[Sture]

A big Swedish automotive parts / general outlet have some cheap motorcycle tire tools / equipment for sale.



Their balancer will balance the wheel statically. Would that be enough? I´ve seen similar equipment used in racing pits, so apparently good enough for that. But "my" bike dealer uses a dynamic balancer, the same type as automotive tire shops use. Better or not??



There is a "cheap" bead braker too, so the thought of getting everything I need to replace my bike tires on my own is rather tempting. Tires sold over Internet are much cheaper than any bike dealer would offer.



I´m familiar with the method of braking the bead with some pieces of log and the underside of your car.



There´s nothing like gadgets...



Sture

 

[InWeldingWeTrust]

dynamic balancing is better, but only at very high speed, and in any case is no better at all on rim widths narrower than 3.50in ( ergo its not necessary for cx models) .Even when tyre testing for homologation purposes, only static balance is used. If you use a hand balancer you will quickly find that you will pick it up, its an easy, intuitive skill. Let the wheel come to rest and mark the bottom of the tyre as the heavy spot (6 o'clock). Move that around to the 3 o'clock position and let if fall. the speed of the fall will let you know how much weight you need, with practise. Spread the weight evenly over the two flanges. If the weight requirement in excessive (over 60gr) then break the beads, turn the tyre 180 deg, and start again. If its still excessive you have a faulty tyre so take it back to the dealer for replacement. If you go to a car scrap yard you will find old car rims that are a big enough diameter you can lay the bike wheel in it, like a fitting table to make life easier. Make sure the bead breaker you buy/use can break the beads without kinking them as if you buy a faulty tyre, then kink the bead removing it, no dealer will replace it.

when soaping the tyre beads do not soap the side of the bead but the "underneath" edge - all you require the soap to do is slide over the safety humps, and not to sit against the edges of the bead flange which may cause slippage. When inflating the tyre, always do so with the core removed, as this acts as a choke to reduce the input air charge

Always remember that fitting a tyre is an easy process, that can easily be done "one handed" if the proper technique is used. If it starts getting tough you are doing something wrong and may damage the tyre. If you hear any cracking or creaking, you already have. Most common fault of bad fitting is to allow the first bead to come up out of the rim bead well and therefore tighten up the entire carcass, so that as the second bead is fitted it tears the internal cording of the tyre. Remember, tyre fitters are like doctors, they bury their mistakes!

 

[Panther]

+1



even a "dynamic" balance on our rims is actually a static balance.

just not enough width to do any good.

 

[timothy_d]

Static balancing is more than adequate.



Long before my wife became my wife, she worked for Street and Competition back east.

She balanced tires for many local club and professional racers, always on a static rig.



Good enough for racers, good enough for us.

 

[marshallf3]

I've seen people use those old lawnmower blade balancers to do motorcycle tires. It's basically a large cone with steps in it and a bubble level on the very top. The cone is supported by a base that has sort of a pinpoint in it.



You rest the tire on the cone and play around with a weight or two until it's perfectly level.

 

[Sture]

I've seen people use those old lawnmower blade balancers to do motorcycle tires. It's basically a large cone with steps in it and a bubble level on the very top. The cone is supported by a base that has sort of a pinpoint in it.



You rest the tire on the cone and play around with a weight or two until it's perfectly level.

I saw one of those in a God-forsaken place, deep into the woods of northern Sweden, some years ago. It was used to balance out one of my car wheels, after that I had its tire replaced on the spot. Seemed to function very well.



Thanks for the response - probably off to the "gadget outlet" pretty soon.



There´s a Swedish saying: "Själv är bäste dräng" - probably something like "Self is the best farmhand".



Sture

 

[Shep]

I use the axle and a couple of my,"Wheelie" bins<grin>

and some stick-on weights.

 

[BikerMike]

when i built alot of dragbikes i balanced alot of wheels just fining the heavy spot and weighting till it stopped at no 1 point. u just need to make sure that u have good.. frree spinning wheel bearings and all the collars out of the wheels seal so there is no drag besides the bearing. never had any balance issuses and ran 150-160 mph in the 1/4 mile AND it's better than paying to have it done!! Good Riding Mike

 

[marshallf3]

Here's something I can't quite figure out:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00466L2GU...e=asn&creative=395105&creativeASIN=B00466L2GU



but this is more like what I was talking about, just can't find one with the integral level:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VYFOJM...e=asn&creative=395105&creativeASIN=B000VYFOJM

 

[Sture]

Here's something I can't quite figure out:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00466L2GU...e=asn&creative=395105&creativeASIN=B00466L2GU



but this is more like what I was talking about, just can't find one with the integral level:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VYFOJM...e=asn&creative=395105&creativeASIN=B000VYFOJM

I think that on the first one the outer ring would act as a support, after you´ve adjusted with the four screws, so the wheel rests on the cone. Not sure, though.



I was talking about these two gadgets - a bead braker and a balancer. Cost (converted to US money) $ 90 and 44. Decent value for money, I believe.

Sture

 

[Blindstitch]

I don't know about you but I think the bead breaker could easily be made for cheaper. But I'll have to think about it. I have seen several made out of wood.



[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grunCumm8go[/media]



I have another method that seems to work. I just deflate the tire, put pressure on the area where I want to break the bead and insert and thin flat screwdriver and give it a little twist. Others have used large C clamps.



[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKuCjMvE4Og[/media]







Or there is this style for just short of $50.

http://www.jcwhitney.com/motorcycle-tire-bead-breaker/p2004056.jcwx?filterid=c15594j1

 

[Shep]

I just use a G/C clamp and a bit of wood or take it down to my local car tyre fitting place.Funnily enough they are usually more helpful than motorcycle shops as there's almost always a,"Biker" working in them and will even remove and fit tyres for a few,"Beer Tokens"

 

[InWeldingWeTrust]

[Sture

The 2 bits of kit you show if reasonably priced are well worth the money. A great little bead breaker and the basis of a good balancer. Put a nylon or rubber strip over that bead breaker edge though and never do the muppet thing of using screwdrivers, wood etc near the bead edge as you risk either kinking it, tearing the shaffer strip or damaging the chamber bond. Any of the above will be unseen, but foreshorten the life of the tyre. Go to your local tyre dealer as Shep makes a very valid point - theres nearly always a biker who works there who if nothing else is sure you give you some practical advise or even show you a few things, or even sell you some cheap stick on weight. Just in case you end up balancing for friends, never throw the old weights away. Rather, heat them up and melt them down. If you make yourself up a simple mould out of an old spoke and some plaster etc you can even cast your own spoke weight, which is very useful

 

[marshallf3]

Love the balancer, the bead breaker almost looks like it could be made up on your own given some creativity and the correct parts.