Should You Double Check the Balance After Dealer Tire Installation?

[Grumpy Goat]

[darrell]

Good video on the use of the Marc Parnes balancer. For 12 years I owned a NoMar tire changer and Marc Parnes balancer. A couple of years ago decided to no longer change my own tires so sold the equipment. One suggestion is to balance the rim without the tire mounted. You can do once by just marking the inside of the rim how many weights you need at that spot. Then mount your tire, balance again to find the heavy spot of the rim and tire together. Then rotate the light spot on the tire to the heavy part on the rim. Tires are so well made today you might find the only thing out of balance is the rim itself and leaving the weights on the rim will actually be very close to the weights you need added each time. If a little off permanently leave the rim balance weights and add 7 - 14 grams on another part of the rim to balance. I had a set of spoked rims for one of my R1150GSA bikes trued at Woody’s Wheels in Denver. I asked him to also balance the rim by tack welding weight to the inside which he did. Every tire I mounted after that required at most 7 grams. I never added any weights as 7 grams is such a small amount. Few dealers are willing to take the time to do this but if they did they might find they seldom need to add weights once they have balanced a rim one time.

[Duccrazydave]

Another great video, GG. You know those black weights would look better than the silver ones. Just sharing my OCD tendencies with you
Darrell's comments about rim balance are something often overlooked (and ignored at some shops). The RS rim, particularly because of the TPMS, is always going to take more weights than a "standard rim". I have the actual heavy spot on the rim itself marked with a white dot. Which lines up almost perfectly with the monitor, not the stem itself.
You can see the dot on the RS rim and then see how little weight it takes for my "standard" SS rim.

[Grumpy Goat]

Good video on the use of the Marc Parnes balancer. For 12 years I owned a NoMar tire changer and Marc Parnes balancer. A couple of years ago decided to no longer change my own tires so sold the equipment. One suggestion is to balance the rim without the tire mounted.
...

Darrell - balancing the rim without the tire is an excellent suggestion and I will do that the next time I get the tire off the rim. The fact that we have a nice heavy TPMS sensor means that it is naturally unbalanced, and I like the idea of permanent weights on the inside of the rim just to even that starting imbalance out.

Agreed on the evenness of the modern tire meaning that there are probably no heavy spots any more. The Dunlop RS III I had installed had no dot to indicate the light spot, despite what their website says.

[Grumpy Goat]

Another great video, GG. You know those black weights would look better than the silver ones. Just sharing my OCD tendencies with you
Darrell's comments about rim balance are something often overlooked (and ignored at some shops). The RS rim, particularly because of the TPMS, is always going to take more weights than a "standard rim". I have the actual heavy spot on the rim itself marked with a white dot. Which lines up almost perfectly with the monitor, not the stem itself.
You can see the dot on the RS rim and then see how little weight it takes for my "standard" SS rim.

Yes, I agree on the black weights being preferable and my OCD almost had me pull them all off and replace with my own, after I balanced the wheel. I can still do that if all those shiny weights irritate me enough.

You points about rim balancing are also right on point too. I just wished I had that done this time.

My biggest challenge is getting to successfully use the Cycle Hill Tire Changer. Once I get that all this balancing stuff will be resolved. That will be the subject of a different "fail" video.

Looking at the SS rim, those brake discs look so large ... how do you get to access the valve?

[darrell]

If you decide to use the regular weights on the inside of your R1200RS rims to balance the rim use some super glue vs the current stick on tape. On my GSA ribs I had Woody weld the metal to the inside of the rim. On my K1200RS and K75S wheels I used and permanently left regular stick on weights. Then if out of balance slightly just add a weight or two some place else on the rim to finish the balancing.

[Grumpy Goat]

If you decide to use the regular weights on the inside of your R1200RS rims to balance the rim use some super glue vs the current stick on tape. On my GSA ribs I had Woody weld the metal to the inside of the rim. On my K1200RS and K75S wheels I used and permanently left regular stick on weights. Then if out of balance slightly just add a weight or two some place else on the rim to finish the balancing.

I was thinking two-part epoxy but thanks for that suggestion too. Definitely would not use the double-sided tape since subsequent tire removal / installation could see a bead knocking these weights off.

[Ray]

If you decide to use the regular weights on the inside of your R1200RS rims to balance the rim use some super glue vs the current stick on tape. On my GSA ribs I had Woody weld the metal to the inside of the rim. On my K1200RS and K75S wheels I used and permanently left regular stick on weights. Then if out of balance slightly just add a weight or two some place else on the rim to finish the balancing.

Thanks to you and GG for your perspectives.

I'll add that some GS guys just throw some duct tape over the weights. (I can see, why neither of you are "mainstream GSAers," with dirty, overloaded bike and duct tape on the wheels.

Hope this finds all well.

[Duccrazydave]

Looking at the SS rim, those brake discs look so large ... how do you get to access the valve?

320mm discs and a straight valve make it a challenge, but there is enough room to awkwardly get your hand and a gauge/chuck in place to check and add air.

[Grumpy Goat]

320mm discs and a straight valve make it a challenge, but there is enough room to awkwardly get your hand and a gauge/chuck in place to check and add air.

That’s what I thought.

[Lee]

Did your patch not hold?
In you patch video it sounded like you planned to use that tire.

[Grumpy Goat]

Did your patch not hold?
In you patch video it sounded like you planned to use that tire.

Sharp as always, Lee.

Yes, I had planned to use the tire, but when I was unable to fully get the patched tire on the rim (more in a video to come) things changed a bit.

I took the rim with the half-on patched tire to the dealer in the hope that they would put it on for me, but just in case they balked at putting on a patched tire on, I took my new Dunlop Roadsmart III as well. They were all ready to put the patched tire on, and as I walked away back to my truck with the new tire in hand, it occurred to me that if I were to pay the $66 for them to put a tire on the rim, I don't want to run the risk of it leaking and then I'd have to pay them again to put on the new one. So I turned back, walked into the shop and told them I changed my mind, and that I wanted them to put the new tire on after all, but I wanted the patched one back. So the patched tire is back in my garage with my other tires that still have tread left, waiting for me to figure out how to use the tire changer properly. The patch looks good and I have no doubt it will hold air better than a plug, but I have no proof.

At least I now know how to break a bead.

[Lee]

Yes, I had planned to use the tire, but when I was unable to fully get the patched tire on the rim (more in a video to come) things changed a bit.

I took the rim with the half-on patched tire to the dealer in the hope that they would put it on for me, but just in case they balked at putting on a patched tire on, I took my new Dunlop Roadsmart III as well. They were all ready to put the patched tire on, and as I walked away back to my truck with the new tire in hand, it occurred to me that if I were to pay the $66 for them to put a tire on the rim, I don't want to run the risk of it leaking and then I'd have to pay them again to put on the new one. So I turned back, walked into the shop and told them I changed my mind, and that I wanted them to put the new tire on after all, but I wanted the patched one back. So the patched tire is back in my garage with my other tires that still have tread left, waiting for me to figure out how to use the tire changer properly. The patch looks good and I have no doubt it will hold air better than a plug, but I have no proof.

At least I now know how to break a bead.

With the dealer charging that much I would have done the same.

When you tackle the tire change again, heat the tire first to see if that helps.

[Grumpy Goat]

With the dealer charging that much I would have done the same.

When you tackle the tire change again, heat the tire first to see if that helps.

Yes, it makes no sense pay twice when I didn't want to pay this time, even.

Yes, heating the tire is definitely something that I will be doing next time.

[darrell]

.

When you tackle the tire change again, heat the tire first to see if that helps.

Lee makes an excellent suggestion. I probably changed 300 - 400 tires when I had my NoMar changer mostly for friends in the local area and many BMW club members as well as my own. I encouraged everyone to stop by on a sunny day. We’d put the tires in a black plastic garbage bag and leave out in the sun on the driveway while we removed the old tires, cleaned the rims and then balanced those. Most had their tires shipped to me so I had this part done when they arrived. In many cases we could walk the warm tires on the rims with our boots without using the tire mounting equipment. In that Texas summer sun they may just fall over the rim if you get them close by.

[Grumpy Goat]

In many cases we could walk the warm tires on the rims with our boots without using the tire mounting equipment. In that Texas summer sun they may just fall over the rim if you get them close by.

Hahahaha .... that would be nice. That hot sun should be good for something ...! I also have a heat gun that I can use at an appropriate distance to warm up the rubber.

I think that my problem was the flat rim cross section ... more on that later ...

[Ray]

Lee makes an excellent suggestion.

I probably changed 300 - 400 tires when I had my NoMar changer mostly for friends in the local area and many BMW club members as well as my own. I encouraged everyone to stop by on a sunny day.... Most had their tires shipped to me so I had this part done when they arrived...

So, when you guys got together, you took kicking the tires literally (onto the rims).

With that many tires for that many friends, I can see why one might get rid of his equipment when it really comes time to ride.

[Lee]

...! I also have a heat gun that I can use at an appropriate distance to warm up the rubber.

I think the sun will do a better job, plus it's easier

I have a friend if he has to change tires early spring when there's little sun or it's low in the horizon will place a trouble light down inside the tires, cover with aluminum foil and let it sit over night.

[Grumpy Goat]

I think the sun will do a better job, plus it's easier

I have a friend if he has to change tires early spring when there's little sun or it's low in the horizon will place a trouble light down inside the tires, cover with aluminum foil and let it sit over night.

I agree that the sun is easier and I did hear about the light inside the tire trick.

[darrell]

[quote='Ray'
So, when you guys got together, you took kicking the tires literally (onto the rims).

With that many tires for that many friends, I can see why one might get rid of his equipment when it really comes time to ride.
[/quote]
Spread over 12 years that is only 17 bikes a year and 3 - 4 of those were mine so only a dozen or so friends bikes. I’m a huge Nascar fan so Sunday afternoons we’d turn on the flat screen, watch the race while changing tires. Usually 3 hours to do 2 both tires. Each spring I ordered a pallet of 20 tires of various sizes riders used from a wholesaler who gave me an additional 10% discount when I bought a pallet of them. Some ordered their own and usually had them sent to my address. Yes frustrating on a nice day when I could be riding but I usually didn’t ride when a race was on so home anyway. Always good to spend some quality time with friends. In fact with this social distancing hope to enjoy again some day.[attachment=553]