[Vecky5]

I am probably going to be getting a Harbor freight tire changer in the near future. Since I only change 1-2 sets a year, I figured it would be good enough.

I can't swing getting that, a new set of tires and a balancer at the same time, so the balancer will have to wait. I will get the Marc Parnes one at a later date.

My question is this: Is it possible to balance the front tire on the bike with the calipers off ( I would support the front end with a floor jack under the headers)? Does that give the tire enough free travel to static balance it? I'm not too worried about the back tire.

Any input would be appreciated.

[BaileyRock]

Yes, IMO though not as sensitive as those fancy balance bars.

I do it off bike on axle, but if you do it on bike loosen all the pinch bolts and axle nut to reduce friction.

[FotoMoto]

I use the axle method but off the bike. I use two saw horses or 5 gallon buckets or whatever to suspend the wheel between them. It's just easier than getting on the ground.

[vfrrider17]

Personally, no i wouldn't think the bike could be used as a balancer. I think there is too much friction from the axle.

Static balancing is the best. I have a no-mar tire balancer with absolutely no problems.

[Lifttruck]

vfrrider17, on Jan 9 2009, 11:13 AM, said:

Personally, no i wouldn't think the bike could be used as a balancer. I think there is too much friction from the axle.

Static balancing is the best. I have a no-mar tire balancer with absolutely no problems.

I use a No-Mar balancer now. Before that I used a homemade frame (kind of a paralleling "H" arrangement with a straight edge spanning the top of each "H") that I used using the axle and wheel bearings. I had various cones and a drill stock rod for balancing the rear SSA wheel on the frame. The drawback with my homemade rack was that you had to level the straight edges to each other as the Axle or Rod had to roll on the straight edges. On the plus side it cost me less than $20.00 to make the rack! The Marc Parnes set up is really good as well. The Marc Parnes pillow blocks use shielded for lower rolling resistance than the wheel bearings and axle. The nice feature with the No-Mar balancer is that you can configure it for almost any common wheel as long as the width or diameter of the tire/wheel doesn't exceed the rack. No-Mar will work with you when you order to configure every application you may need.

This post has been edited by Lifttruck: 09 January 2009 - 01:21 PM

[Rice]

I also have an MP balancer, but Mark himself repeats on his website not to go nuts with static balance. It don't gots to be 100% precise, so I think that if you use the bike to do it, just loosen all the bolts around the axle to free up the spacers (just in case) and do the best you can by giving it a couple of extra spins for perfection's sake and it'll be OK up to at least 100-120 mph. If you wana go faster than that, you may have a problem with this setup, but it won't be the biggest one

[Lifttruck]

Rice, on Jan 9 2009, 01:29 PM, said:

I also have an MP balancer, but Mark himself repeats on his website not to go nuts with static balance. It don't gots to be 100% precise, so I think that if you use the bike to do it, just loosen all the bolts around the axle to free up the spacers (just in case) and do the best you can by giving it a couple of extra spins for perfection's sake and it'll be OK up to at least 100-120 mph. If you wana go faster than that, you may have a problem with this setup, but it won't be the biggest one

You can get a static balance within 7g of perfect. If you have ever watched the tire guys in the paddock at an AMA race that's all they do is static balance the racers tires/wheels. We all know most of those guys exceed 120 mph.

http://www.nomartire...m/video/show/29

Check out Steve's video demonstrating the No-Mar balancer. He demonstrates just how accurate you can get with a static balance!

[Honley]

Last fall (07) I bought the No-Mar static balancer. It's not cheep but it does a great job. You can also buy stick-on weights.
Due to thr VFR rear wheel you would also need to buy the attachment .Another $65.00+.

I also have the Harbor Freight changer and I have decided to buy the NO-Mar tire bar because the HF one can really F-Up your wheels.

By my estimate I need 2 more tire changes and I will be ahead of the game.

Good Luck.

[motogpfan]

This would be a good candidate for a group buy,but I absolutely no idea if it could be pulled off.

[Luvmyvfr]

I would buy the tire balancer long before I got a changer. You can change a tire w/out a tire changer....I have my hopes set on a nomar someday!

Before i got a real balancer(Parts unlimited) I tried to balance tires on the axle, never got close. WAY too much friction. And the rear of a VFR...IMPOSSIBLE.

If your tires are out of balance, that's extra vibrations on the wheel bearings, forks and the head bearings. and the bearings on the swingarm.

IMO I'd rather have a few little scuffs on my rims, than out of balance wheels!

Good luck

[Rice]

Luvmyvfr, on Jan 9 2009, 08:49 PM, said:

I would buy the tire balancer long before I got a changer. You can change a tire w/out a tire changer....

I stripped the edges of my rims and now I can change a tire w/o having to worry about scuffing paint.
No tire changer needed. Just 2 spoons and, well, not much else. It don't take no time at all.
It started out as a "tire changer" for spacially challenged - No room for stationary contraptions in my garrage.
Now, that I got the hang of it, I can change a rear tire in 30 minutes. Two beer brakes included
If I had the luxury of a 2-car garrage, things might have been different...

[WERA910]

I used to use saw horses and the axle.. and it worked ok. Then I bought a balance stand (progressive brand) and I think it's better now... my balance has been checked at over 160mph (road atlanta)...

Harbor freight has a balance stand and it's less than a third of what mine cost, $59 regular, and I'm pretty sure it was on sale recently for less than that:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/disp...temnumber=98488

They also have a vfr adapter... hows that for cool?
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/disp...temnumber=65079

[motogpfan]

WERA910, on Jan 10 2009, 06:56 AM, said:

I used to use saw horses and the axle.. and it worked ok. Then I bought a balance stand (progressive brand) and I think it's better now... my balance has been checked at over 160mph (road atlanta)...

Harbor freight has a balance stand and it's less than a third of what mine cost, $59 regular, and I'm pretty sure it was on sale recently for less than that:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/disp...temnumber=98488

They also have a vfr adapter... hows that for cool?
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/disp...temnumber=65079

I just called harbor freight and it's on sale for $39.99,thanks for the idea at that price it's a go.The sale ends Jan. 13 and in charlotte nc there out so I have to get a rain check no biggy and they have the vfr adapter.

[spud786]

Vecky5, on Jan 9 2009, 09:41 AM, said:

I am probably going to be getting a Harbor freight tire changer in the near future. Since I only change 1-2 sets a year, I figured it would be good enough.

I can't swing getting that, a new set of tires and a balancer at the same time, so the balancer will have to wait. I will get the Marc Parnes one at a later date.

My question is this: Is it possible to balance the front tire on the bike with the calipers off ( I would support the front end with a floor jack under the headers)? Does that give the tire enough free travel to static balance it? I'm not too worried about the back tire.

Any input would be appreciated.

I use 2 jack stands and some very free roller bearings from like a copying machine, on both sides of the axle.

This way the axle bearing can turn in additon to the other bearings I have on the outer ends of the axle, its dead accurate for high speed.

just removing the calipers and letting everything free, is about 90% plus accurate, better than the automateds though,.

[Vecky5]

motogpfan, on Jan 10 2009, 08:35 AM, said:

WERA910, on Jan 10 2009, 06:56 AM, said:

I used to use saw horses and the axle.. and it worked ok. Then I bought a balance stand (progressive brand) and I think it's better now... my balance has been checked at over 160mph (road atlanta)...

Harbor freight has a balance stand and it's less than a third of what mine cost, $59 regular, and I'm pretty sure it was on sale recently for less than that:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/disp...temnumber=98488

They also have a vfr adapter... hows that for cool?
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/disp...temnumber=65079

I just called harbor freight and it's on sale for $39.99,thanks for the idea at that price it's a go.The sale ends Jan. 13 and in charlotte nc there out so I have to get a rain check no biggy and they have the vfr adapter.

Thaks for the price Mike and thanks to WERA for that option. I didn't know they existed at HF. I got a PM from rodm850q with some positive feeback about the HF balancer too, so it looks like I'll be headed to pick one up.

[JBAXX]

Vecky5, on Jan 9 2009, 07:41 AM, said:

My question is this: Is it possible to balance the front tire on the bike with the calipers off ( I would support the front end with a floor jack under the headers)? Does that give the tire enough free travel to static balance it? I'm not too worried about the back tire.

Yes, I do this all the time and it works just fine, just not as convenient when you are working on the floor as mentioned above - but it's free.

Doesn't work on a SSSA rear too well though!

[KPerham]

FotoMoto, on Jan 9 2009, 10:52 AM, said:

I use the axle method but off the bike. I use two saw horses or 5 gallon buckets or whatever to suspend the wheel between them. It's just easier than getting on the ground.

I've done that too. Jack stands work.

[Bren]

Having never balanced my own tyres can anyone explain how these stands work. Is it that the heaviest point, usually near the valve, should be bottom dead centre? How do you know it is really at the very bottom point ,in relation to the axel centre, spirit level?, and which weights are needed?

I may make something up just to check them after I get new rubber on.

Thanks for any info.

Bren

[eric29]

I changed my tire few weeks ago. I took off the tire wanting to see where the heavy spot on the rim was. Is was no where near the valve stem on my rim. And personally i think the dot on the tire where you supposed to line it up is a bunch of bull also.

[slowf2337]

Bren, on Jan 13 2009, 07:05 AM, said:

Having never balanced my own tyres can anyone explain how these stands work. Is it that the heaviest point, usually near the valve, should be bottom dead centre? How do you know it is really at the very bottom point ,in relation to the axel centre, spirit level?, and which weights are needed?

I may make something up just to check them after I get new rubber on.

Thanks for any info.

Bren

You want to remove any heavy spots.

1)Put the wheel on jackstands with the axle though it.
2)Let gravity find the heavy spot.
3)Put some weight at the top of the inside of the rim(right above the heavy spot at the bottom)(use some tape to hold the tape-a-weights while your trying)
4)Turn wheel 90 degrees and let gravity work again.
5)Add or adjust the amount of weights and or there position until there is no heavy spot any more

It will take a couple of tries but it works.

[FotoMoto]

Slow forgot one thing.

The valve stem isn't always the heavy spot on the rim; especially fronts with rotors installed. Balance the rim to verify its heavy spot before you install the new tire. Knowing this, I can sometimes balance a tire without using any weights.

[Vecky5]

FotoMoto, on Jan 13 2009, 09:29 AM, said:

Slow forgot one thing.

The valve stem isn't always the heavy spot on the rim; especially fronts with rotors installed. Balance the rim to verify its heavy spot before you install the new tire. Knowing this, I can sometimes balance a tire without using any weights.

To do it this way, I guess you would need to know the heavy spot on the new tire? If it's not marked (like my pilot road 2's weren't) how can you figure that out without mounting it?

[BaileyRock]

Vecky5, on Jan 13 2009, 12:55 PM, said:

To do it this way, I guess you would need to know the heavy spot on the new tire? If it's not marked (like my pilot road 2's weren't) how can you figure that out without mounting it?

I think the Michelins are made so well they don't have a heavy spot and so no need to make one!

[motogpfan]

Baileyrock, on Jan 13 2009, 02:13 PM, said:

Vecky5, on Jan 13 2009, 12:55 PM, said:

To do it this way, I guess you would need to know the heavy spot on the new tire? If it's not marked (like my pilot road 2's weren't) how can you figure that out without mounting it?

I think the Michelins are made so well they don't have a heavy spot and so no need to make one!

That is a major reason I use Michelins they have the best mixing operation period.That leads to the most consistent tire in mass production.