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wheel weights

7K views 28 replies 21 participants last post by  Cdn2Weelr 
#1 ·
Who here mounts and balances their own tires and more specifically, what wheel weights types do you use? The flat adhesive type or the more automotive clip-on type? I'm asking because my brother and I just bought a no-mar changer and Marc Parnes balancer so I have access to this machine. I will be doing the first tire change on my Wee installing Pilot Road 3's and want to make sure they are balanced correctly. My Wee has the clip-on weights now and doing research online typically results with the stick-on type. I'd prefer to stay with the clip-ons vs stick-on.
 
#3 ·
Flat stick-on weights for me. Probably through Amazon. Easy to apply. Fairly easy to remove. No damage (scratches) to the wheel. Balancing is easy - just keep adding weights to the side that needs it until the wheel-tire assembly is balanced.
 
#4 ·
I use the flat stick on also, but I have to say, all my wheels are very well balanced and I haven't used any weight at all the last four sets of tires.

In the past, I have made it a practice to move the tire around the rim, if it is slightly out of balance, until I find a "sweet spot", using additional weight only if necessary. YMMV of course, but it is one of the advantages of changing your own tires, in my opinion.
 
#10 ·
.....In the past, I have made it a practice to move the tire around the rim, if it is slightly out of balance, until I find a "sweet spot", using additional weight only if necessary. YMMV of course, but it is one of the advantages of changing your own tires, in my opinion.
Interesting. Do you do this prior to putting air in or do you re-break the bead each time you move it?
.
 
#6 ·
Stick on weights are inexpensive, very easy to use and I've never had a problem with them coming off.

I get the orange or red dot as close to the valve stem as I can, temporailly stick the weights on with masking tape untill I know exactly where I need them, clean the rim with solvent and split the weights either side of the wheel then give then a good press to make sure they're stuck.

Bought mine from the same place as the tires - IIRC Bike Bandit last time.
 
#28 ·
If the tire has a red dot, that is the point of maximum radial force variation. Think the stiffest spot on the sidewall. Find the lowest spot on the rim (closest to the center...no rim is perfectly circular) and put the red spot there. If the tire has only a yellow spot, that is the heavy point, so put this at the rim light point. If both red & yellow, use the red.
 
#15 ·
+1 and they are reusable. I just get a veggie baggie from Wally-World and when changing tires I scoop them out and put them in a corner of the bag and tie it off. Then drop that into the new tire. They last well over 100,000 miles.

I do this with my bikes and cars.
 
#11 ·
Several states have banned lead tire weights. Weights fall off tires and are ground to dust on the road. The lead poisons the ground and water. All types of lead-free weights are available.
 
#12 ·
HaynesFan-Interesting. Do you do this prior to putting air in or do you re-break the bead each time you move it?

Re-break the bead. It is a non-issue with the No-mar. I have checked and marked all my rims for the heaviest spot without a tire mounted, so I seldom have to remount a tire.
 
#13 ·
+1 "Ride On".
It also seals punctures preventatively. Check out their video. A bit more than beads but the sealing feature is well worth the peace of mind.
Also had great results with the balancing beads. Either way, the local tire place only charges me $7. to change a tire when I bring them the wheel.
 
#14 ·
Thanks to all for the input and info. I bought my Wee used and it has one small clip-on weight on the rear wheel. There are many good web sites that have videos for balancing motorcycle wheels. No-mar has good videos as well.
 
#19 ·
They look like the ones I used - didnt see a color choice on the Harbor Freight add though. I had a choice of Silver or Black - for about the same price. Obviously, I bought Black for the Wee (my wife hasn't noticed the Black weights on the Silver rims on her Magna.....)
 
#17 ·
#22 ·
I looked at the micro fiche parts online and there are part numbers associated with the clip-on style weights that are the same for both wheels. While I'm not a hard core fan of stock weights, I DO like the clip-ons due to ease of placement/removal vs the adhesive types. Appearancewise, it makes little difference to me as this bike is not much about 'pretty'. I'm just looking for weights that do the job without falling off.
 
#23 ·
By the way, I don't get this tape thing. What's to keep air from peeling the tape off as the bike runs at 70mph over time? Tape gets brittle after a fairly short time so it will tend to flake and peel off.
 
#27 ·
I am trying Ride-on for the first time on the new PR4 that I'm putting on the rear.
 
#29 ·
While backing my Wee out of her parking spot for my daily commute to work earlier this week, I heard a loud "click". Rolling forward, I heard a quieter click, backward louder click. Needless to say, I drove the car to work that day.

Upon closer inspection, I discovered a strange lump of metal had bonded to the inside of my chain. Prying it off, I discovered that it was one of my dealer-applied, stick-on, lead wheel weights. I cleaned the wheel rim with lighter fluid -- I use that stuff to clean off all petroleum product films -- and re-applied the remaining 2 weights using 3M's Super Strength Molding Tape. This tape works very well and the weight set I re-attached over a year ago is still firmly stuck.

I was quite amazed that the weight had fallen off and been pressed onto the chain with enough force to permanently adhere it. Fortunately, I have a Scottoiler so my final drive was well lubed plus the the last trip I made before hearing the "click" was just a 5 minute ride to the video store.
 

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