Tire Balancing at home

Hi guy's, I have done a lot of tire changing and balancing. Mostly on the beloved FJR, but also on R-6 yamaha's, BMW's and others. I have found this method is working the best "for me". The Avon's have been worst than others. After removing the old rubber and cleaning the wheel, I will balance the wheel by it self. I have found both FJR and the BMW front wheels are off as much as 30 grams. It my be the wheel or the rotors, but it is still way out. The rears are normally closer, in the 10-15 gram range.

Here is what I have been doing on my regular customers. I will balance the bare wheel, and mark the weight and spot on the inside of the wheel with a sharpie. Then I will tape that amount of weight to the outside of the wheel. I will then mount the fresh rubber with plenty of lube(more on this later).

After mounting, I won't air the tire up. I will mount the wheel and new tire on my Marc Parnes balancer. Keep in mind the wheel is in balance because of the temporary weight we taped on. Now the heaviest part of the tire will go to the bottom. You now mark the tire(I use a piece of masking tape). Remove tire/wheel off the balance stand and spin the tire or wheel (remember you didn't put air in the tire) and line up heavy part of the tire to the temporary weights are on the wheel.

Remove the temporary weights, air the tire up..and put the wheel/tire back on the balancer. Now balance in the normal way. What you have done is put the heaviest part of the tire on the lightest part of the wheel. I have found this will cut the weights on your wheels close to half.

Is this overkill, maybe... But you only have to balance to wheels one time. Just remember to mark the lightest part of the wheel and the weight on the inside. Just be sure to use lots of tire lube so you can "spin" the tire on the rim.

Hope this helps some of you tire changers out there. Smitty :yahoo:

Of all the type tires I have used the Avon's do not have a dot on them to line up with the heavy part of the wheel.???????????Your method work ok but with a little spinning of the tire one way or the other.

After being raped and pillaged this past saturday by my local stealer over mounting 2 tires, I permanently fired their arse and will be looking to getting into the tire changing business myself. The info is much appreciated and could you possibly list the types and costs of your equipment?

Marc Parnes balancer: $100

No-Mar tire machine plus "helping hand" clamps: $700 (I use big assed plastic C clamps from Menards)

Not having to go to the shop to **** up your own bike.. priceless??

Order weights and rim protectors when you order your tires.

Harbor Freight tire changer and motorcycle adapter - about $100

Not as nice as the more expensive units but certainly adequate for someone who is only changing his own tires.

Thanks Smitty for the reminder. Now to convince the wife I need a tire changer...

I first bought a Harbor Freight changer :angry2: it was a wheel eatin machine. I know not everyone would want to / have the ability to change there own tire. This is the changer of choice in the FJR community... I have one, FJRocket, KSFJR, and hundreds more..Well maybe a few more and a Mark Parnes static balancer...

nomar changer

Well maybe a few more. Most stealer get around $150. to mount a set on the bike. Plus you pay retail for the tires. Doesn't take long to pay for it. Smitty

I at the recomendation of marc parnes, bought a Coats 220 machine. It was about 800 dollars. I have changed for myself and freinds about 40 sets of tires. the machine has more than paid for itself and was well worth the cash. I caved in to the expense of the purchase after one too many trips to the m/c shop to pick up scratched up out of balance wheels and forking over 60 to 70 dollars for the priveledge....If you want it done right.....

wheatonFJR said:

Thanks Smitty for the reminder. Now to convince the wife I need a tire changer...

Click to expand...

A few trips to my local "stealer" would do it. Last saturday, I carried tires and the wheels that I REMOVED in to be mounted.

[SIZE=36pt]$80[/SIZE]

Won't be back EVER. I will, however, take every other motorcycle I purchase during the remainder of my life and show them what I DID NOT buy from them.

Scab said:

wheatonFJR said:

Thanks Smitty for the reminder. Now to convince the wife I need a tire changer...

Click to expand...

A few trips to my local "stealer" would do it. Last saturday, I carried tires and the wheels that I REMOVED in to be mounted.

[SIZE=36pt]$80[/SIZE]

Won't be back EVER. I will, however, take every other motorcycle I purchase during the remainder of my life and show them what I DID NOT buy from them.

Click to expand...

Our local guy charges $25 a tire change, mount and dismount, you bring him the wheel and new tire.

Finally something's cheaper in Cali !!

I just paid $231.00 with taxes and disposal fee for my new Pilot Roads from my parts dealer. Mounting and balancing are free if you bring them the wheels.

Beat that! :bleh:

I was paying $40 for each but that included taking them off the bike and SPIN balancing them.

But he's gone, *poof*, vanished, out of business now after 30+ years. So I too will be looking at doing it myself.

Not sure I understand what the Coats 220 add-on/Upgrade gives ya.

The Classic is only $595.00

So enlighten me those in the know. What's it take to get set up properly from the get go...

Let's assume I'm going to be changing tires on my FJR, the ZX11 and an RT. I'll go halves on this setup with my dad.

Which balancer is best, knowing I'm going to have a single sided swing arm bikes to deal with.

-MD

Also I noticed this on ebay if anyone's looking for a No-Mar...

item number: 120017877700

It's a classic with LOTS of goodies for only a $100 more. Looks like a pretty good deal, if in fact the classic model is good enough.

Haven't figured this all out yet myself. I bet if you call them they might just put this package together. Seems to me they sell this type of package at the shows.

Renegade, I have the clasic model. It works great, and in a home shop would be more than enough. I have a Parnes balancer, and maked a stand to set the balancer on. You can use two jack stands, and it will work fine. I was the first to paying customer for them. I was ready to shell out $2500. for a air changer, and spin balancer. A gal within a group I ride with was building them with her husband. She asked me to wait a few more week, and I could try there changer out. I did, and within a week I had help sell 4 others. I can change a front with the wheel off the bike in 3 minutes. Thats from air out to air in. I am not connected to Nomar in anyway, but there have a nice product for the money. Smitty

Gratifying, isn't it?

For those who like to have a complete system that totally breaks down into component parts (limited space to dedicate for such projects), here is an excellent resource: Rolling your own

Bead breaker

Valve core tool

Wheel stand/holder

3 curved tire irons

Air compressor

Balancer

Supplies

I love changing tires without the guilt of having to eek out the last few miles, just to extract all possible goodness from a tire, simply to justify the cost of having a shop do it.

It's kind of like handloading for a rifle. If you have the right tools, and the willingness to learn, the results are undeniably better, and in the event that they're not any better, at least you can know why, as well as save $'s.

YMMV,

Shane

Killer link, Shane. Thanks!

twowheelnut said:

I just paid $231.00 with taxes and disposal fee for my new Pilot Roads from my parts dealer. Mounting and balancing are free if you bring them the wheels.
Beat that! :bleh:

Click to expand...

I just may have to make your tire dealer part of a mini road trip in the future. Do you know how much Avons are there?

Does anyone here have experience with the small beads that you pour inside your tire to balance them? They pour in via the valve stem after you let the air out then filler back up with air, thats it. They travel to the lighter side of the tire. Directions call for about 1 oz for the front and 2 oz for the rear.

Here is a excerpt from the site I was researching. I actually purchase a bag of them and will be putting them in the bike tonight.

"Motorcyclists will quickly notice the smooth ride, and enjoy dramtically longer tire life. No more spoke weights and rim weights using a high-tech dynamic balancing product that's easy to install.

Your motorcycle dealer won't want to do it the old way once he's tried Dyna Beads! See your sizing chart here."

Alex said:

Does anyone here have experience with the small beads that you pour inside your tire to balance them? They pour in via the valve stem after you let the air out then filler back up with air, thats it. They travel to the lighter side of the tire. Directions call for about 1 oz for the front and 2 oz for the rear.
Here is a excerpt from the site I was researching. I actually purchase a bag of them and will be putting them in the bike tonight.

"Motorcyclists will quickly notice the smooth ride, and enjoy dramtically longer tire life. No more spoke weights and rim weights using a high-tech dynamic balancing product that's easy to install.

Your motorcycle dealer won't want to do it the old way once he's tried Dyna Beads! See your sizing chart here."

Click to expand...

I've seen those also, let me know how they work!

twowheelnut said:

Killer link, Shane. Thanks!

Click to expand...

Yup!

Shane