HD Forums Australia
Home
Topics

Changing your tires Question

  • dicko
    dicko
    4 years ago
    You fellas who do your own tire changes , I v'e never done my own cos i dont have a balance machine.
     How do you balance them?????
  • Far Canal
    Far Canal
    4 years ago
    Balancing them would be the least of your worries, try removing a tyre off a really nice rim with a few tyre levers and NOT somehow damaging the rim at all. I have removed a few tyres from old Jap bike rims in ordinary condition that have then been painted and my shovelhead tyre off a dented rim, but I'd rather get a shop to put the new tyre back on in one of those jigs they have.
    Of course old school folk would repair a punctured tyre on the roadside back in the day if there was no choice and if you chipped or scratched the rim, so what?, it was better than dying in a ditch or from heat exhaustion etc.
    They are easy to balance if you have the suitable weights to go on spokes or stick to your rim. Also need something to hold your wheel and axle in the air so you can spin it. Don't think any old schoolers would have given two hoots about balancing on the side of the road.
  • brucefxdl
    brucefxdl
    4 years ago
    could be a trend setter and use plastic rim protectors......
  • robots
    robots
    4 years ago
    I Use one of the $100 balance/wheel stands you get everywhere. It’s very easy, there is a maximum amount of weights that can go on as per the manual. If more required you need spin tyre 180.

    Can buy weights that go on rim and then just get some double sided tape. They hold on well.

    On hot days changing tyre is easy, cold days its tuff. More heat you can get into any tyre is best.

    And after getting marks on rims from shop and seeing a guy almost drop my bike I decided to do my own. 
  • brucefxdl
    brucefxdl
    4 years ago
    reckon i'll get one of these,we currently have 2 bikes plus one to restore.

  • Far Canal
    Far Canal
    4 years ago
    Yeah, Nar, Yeah, Nar.
    You could just put your wheel with new tyre back on the bike, lift the wheel off the ground and spin it to check for balance.
    Can do similar for re-lacing. I've only got one of those stands cause I was given it.
    Anyway, who has had a bike behave erratically because of a badly balance tyre?. Not me, ever.
    Just putting it out there.
  • FXDF12
    FXDF12
    4 years ago
    Ceramic balancing beads work well much better than the lead weights that fall off in the heat. A few sellers in Australia not commonly used here tyre repairers probably hate the mess they make and that they stop the tyre chewing out. Not noticed any tyre or rim damage internally.
  • Ratbob
    Ratbob
    4 years ago
    Quoting FXDF12 on 08 Nov 2020 10:22 AM

    Ceramic balancing beads work well much better than the lead weights that fall off in the heat. A few sellers in Australia not commonly used here tyre repairers probably hate the mess they make and that they stop the tyre chewing out. Not noticed any tyre or rim damage internally.

    Not heard of these before, interesting concept.
    I’ve wondered why my mags don’t have any weights on them, could be their running beads, tyres are 6 years old now, gone hard and are cracking. Time for a change so it’ll be interesting to find out.
    You mentioned a mess, should I be warning the tyre changer?
  • Krash Kinkade
    Krash Kinkade
    4 years ago
    .would probably need to double check beads work by dynamic balancing wheel & tyre
    But like fc , I have never noticed the difference. I once had my Harleys wheels & tyre’s dynamic balanced, after having new tyres fitted. Then somewhere down the track? I noticed weights had come off. But never noticed any feel to the bike. So if asked, do I want wheels balanced after getting new tyres I say I don’t care
Topics