Front wheel balancing

[slimwilly]

So took my front wheel  and tyre to the tyre fitters and forgot to ask if he could balance it,,

so today took it for a shakedown and above 85 it vibed,,physically could feel it,,

so is it possible to re balance it at home? and what method works

[darrsi]

[joebloggs]

This will go against the grain but I'd recommend leaving the weights on (previos weight) and just have the trye fitted.
I've been

[darrsi]

This will go against the grain but I'd recommend leaving the weights on (previos weight) and just have the trye fitted.
I've been

I presume you passed out 


Yes, it does go totally against the grain, and is wrong, 'cos no new tyre is the same.
Even when you're halfway through a tyres life the chances are due to uneven wear the original weights would end up being wrong as well, which is why most people who report having a speed wobble have tyres that are nearing the end of their life span and generally need replacing.

[slimwilly]

I have left the original weights on,,i was hoping the same make of tyre might balance the same,,a bit odd though as it never. I will peel them off and start again.
So tonight wheel off again.

[joebloggs]

This will go against the grain but I'd recommend leaving the weights on (previos weight) and just have the trye fitted.
I've been

I presume you passed out 


Yes, it does go totally against the grain, and is wrong, 'cos no new tyre is the same.
Even when you're halfway through a tyres life the chances are due to uneven wear the original weights would end up being wrong as well, which is why most people who report having a speed wobble have tyres that are nearing the end of their life span and generally need replacing.

You were not wrong, cant even remember pressing enter lol



I had a real bad habit of doing burnouts on my Katana (you have to show off on a Kat, its law) so most weekend saw me having another tyre fitted (£5 each out the back door of a local breakers) I never had one tyre rebalanced and never had any noticeable vibration.

Thinking about it I've hardly ever had them balanced on what ever I've ridden (mainly due to back handers at shops and tyre fitters)

[Punkstig]

/\ because you won't notice the rear being out of balance as much as you would the front!

[joebloggs]

/\ because you won't notice the rear being out of balance as much as you would the front!

Of course but I never had either end done.

I'm not suggesting everyone goes out and rips off their balance weights or doest have them done when fitting new tyres but I didn't bother with it for years and it didn't seem to make a difference

[Grayo]

I've just been out to the garage to check mine and there are no balance weights on either wheel  . I'm due for a new front tyre so I will get them both balanced then.

[slimwilly]

I will set it up tonight and see how it settles,then remove the weights and re-check, then I have the 3 weights off both sides to start again

[midden]

Don't the tyre fitters automatically balance tyre's brought in by the customer?
Poor show imo

[darrsi]

I've just been out to the garage to check mine and there are no balance weights on either wheel  . I'm due for a new front tyre so I will get them both balanced then.

I've actually had a wheel balanced before where no weights were added at all, it's just chance I s'pose.

[unfazed]

Balancing does more than just stop vibration!
A properly balanced tyre will wear better, the bike will handle better and track the road better when cornering.

You will always know a tyre that is out of balance when worn as the heavy part of the wheel will be worn more by as much as on out of balanced wheels. I have seen tyres worn to the canvas in one part and 3mm of tread on the opposite side.

Get it balanced

[dazza]

I have seen tyres worn to the canvas in one part and 3mm of tread on the opposite side.

Even by your standards, that's pretty unbelievable bullshit 
 
I assume you have pictures backing up this claim ?

[YamFazFan]

Don't the tyre fitters automatically balance tyre's brought in by the customer?
Poor show imo

Yeah that's what I would have expected . Had a new front fitted a few weeks ago and that was balanced without having to ask for it to be done.

[unfazed]

Unfortunately not, it was a bandit 12, which also had a small dent which did not help, just making a point out that badly out of balance can do unbelievable things. he had fitted the tyre himself  about 3000 miles previously when he damaged both tyres after hitting a pothole. He had replaced the front wheel. We did check the balance on that wheel out of curiosity and it was out by 145gr. We thought first it was a cracked disk causing the rear to lock up at one point but disc was fine with pads worn down to 1mm. The rider brought it in to see what was causing all the vibration because he could not find anything wrong.

I have also seen a totally bald front tyre, only a faint outline of the tread, which the rider had brought it in for an oil and filter change only. when asked about tyres he said they were fine 

A fellow riding a bike with 5lbs pressure in the rear tyre and when it was pointed out he said he thought his swinging arm bearing were focced.
Shall I go on

[dazza]

Yes, please do, I do like a tall story.
Actually, all jokes aside, I can believe it.
I once knew a bloke who never used to get his tyres balanced and his left boot wore out before his right one. 

[joebloggs]

I stopped at a petrol station and this couple pulled in with a flat tyre. Driver got out, brought litre of oil , poured it into the engine and was about to go when I stopped him and told him about the tyre. He thought the vibration was coming from the engine.... Didn't have a clue
I ended up changing the wheel as he obviously couldn't then the cheeky bastard offered me a bible
Focin Muppet

[slimwilly]

Well I got the wheel set up to spin freely, it immediately stopped with the six balance weights at the bottom,,checked this a few times, one way then another,,so removed a weight each side ,,the same result,,then another weight each side,=same result so took the last pair of weights off and this seemed good,,,rechecked,again and again,,
So went out for a test ride and smooth ride again,,, up into very high speeds too,, just like it used to be.. and no weights at all,,how odd is that ?

Now where is this Esher place near London ?

[unfazed]

Yes, please do, I do like a tall story.
Actually, all jokes aside, I can believe it.
I once knew a bloke who never used to get his tyres balanced and his left boot wore out before his right one. 

Here I am thinking what the FOC is he on about?  until I reread my post, it should have read 1.3mm not 3mm even I would not have believed 3mm 

Saw a fellow one night in the local town riding pillon sitting backwards on an old 175 Honda holding on to the backrest shouting to all of us as he was passing "look reverse on a 175" when the rider stopped after about 100 metres to see what was going on, the whole lot fell over. We went over to help and discovered both were pissed and the pillion thought he was the rider. 

Oh yeah, my left boot always wears before the right and I always balance my tyre, maybe I should put all the weights on my right boot

[joebloggs]

Yes, please do, I do like a tall story.
Actually, all jokes aside, I can believe it.
I once knew a bloke who never used to get his tyres balanced and his left boot wore out before his right one. 

Here I am thinking what the FOC is he on about?  until I reread my post, it should have read 1.3mm not 3mm even I would not have believed 3mm 

Saw a fellow one night in the local town riding pillon sitting backwards on an old 175 Honda holding on to the backrest shouting to all of us as he was passing "look reverse on a 175" when the rider stopped after about 100 metres to see what was going on, the whole lot fell over. We went over to help and discovered both were pissed and the pillion thought he was the rider. 

Oh yeah, my left boot always wears before the right and I always balance my tyre, maybe I should put all the weights on my right boot

1.3 mm could easily be caused by the camber on the road surface.

[unfazed]

Well I got the wheel set up to spin freely, it immediately stopped with the six balance weights at the bottom,,checked tis a few times,rotte one way then another,,so remoed a weight each side ,,the same result,,then another weight each side,=same result so took the last pair of weights off and this seemed good,,,rechecked,again and again,,
So went out for a test ride and smooth ride again,,, up into very high speeds too,, just like it used to be.. and no weights at all,,how odd is that ?

Now where is this Esher place near London ?

Very possible, would be interesting to see what the balance of the wheel is without the tyre, the front wheel of my 600 is out 30gr without the tyre. Yours are probably similar thus accounting for the number of weights which were on and you took off to get it right. Is the red/yellow mark at the valve or opposite it?

[unfazed]

Yes, please do, I do like a tall story.
Actually, all jokes aside, I can believe it.
I once knew a bloke who never used to get his tyres balanced and his left boot wore out before his right one. 

Here I am thinking what the FOC is he on about?  until I reread my post, it should have read 1.3mm not 3mm even I would not have believed 3mm 

Saw a fellow one night in the local town riding pillon sitting backwards on an old 175 Honda holding on to the backrest shouting to all of us as he was passing "look reverse on a 175" when the rider stopped after about 100 metres to see what was going on, the whole lot fell over. We went over to help and discovered both were pissed and the pillion thought he was the rider. 

Oh yeah, my left boot always wears before the right and I always balance my tyre, maybe I should put all the weights on my right boot


1.3 mm could easily be caused by the camber on the road surface.

Camber wear will only effect the sides of the tyre off the centre not the centre line.

[Grahamm]

Now where is this Esher place near London ?

There's a map here

[joebloggs]

Yes, please do, I do like a tall story.
Actually, all jokes aside, I can believe it.
I once knew a bloke who never used to get his tyres balanced and his left boot wore out before his right one. 

Here I am thinking what the FOC is he on about?  until I reread my post, it should have read 1.3mm not 3mm even I would not have believed 3mm 

Saw a fellow one night in the local town riding pillon sitting backwards on an old 175 Honda holding on to the backrest shouting to all of us as he was passing "look reverse on a 175" when the rider stopped after about 100 metres to see what was going on, the whole lot fell over. We went over to help and discovered both were pissed and the pillion thought he was the rider. 

Oh yeah, my left boot always wears before the right and I always balance my tyre, maybe I should put all the weights on my right boot


1.3 mm could easily be caused by the camber on the road surface.

Camber wear will only effect the sides of the tyre off the centre not the centre line.

I'm reading posts on my phone so may have missed something but I read there was 1.3 mm difference in wear I didn't see where the wear was.