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How to balance wheels and tires

Last post 06-20-2008, 07:34 AM by stangmx135. 19 replies.
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  •  12-19-2006, 07:49 AM 255380

    How to balance wheels and tires

    Here is a step-by-step procedure on balanacing wheels and tires. 

    Click on any pic for a higher resolution version.

    Tools needed:
    - static wheel balancer
    - wheel weights
    - chalk (or some kind of temporary marking tool)
    - removable tape (such as blue painters tape or masking tape)
    - duct tape (optional)

    If it hasn't already been done, remove any old wheel weights that were left from the installation of your previous tire on the wheel.  For optimal balancing, make sure the lightest part of the tire (denoted with a painted dot on the sidewall) is mounted at the heaviest part of the wheel (usually at the valve stem).  For the front wheel, remove all wheel spacers.  For the rear wheel, remove all spacers and the cush drive.  Its okay to leave the brake rotors on the wheels.

    Here is a typical static wheel balancer.  It'll consist of a steel shaft, tapered universal cones, bearings for the steel shaft to spin on, and something to hold the whole thing up in the air.

    Make sure your wheel balancer is straight and level.  Some balancers come with a level bubble and an adjustable base.

    Insert the steel shaft throught the wheel hub and secure the wheel onto the hub using the tapered universal cones.  Center the wheel on the shaft as best as you can.

    Place wheel on the wheel balancer.  The wheel will spin on the shaft such that gravity wil have the heaviest part of the wheel down to the bottom and the lightest part of the wheel on top.  Use the chalk to mark the lightest part of the wheel.

    Repeat this step several times to verify that the marked spot is indeed the lightest part of the wheel. 

    If the wheel does not stop at the same spot in a consistent manner, then you've lucked out and have a well balanced wheel already.  Proceed no further  Smile

    Tape some wheel weights to the inside of the wheel to counteract the heaviest part of the wheel.  Note:  The number of weights you will need to mount will vary

    Move the weighted location to the 3 or 9 o'clock position. 

    NOTE:  the pic shows my rear wheel without its brake rotor.  It is not necessary to remove the brake rotors to balance your wheels.

    Gravity will again pull the heaviest part of the wheel to the bottom.  If the weighted section is too light (i.e. it moves back up to the 12'oclock position), add more wheel weight.  If the weighted section is too heavy (e.g. it will move to the 6'oclock position), subtract wheel weight.  Ideally, you want to add enough weight such that wheel will have little to no movement.  (Note:  since you're dealing with an almost frictionless system, this can take a long time if you're the anal type.)

    Wheel weights come in units of 7 grams (1/4 oz).  The most likely scenario is that you'll need to add weight such that it will not be a multiple of 7 grams.  Supose you need somewhere between 2 weights (14 grams) and 3 weights (21 grams).  Since you can't install weights at lesser value than 7 grams, pick the lesser of evils (you'll know what I mean by this when you actually do this procedure).

    Once you're satisfied that you have the right amount of weight, remove the adhesive back on the back of the wheel weight and install it permanently onto the wheel.

    Double check that you have installed the weights corectly by verifiying that wheel is not stopping consistenly in the same place.

    This next step is optional.  The wheel weights' adhesive isn't very strong.  Its quite possible that it can come off and become a hazard to yourself and/or traffic around you.  To minimize this risk, I cover the wheel weights in duct tape.

    The whole process will take about 10 minutes or so.  It may take longer if you're new to this.

     

    Okay, we're done.  Remount your wheels onto your bike and ride  Smile


    badfish
    '05 600RR Purple/Black
  •  12-19-2006, 12:51 PM 255383 in reply to 255380

    Re: How to balance wheels and tires

    Awesome tutorial !
    Mario Sobral

  •  12-19-2006, 01:04 PM 255387 in reply to 255383

    Re: How to balance wheels and tires

    Holy crap Abad! You had to use five 7.5 gram weights! That's a lot of weight.

    P.S. You also need to inform people that from time to time, a wheel can already be balanced and not need any weight. I had that happen to me 4 times this past season. (Out of around 50 tire changes.)


    _____________________________________________
    2008 Triumph 675
    My Website = http://www.3knucklesracing.com
    BSS #88
    TTC #88
  •  12-19-2006, 07:52 PM 255427 in reply to 255387

    Re: How to balance wheels and tires

    awsome abad, just added something to my christmas list........

    CBR 600F4

    Live a little today before you die forever tomorrow
  •  12-21-2006, 06:10 PM 255585 in reply to 255387

    Re: How to balance wheels and tires

    DucRacer748:

    Holy crap Abad! You had to use five 7.5 gram weights! That's a lot of weight.

    That's not a lot of weight.  I've seen others with more.  The Honda service manual states that you can add up to 60 grams.  That would be 8 weights.  I'm only at 5.
    badfish
    '05 600RR Purple/Black
  •  12-21-2006, 06:18 PM 255588 in reply to 255585

    Re: How to balance wheels and tires

    we should have a section for abads tutorials ! some highquality stuff man, thank you for the high res pictures and the clear wording and explanations.



    2006 Honda CBR600F4i
  •  01-30-2007, 02:13 PM 259308 in reply to 255585

    Re: How to balance wheels and tires

    plus powdercoating can be a reason for that, my buddies was powdercoated a lil thick and when we balanced it she needed way more weights than before she was coated

  •  06-02-2007, 02:26 AM 269882 in reply to 259308

    Re: How to balance wheels and tires

    How do you know what side of the rim R/L to put the weight as to not develope a dynamic vibration??
  •  06-02-2007, 02:52 AM 269883 in reply to 269882

    Re: How to balance wheels and tires

    sullysays:
    How do you know what side of the rim R/L to put the weight as to not develope a dynamic vibration??


    u dont.  this type of balancer only does a static balance...  dynamic balancing machines are electronic and costly.  but if ure worried about it, just split the weight between the 2 sides.
    Naked 93' F2...... RIP -- 04/12/07
    04' 600RR Black - currently stuck between track and street usage
    - Brembo Master, Sato's, & Ohlins out back
  •  03-11-2008, 10:51 PM 284389 in reply to 269883

    Re: How to balance wheels and tires

    lucky abad takes it to the dude down the street for free mounting...

    guys like me are stuck having to pay high fees or do it at home...

    currently changing my rear...used a C-clamp to break the beads, but mang wouldn't work for the other side so i used 2x4 and company truck...worked FAST!

    now need some tire irons to get off the old, then some bling for a new tire.

    T


    Mawfaki # 0.5
    "Let the ignorance die with the ignorant" - Tahoe SC
  •  03-12-2008, 03:14 AM 284397 in reply to 284389

    Re: How to balance wheels and tires

    handy industries tire changer for you Tahoe, followed by some tools from Nomar.

    hopefully, abad also found the "heavy" spot of the rim w/o the tire, though michelin doesn't mark the heavy part of tire like dunlops do.

    for those concern about weights, go to local races and check the tire vendors and how they work. some of them don't even put the heavy part of the tire 180deg across the heavy spot of the wheel sometimes. balancing, they get so much practice they can tell how much to put by the just the speed of rotation. then again, they get so much practice to figure that. also, they only put the weights on one side and typically not center (on my F4, fzr 400, gixxer 750). freakin' takes me like 15 mins to balance one freaking wheel sometimes, cuz i'm anal.

    to what grams is your balancer sensitive to abad? that's usually one determining price of the static balancer. the better the bearings, the more expensive.



    "Leaders are like tea; put them in hot water to find out how strong they are." Anonymous
  •  03-12-2008, 09:35 AM 284403 in reply to 284397

    Re: How to balance wheels and tires

    high_revs:
    handy industries tire changer for you Tahoe.....


    more details plz?  involve something not costing $3k+?
    Naked 93' F2...... RIP -- 04/12/07
    04' 600RR Black - currently stuck between track and street usage
    - Brembo Master, Sato's, & Ohlins out back
  •  03-12-2008, 04:21 PM 284409 in reply to 284403

    Re: How to balance wheels and tires

    no the handy one isn't over 1K, i can't remember how much, i do have a link of it but can't find it at the moment.

    if anything, more like harbor freight for tahoe!

    as of now, times are rough and will even get rougher i think...so i will use tire irons and the good old by hand method. yes it may take me awhile but when you gots no bling to pay you do whatever you need to get a tire on! muahahhaha

     


    Mawfaki # 0.5
    "Let the ignorance die with the ignorant" - Tahoe SC
  •  03-13-2008, 03:25 PM 284455 in reply to 284409

    Re: How to balance wheels and tires

    did i say handy industries or did i mean harbor freight. it's the latter. sorry. LOL

    roughly $200 or so? i think i've seen it on  sale for $150.



    "Leaders are like tea; put them in hot water to find out how strong they are." Anonymous
  •  03-13-2008, 05:14 PM 284471 in reply to 284455

    Re: How to balance wheels and tires

    old age...perhaps? mauahhahha j/k...

    anyone try them ceramic beads/balls instead of balancing? i don't get the logic, spin something inside a tire and it's going to head for the outer part...but these balls/beads head for the lightest part of the tire to balance it instead...WTH?

     

     


    Mawfaki # 0.5
    "Let the ignorance die with the ignorant" - Tahoe SC
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