe and two pry bars and a sledge hammer to reset the ring. Out where we were at we did not have access to an inflation cage. We turned the ring face down and sat on the tire while we aired it up. Found out yrs later that we were still floating with death even with the ring turned down. But all we were thinking about was get er done. We were lucky enough to live to tell about it.

 

[fin_676]

I made a simple static balancer from a couple of bits of wood i had laying around and i use the axel pin from the bike to spin the wheel on you gust have to make sure the holes in the 2 urights are level one fits on my main workbench and the other is held by a folding workmate took about 15 minuts to put together cost nothing and does the job

Brian

 

[R_W_B]

I made a simple static balancer from a couple of bits of wood i had laying around and i use the axel pin from the bike to spin the wheel on you gust have to make sure the holes in the 2 urights are level one fits on my main workbench and the other is held by a folding workmate

Ok (thanks fin) so looks like you just drilled a hole the size of the axle? Is the front axle the same dia? I was thinking I might need to cut a V slot to rest any size axle on.

I do see how you level it with a workmate though.

 

[fin_676]

I never thought about a v at the top so perhaps ill have to modify it when i do the sportster tyres later this year
it is not perhaps the most classy tool i have but ir does the job and can be stacked away in a corner ready for next time
i did the dyna tyres last spring and have just done the softail and still the sportster to do and i am getting quicker and easier each time i do a set of tyres
in the past the tyres i had changed had not been so wide and seemed a lot easier prior to my 93 sportster the most up to date bike i had ever had was an 81 bmw r100 rt its rear tyre was a 120 and easier to take off and on

Brian

 

[R_W_B]

I never thought about a v at the top so perhaps ill have to modify it when i do the sportster tyres later this year
it is not perhaps the most classy tool i have but ir does the job and can be stacked away in a corner ready for next time ... .... .... Brian

As long as it works it's classy enough for me. I've seen some other more sophisticated ones from $50 to $100, that say they will work on any bike wheel (without the axles). They have cones that slide (on a rod) up against the wheel on each side to hold it precisely level.

But if I can get my tire balanced enough to ride smooth, for a few bucks of wood bracing that's good enough for me. What with earthquakes, tsunamis and nuclear plants on fault lines, I might never get my moneys worth of the more expensive ones anyhow.

Tires are a kinda new thing for me (other than said previous experience yrs ago) so all this info really helps me start to visualize the concept. I like doing all I can on the bike, the key thing for me is knowing when to do it myself and when to pay someone else to do it (and of course my wallet weighs heavy on that).

 

[R_W_B]

You know Fin now that I remember seems you (or someone) gave me this pic awhile back when I was also plugging around for balancing acts. I probably just need to stop posting for awhile and just go spend some quality time in the self help section. You guys worked hard to create it (especially Glider from what I hear) so the least I can do is try and learn it all.

 

[fin_676]

if you are going to change your own tyres the first problem you will have is breaking the bead i use a large g clamp and a bit of ply
put the bit of ply across the back side of the wheel and place the clamp so the fived end is on the ply and the swivel head is against the bead and tighten the clamp it will push the bead off the rim might need a wee tweak with a tyre leaver to get it fully off

Brian

 

[R_W_B]

if you are going to change your own tyres the first problem you will have is breaking the bead i use a large ... ... ... ....

Thanks fin, I've also been reading much of the tire section on HDT now. I notice Harbor Freight does not currently sell the $38 manual tire machine (that they used to have) that sells everywhere else for $75 to $115. I think I can build something of my own with wood though. Gonna try your clamp method first though since things built out of wood tend to take some space to store.