Wheel balancing

[Kurt in S.A.]

If you get your axle smooth enough, that should work ok with a ball-bearing wheel, but a taper-bearing wheel needs the bearings to be held in tight. Likewise, it doesn't work with the modern bolt-on rear wheels. The Parnes works with all of them.

I'll have a sit-down talk with my /7 wheels and tell them they might not be balanced! Bad wheels, bad wheels!! YMMV...

Kurt in S.A.

[richard t]

I'll probably get shouted down, but I've balanced a dozen or more wheels using just four rollerskate bearings holding up the axle stuck through the wheel...all supported by some 2x4s. Never used any kind of adapter. Works just fine. I'm never near 90-100 mph, so maybe that's why it works. Dunno...YMMV...

Kurt in S.A.

Kurt, those don't work well and I highly recommend against trusting them. I wish that we could play with a wheel and try each one to see the erorrs and accuracy.

I am very glad that you have had no trouble, but it is just a matter of time until you have an out of balance wheel.

If you get your axle smooth enough, that should work ok with a ball-bearing wheel, but a taper-bearing wheel needs the bearings to be held in tight. Likewise, it doesn't work with the modern bolt-on rear wheels. The Parnes works with all of them.

I have adapters for the K75, a HD (friend) and a Duck (kid down the street) that work on my HF balancer, the shaft on the balancer was slightly out of round when I got it, Larry Fix It and I discovered that with dial indicators. My cousin made me a new shaft in his machine shop it has worked ok since.

[dougie]

My cousin made me a new shaft in his machine shop it has worked ok since.

I wish I had a cousin with a machine shop.

[ME 109]

I wish I had a cousin with a machine shop.

Just go to the chemist Doug and you too can have a new shaft.

[dougie]

I wish I had a cousin with a machine shop.

Just go to the chemist Doug and you too can have a new shaft.

[ME 109]

One Marc Parnes bm17 wheel balancer on its way to Aus.

I went to the library today looking for books on how to become more anal.

I mean, one gram? Man that's anal. I'm still working in 1/2 lb. grads....

Tim, has my balancer flown over you yet?

I'm gonna go back to the library tomorrow and look in the mechanical section.
The books in the medical section had way too much information.

[Deleted User 62]

Tim, has my balancer flown over you yet?

Yep, 2:51am last night. All the dogs in my neighborhood started barking at the high pitched whistling sound when it passed over. That sucker was moving!

[Major Softie]

Should we start a new thread: Is the whistle in my balancer a sign that it is unbalanced?

ME109, I would respectfully suggest that, while concerning oneself with a single gram in this endeavor is perhaps a bit over the top, one can move quite a bit in that direction from "1/2 a lb." and still not really have entered the realm of "anal."

[ME 109]

Tim, has my balancer flown over you yet?

Yep, 2:51am last night. All the dogs in my neighborhood started barking at the high pitched whistling sound when it passed over. That sucker was moving!

Thanks Tim, I've been standing out in my yard looking up at the southbound jets waiting for one that whistles.
Should be any time now.

[ME 109]

It's here! It's here!

Now I can balance my wheels........one day.

First thing will be to swap out my front snowflake that has been belted stupid for nearly 20 years.
I have a nice straight replacement to fit and balance.

Question: why is it necessary to have the tyre beads fully mounted on the rim to achieve proper balance?
I don't understand how it will affect balance if the beads are not seated. (other than if the tyre moves of course)

Time to give my home made bead breaker a proper run.



Gonna see if I can fit mesself on the balancer too, a few here would agree it's worth a try.