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wheel balancing

R_W_B

R_W_B

Senior Member
I had 2 Hondas and 1 Triumph when I was younger, now I have a Harley for a little over 2 months. It rides great with the exception of vibration around 60 miles per hour. I want to do the motor mount washer spacers as soon as I get a chance, check the alignment, and front fork stuff, but my question here is:
Wheel balancing ? I surmise you hire this done ? About how much does it run ?
Appreciate any info.
 
I do my own tyre fitting and wheel balancing although not a sophisticated a balance as with complex machinery i have never had wheel balance problems made mine out of a couple of bits of wood laying around the place 1 sits on the floor with a cross piece on the main workbench and the other piece sits on the floor and is held upright by the portable workbench a suitable hole in each piece of wood and use the axel from the wheel that is being balance i use different types of weight depending on the wheel I'm balancing if using stick on weights then i clean the area with thinners before i apply it

Brian
 

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Joe if your tires have been balanced and have stick on weights, do you remove the weights before using the beads?
 
Thanks Fin, forgive my ignorance but what procedure does one follow to balance the wheel ? I see you have it removed from the bike and put on an axle support, so I surmise you then spin the tire and/or do what ?

Thanks also Redfish Joe: This sounds extremely interesting, I am wondering why everyone doesn't use these ? I guess because you have to break the tire down first, or now that I think of it how do these work with tube tires ? I have spoke rims.
 
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R_W_B said:
Thanks also Redfish Joe: This sounds extremely interesting, I am wondering why everyone doesn't use these ? I guess because you have to break the tire down first, or now that I think of it how do these work with tube tires ? I have spoke rims.
Click to expand...

Spin the tire and the heavy part goes to the bottom, add weight untill the tire does not stop in the same place when spun. As I understand the beads you do not break down the tire the beads are added thru the valve stem, and the spinning of the tire while riding causes the beads to move to the lightest spot.
 
Thanks HDDON for answering both questions. So I surmise you jack the weight off the tire, pull the valve stem and pour the suggested amount in and air the tire back up.
I am wondering ( I bought my bike used ) what if any ramifications, if there were beads already in my tires and I added more (i.e. vibration coming from other source)
Also does anyone use these beads in automobiles ?
 
You cannot over fill. The beads pour in through the valve stem but it is a slow procedure, it will help if you use an engraving tool to vibrate the beads in. I have used the beads a few times with no problems. Some of the die hards will disagree on the use of beads for balancing but I know that stick on weights do fall off and they do not add any thing to an expensive cast wheel so the beads make sense to me
kemo
 
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