Anyone have AIRSOFT PELLETS in their tires?

[Barry 07 FJR1300AE]

First off, this is a work in progress post as I am about to give this a shot and I will post results. I have been looking into Dyna Beads for the fact that I can get my tires swapped by a local "Auto Tire" shop "cheap", however they cant balance of course. After researching the Dyno Beads I saw a post that someone said use Airsoft Pellets (Walmart). They posted nothing else, so I went on a search and found it is VERY common around the 4x4 community to balance big tires this way. Anyway I found a thread on the advrider forum that gave instructions. Basicly add the same amount as the Dyna Beads. I have 6K on my PR2's and they seem to be balanced and wearing fine. I plan to mark the wheels and remove the weights. Break down the tires and pour in 1oz front and 2oz rear(as per dyna bead inst). Then go ride. If balance seems right then great. Then to TEST the science I am going to install the wheel weights opposite where they were and ride. Ill post the results. Please post your experiances. Also watch the

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Dyna Beads

 

[Imp]

I can't wait to hear the outcome. I found the Dyna Beads several years ago but never put them to use. They claim to extend the tire life.

 

[HotRodZilla]

I was gonna say that DynaBeads seem like BS to me, but I'll hold off on any opinions till the end of this test. Sounds like a good idea and a valid test to me.

 

[jerome burley]

Running dyna beads in my front pr2 with 5000 miles on it. Seems to be wearing well. I still think that DILIGENT air pressure checks are the key to longer tire life and better wear! I run 39 to 40 in the front, never 36. Sound like science in the making......

 

[Barry 07 FJR1300AE]

Supposedly this isnt rocket science and has been being done for years. Anyway here are the results. On the rear I had 2 1/2 oz of lead weigh and 2 oz on the front. I removed the weights and rode the bike. I could notice more vibration but nothing crazy. Next I removed the wheels and broke done one side of the tire(very easy). I poured in 1 1/2 oz(app 200 pellets) in the front and 2 1/2(app 350 pellets in the rear). BTW I measured out 1 tsp of the pellets then counted them(42). It will be close enough and as per dynabeads overage have no affects. Washed wheels and reinstalled. Washed bike and went for a ride. Bike is smooth as silk. I cant say if it is smoother than with the lead weights (no problems before) but it is definately just as smooth and definately smoother than with no weights. I didnt thing about setting my cruise as speed and then releasing the bars as I do alot. Also I didnt do a slow to stop without hands on bars to check that way. My bike was smooth and straight before. I will get back on that. I take that as a completed test and they seem to work great. The main thing will be to see what the tires look like at the end of life point. Also to see what the pellets look like when I pull the tires off. The main thing is 5000 pellets at $12 buck at walmart(0.20 g) will last a life time for you and your buddies. This also makes it easier to change your own tires or pay a tire shop less than a stealer to do it. If you need a visual representation watch the youtube video on my first post. I am gonna make a water bottle test device as they did and try it myself with the Airsoft pellets.

Questions?

 

[Barry 07 FJR1300AE]

Running dyna beads in my front pr2 with 5000 miles on it. Seems to be wearing well. I still think that DILIGENT air pressure checks are the key to longer tire life and better wear! I run 39 to 40 in the front, never 36. Sound like science in the making......

I agree air pressure checks are VERY inportant. Seems the PR2's leak off some every week or two. A friend with a ST1300 and PR2's notices the same thing. I run 41 frort and 42-43 rear.

 

[Jer]

Supposedly this isnt rocket science and has been being done for years. Anyway here are the results. On the rear I had 2 1/2 oz of lead weigh and 2 oz on the front. I removed the weights and rode the bike. I could notice more vibration but nothing crazy. Next I removed the wheels and broke done one side of the tire(very easy). I poured in 1 1/2 oz(app 200 pellets) in the front and 2 1/2(app 350 pellets in the rear). BTW I measured out 1 tsp of the pellets then counted them(42). It will be close enough and as per dynabeads overage have no affects. Washed wheels and reinstalled. Washed bike and went for a ride. Bike is smooth as silk. I cant say if it is smoother than with the lead weights (no problems before) but it is definately just as smooth and definately smoother than with no weights. I didnt thing about setting my cruise as speed and then releasing the bars as I do alot. Also I didnt do a slow to stop without hands on bars to check that way. My bike was smooth and straight before. I will get back on that. I take that as a completed test and they seem to work great. The main thing will be to see what the tires look like at the end of life point. Also to see what the pellets look like when I pull the tires off. The main thing is 5000 pellets at $12 buck at walmart(0.20 g) will last a life time for you and your buddies. This also makes it easier to change your own tires or pay a tire shop less than a stealer to do it. If you need a visual representation watch the youtube video on my first post. I am gonna make a water bottle test device as they did and try it myself with the Airsoft pellets.

Questions?

I have a question. Can the walmart beads be poured through the valve stem and if so why did you not install yours that way?

 

[Barry 07 FJR1300AE]

No they are to large to go thru the valve stem. I think Dynabeads are ceramic and dense making them small and heavy like a typical bb. Airsoft pellets are plastic. They do come in different weights. I got 0.20g ones so 5 make a gram. Easy math. They make 0.25 ones but my walmart didn't carry. Also make sure u just get plain Airsoft pellets. They make marking ones and glow in the dark ones. I wouldn't wanna use marking ones FOR SURE. The bead is very simple to break but is easiest done with the wheel off the bike. I just used a short say 6in piece of 2x4 standing on the tire then used a 8ft 2x4 (as a lever) under something that won't move (car bumper). It takes very little force to break the bead. You have to push the tire bead all the way off that side to get enough room to pour in the pellets. You dont want an of them between the rim and tire bead!!! I have a large air compressor but it takes VERY little air to reseat the bead. I am very mechainical and didn't mind going thru the trouble of removing and breaking down tires for experimental purposes. In general there is prolly no reason to do this with already balanced tires. Unless you are having problems with them. My reason was to save money at my next tire change. I wanted to do the experiment now and risk hating the results for about 3k(6k on them now but will change before EOM) more miles than to do it with a new set of rubber. Also I will now be looking to find a tire changer and go full DIY for myself and my friends.

 

[3dogs]

Then to TEST the science I am going to install the wheel weights opposite where they were and ride. Ill post the results.Dyna Beads

What happened to the part where you REINSTALL the lead weights OPPOSITE of their original positions and retest. If the beads can cancel out the inbalance caused by placing the original lead weights at the "heavy" spots on the tires/wheels I might beleive that they really do something.

 

[mferriter]

Be careful with the airsoft pellets. I'm sure they are not made to be continuously tumbled. They might start to break down over time. I'd go with carbide balls (not a medical condition) instead.

 

[Barry 07 FJR1300AE]

Then to TEST the science I am going to install the wheel weights opposite where they were and ride. Ill post the results.Dyna Beads

What happened to the part where you REINSTALL the lead weights OPPOSITE of their original positions and retest. If the beads can cancel out the inbalance caused by placing the original lead weights at the "heavy" spots on the tires/wheels I might beleive that they really do something.

Give me a chance, some of us FJR riders have to work for a living.

 

[Barry 07 FJR1300AE]

Be careful with the airsoft pellets. I'm sure they are not made to be continuously tumbled. They might start to break down over time. I'd go with carbide balls (not a medical condition) instead.

I realize they are not designed to be tumbled. However they won't have that much tumbling as centrifugal force is enough MOST of the time to keep them stationary. I will know more about how they are holding up soon. I am using them mostly because they are CHEAP. If I had to use something expensive I would just have them balanced by the stealer.

 

[Harald]

The bead is very simple to break but is easiest done with the wheel off the bike. I just used a short say 6in piece of 2x4 standing on the tire then used a 8ft 2x4 (as a lever) under something that won't move (car bumper). It takes very little force to break the bead.

I'm sure you did this, but for other's attempting this procedure: make sure to keep the brake rotors off the ground. With the amount of force required to break the bead you could easily warp or score a rotor. An easy way to do this is to lay some 2x4's down so that the wheel rests on the boards and the rotors are off the ground.

I have a large air compressor but it takes VERY little air to reseat the bead.

Another tip for newbies to tire changing: make sure to use some lube on the tire when seating the bead. You can get official lube or just use some dishwashing liquid. The problem you can have if you don't use lube is that the tire seats enough to hold air but it's not evenly seated. All the balancing in the world won't get rid of the tire hop that you'll experience with a insufficiently seated tire. (don't ask me how I know this :blink: )

I'm also interested in how the "beads" work with the weights installed 180 out. I have no intention of using any type of beads in my tires, but it's always interesting to see how experiments turn out. I tried some squirt-in goop many years ago and wasn't impressed with the balance or the mess.

I personally just balance my tires with a home-made stand:

It cost me nothing to make with scrap 2x4's, metal brackets, misc hardware and a set of bearings that were originally used in a tape based flight recorder. I use the bike's axles to rest the wheel on my stands and the bearings are sufficiently sensitive to allow the wheel to spin and indicate the heavy spot. Tested good to max FJR speeds (on a closed course with a professional rider, of course ).

 

[Barry 07 FJR1300AE]

The bead is very simple to break but is easiest done with the wheel off the bike. I just used a short say 6in piece of 2x4 standing on the tire then used a 8ft 2x4 (as a lever) under something that won't move (car bumper). It takes very little force to break the bead.

I'm sure you did this, but for other's attempting this procedure: make sure to keep the brake rotors off the ground. With the amount of force required to break the bead you could easily warp or score a rotor. An easy way to do this is to lay some 2x4's down so that the wheel rests on the boards and the rotors are off the ground.

I have a large air compressor but it takes VERY little air to reseat the bead.

Another tip for newbies to tire changing: make sure to use some lube on the tire when seating the bead. You can get official lube or just use some dishwashing liquid. The problem you can have if you don't use lube is that the tire seats enough to hold air but it's not evenly seated. All the balancing in the world won't get rid of the tire hop that you'll experience with a insufficiently seated tire. (don't ask me how I know this :blink: )

I'm also interested in how the "beads" work with the weights installed 180 out. I have no intention of using any type of beads in my tires, but it's always interesting to see how experiments turn out. I tried some squirt-in goop many years ago and wasn't impressed with the balance or the mess.

I personally just balance my tires with a home-made stand:

It cost me nothing to make with scrap 2x4's, metal brackets, misc hardware and a set of bearings that were originally used in a tape based flight recorder. I use the bike's axles to rest the wheel on my stands and the bearings are sufficiently sensitive to allow the wheel to spin and indicate the heavy spot. Tested good to max FJR speeds (on a closed course with a professional rider, of course ).

Thanks for posting this info for others to read. Yes I used a 2x4 under the "rim" of the tire to hold it off the groud. Also being that this was not a new tire and I didnt remove it from the rim I didnt apply any goop, the bead seated without any problem. This info is good though. Thanks

 

[Barry 07 FJR1300AE]

Okay here are the finally results. This afternoon on a "closed course" I brought the bike up to around 120mph. Smooth as silk. Then I set the cruise at 80mph and removed hands from bars. Still smooth and straighter than before(my bike for some reason had a very slight lean to the left). Touched brakes and allowed bike to slow to about 10-15mph when I had to finally touch the bars. Smooth and straight as an arrow. Before I had a slight osolation of the bars at about 20-30 as I slowed to stop. Next I installed the wheel weights 180 out of the original spot, both front and back. Back on the road and performed same test. At 110-120 I could feel some wheel hop or vibration. Other than that the bike acted exactly the same. Removed weights and performed test again. Back to perfect. Now one thing that confuses me is how a wheel that took 2oz to balance then move weight 180 out should mean the tire would require 4oz in original spot to rebalance. However I only put 2.5ish oz of beads in tire. Only thing I can think is that the beads being on the outside of the tire as opposed to the inside of the rim makes them "weight" more through centrifical force.

I know some of you have your doubts and thats fine. To each his own. As I have said before this test is mostly out of conveniance for myself. It will be easier for me to run the wheels and tires to my local car tire store(that I know can change them). Hand them a premeasured bag of beads for each tire and have them mount them. Then be back home and riding in alot less time and for about half the money. One day I hope to get a tire changer myself when the "GREAT DEAL" presents itself.

As for the life of the tire and the life of the Airsoft pellets I will get back with you before EOM. I plan to change my tires before that ride. If the results are the same or better I will continue with the Airsoft Pellets.

BTW you can hear the beads in the tires as you push the bike around. Only way I know they are in there. HA

Questions?

 

[HotRodZilla]

Sounds decent so far. I'm interested in the longevity of these things.

 

[Harald]

Zombie thread alert!

Dragging this thread out of the past because I'm wondering if anyone has heard back from Barry07 about the longevity of the airsoft pellets in his tire? Not that I plan on using them, but it's nice to close the loop for curiosity sake.

 

[Barry 07 FJR1300AE]

Its been almost 2 years since I started this thread. Wow time flies by. Anyway, I finished out a set of tires after putting the pellets in them. They seemed to wear better than past sets. On the next set I had them installed by a local automotive shop and put beads in at install. I was never happy with the balance of that set but they wore great, 11k miles. This time I had same shop put on tires and no beads, or balance. Tires are much smoother. That said I don't think the beads can balance a tire. If anything they can make a slightly irregular tire worse. I don't believe the beads move at all once centripetal force takes over. It's a crap shoot whether or not they are in the right place when they stop moving. As for the condition of the beads, they appear just like new after 11k miles other than being a little black. I was faithful to pr2's. This time I put on a cheap Korean tire (Shinko Verge) because I have taken up mountain biking and only ride the bike to work. They are smooth, cheap, and seen to be wearing great.

 

[NMRoadRunner]

Don't know about airsoft beads but what caught my eye was the 2.5 oz to balance the PR2's. I run

Metzlers and have never added more than 1oz to balance them