Thread: Tire balancing
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Old 11-18-2009, 06:30 PM   #15
racedoll
AMA Supersport
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Moto: '04 Kawasaki ZX6RR
Posts: 3,392
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Quote:
Originally Posted by marko138 View Post
I had a guy that could balance the tire with no weight, just by mounting it. Worked on every tire, every time. He's throw it on the balancer to prove it.
I need to talk to this guy!

Quote:
Originally Posted by askmrjesus View Post
Yes and no.

Most street tires come "pre-balanced", in that there will be a small blue or yellow dot, usually on or next to the bead, that indicates the lightest part of the tire. This mark is 180 degrees from where the cords or belts overlap, which would be the heaviest part of the tire. Theoretically, this mark is installed at the valve stem, which is the heaviest part of the rim.

This is not, however, not completely accurate. It's just a starting point. By rotating the tire on the rim, you can decrease the amount of weight needed, sometimes all the way to zero. Most shops will not do this, because it is extremely time consuming. You have to keep moving the tire/rim back and forth between the changing machine and the balancer, and adjust the dot placement as you go, about an inch at a time. Huge PITA.

Even if the mark is installed at the valve stem, you can still be off as much as 2-3 oz., and that's a lot of weights. I will usually try to get a tire down to .75 oz, or less, before I stop fucking with it.

Troy is right, it's best to get your tires balanced as close to perfect as you can, especially if your going to run at triple digits. Find a shop that has a computerized dynamic balancer if possible. These machines will not only balance the tire "top-to-bottom" but also side to side. You're not going to get it any better than that.

Oh, my answer is very picky, if you haven't already guessed.

JC
Good post, though I did know it was a PITA to do. I too am very picky and sensitive to even slight imbalance. One of the first things I do it hit 100+ just to see if they did t right. I have found a place, knock on wood, that does a nice job. I think they have the computer balancer. I know it isn't the bubble balancer like the dealership closest to me.
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