Don't balance front tires with beads alone

[waynerho]

Width ratio is too low, and you will end up with balance issues.

Speaking from experience!

 

[BajaRon]

All dynamic balance products have a limit as to how much they can correct an out of balance condition. This includes Ride-On, Balance Beads and the disks that mount between the wheel and the hub.

With the Kenda tires it is not uncommon to be out by a great deal. Much more than what these alternate balancing products can compensate for. In these cases it is best, if possible, to get the tire dynamically balanced on a machine with weights. And then add or mount your alternate product.

Wheel weights are not dynamic and will only perfectly balance your wheel within a certain RPM range. Plus, as your tire wears the balance also changes. Your wheel weights cannot adjust for this.

A good dynamic balancing system can compensate for the tire RPM range outside of which your tire was weight balanced. And it can also compensate as your tires wear. Keeping your tires in balance at all times will make your tires last longer and give you a much better ride.

 

[Joel The Biker]

The balance bead websites state that low profile tires cant be balanced with beads. But I guess you didnt read it.

Dyna Beads® with Low Profile Tires. You will note that we do not market to cars, SUV’s or personal minivans, mostly due to low profile, low aspect ratio tires. If you have low-profile tires, that being any tire with an aspect ratio 65 or below, you may have balancing issues that precludes using Dyna Beads as the sole balancing method. Our official policy is that we do not advise using Dyna Beads in any car, truck or SUV tire with an aspect ratio 65 or below unless used in conjunction with weights.**The reason for this is that this type of tire has a higher incidence of lateral imbalance, which is basically that one side of the tire is heavier than the other side,creating a “wobbling” effect, or “shaking” of the steering wheel. This type of imbalance can only be corrected by careful placement of traditional weights on the wheel rim.

Spyders should only be balanced with traditional stick-on lead weights. No beads. And especially NO LIQUIDS!!! If you put liquid in your tires, your dealer or mechanic who puts your next set of tires on, will charge you double for making a mess of his tire machine. DON"T DO IT!

 

[BajaRon]

The balance bead websites state that low profile tires cant be balanced with beads. But I guess you didnt read it.

Dyna Beads® with Low Profile Tires. You will note that we do not market to cars, SUV’s or personal minivans, mostly due to low profile, low aspect ratio tires. If you have low-profile tires, that being any tire with an aspect ratio 65 or below, you may have balancing issues that precludes using Dyna Beads as the sole balancing method. Our official policy is that we do not advise using Dyna Beads in any car, truck or SUV tire with an aspect ratio 65 or below unless used in conjunction with weights.**The reason for this is that this type of tire has a higher incidence of lateral imbalance, which is basically that one side of the tire is heavier than the other side,creating a “wobbling” effect, or “shaking” of the steering wheel. This type of imbalance can only be corrected by careful placement of traditional weights on the wheel rim.

Spyders should only be balanced with traditional stick-on lead weights. No beads. And especially NO LIQUIDS!!! If you put liquid in your tires, your dealer or mechanic who puts your next set of tires on, will charge you double for making a mess of his tire machine. DON"T DO IT!

Maybe. But I use Ride-On in my Spyder tires with good results and zero issues with my tire guy. Ride-On isn't the same mess as some other liquid tire products.

Not saying it won't happen because I don't know your tire guy. But it doesn't bother my guy at all.

 

[Craigger_T]

I think we're done with Kenda Tires!

Haven't been here for years--sorry! We've gone from an early RT-S to now my wife's '14 ST Limited and my F3-S. We've battled tire balance problems on the two current machines as long as we've had them. The right-front disc on my F3 keeps warping, too(?). Re-balance, DynaBeads (work GREAT in my truck tires). Nothing works for long. Recently replaced my rear tire with a Kuhmo tire. I had purchased a belt tensioner because the vibration kept causing the license plate light/reflector to fall off! Haven't installed it because the new Kuhmo tire is so smooth, and it balanced with no weights on the wheel. The front tires still have plenty of wear left on both machines, but they wear so unevenly so quickly the vibration keeps me on roads and rides that I can stay under 50 mph or risk shaking the fillings out of my teeth. I've had the vibration smoothed out for as little as 200 miles before the unbalance is back with a vengeance!

 

[Wildrice]

All dynamic balance products have a limit as to how much they can correct an out of balance condition. This includes Ride-On, Balance Beads and the disks that mount between the wheel and the hub.
A good dynamic balancing system can compensate for the tire RPM range outside of which your tire was weight balanced. And it can also compensate as your tires wear. Keeping your tires in balance at all times will make your tires last longer and give you a much better ride.

Ron--I have my doubt on the value of dynamic balancing. Motorcycle racers just use static balance & some hit 200 mph. When I worked for Hunter Engineering they came up with tire balance unit called the "Smart Weight" which saved money on weights They tested their theory on a high power Ferrari--maybe Lamborghini at the Goodyear Design location in N. Ohio They found out that dynamic or lateral balance wasn't that important unless the tire was really out of shape. http://www.weightsaver.com/SW_Presentation_6_06.pdf
Darrell

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

And especially NO LIQUIDS!!! If you put liquid in your tires, your dealer or mechanic who puts your next set of tires on, will charge you double for making a mess of his tire machine. DON"T DO IT!

Interesting that you should say that! My local tire shop used liquid balance in three rear tires he has mounted for me so far. They use liquid balance in large tires such as for pickups and trucks. Liquid balance in tires is a normal part of daily life for them!

 

[waynerho]

I found the information on beads and low-profile tires after I had figured out myself what appeared to be happening. DynaBeads has a specific statement regarding low-profile applications. Use additional balancing.
I used Counteract. Nowhere on their website have I seen anything about sidewall/width limitations. But if you notice, their online calculator never lets you enter a low-profile tire. Subtle!

 

[Fat Baxter]

Back before I replaced the stock Kendas on my fronts, I researched balancing beads (I was desperate to get the front end to settle down!), at at one of the balance beads websites, I noticed something odd. If I plugged in the tire size in the motorcycle tire section, I got a recommendation for X amount of beads. Out of curiosity (since we actually use car tires on Spyders), I went to the car tire section, plugged in the same tire dimensions, and the result was twice the previous amount. Maybe their logic is that motorcycle tires are generally smaller/narrower than car tires.

So, depending on which section of a given website they referenced, maybe some folks are not using enough beads?

 

[UtahPete]

The balance bead websites state that low profile tires cant be balanced with beads. But I guess you didnt read it.

Dyna Beads® with Low Profile Tires. You will note that we do not market to cars, SUV’s or personal minivans, mostly due to low profile, low aspect ratio tires. If you have low-profile tires, that being any tire with an aspect ratio 65 or below, you may have balancing issues that precludes using Dyna Beads as the sole balancing method. Our official policy is that we do not advise using Dyna Beads in any car, truck or SUV tire with an aspect ratio 65 or below unless used in conjunction with weights.**The reason for this is that this type of tire has a higher incidence of lateral imbalance, which is basically that one side of the tire is heavier than the other side,creating a “wobbling” effect, or “shaking” of the steering wheel. This type of imbalance can only be corrected by careful placement of traditional weights on the wheel rim.

Spyders should only be balanced with traditional stick-on lead weights. No beads. And especially NO LIQUIDS!!! If you put liquid in your tires, your dealer or mechanic who puts your next set of tires on, will charge you double for making a mess of his tire machine. DON"T DO IT!

http://www.innovativebalancing.com/LowProfileTires.pdf

 

[RICZ]

Waynerho mentioned Counteract beads - they are superior to Dyna Beads in that they are smoother and don't abrase the insides of the tires like Dyna Beads can. With Dyna Beads, I saw black powder on the inside of the tires caused by their abrasive surface. Not so with Counteract beads. Your mileage may vary.

 

[T.P.]

I have been using the "Dyna Beads" type product inside my Honda Valkyrie motorcycle tires for about the last 12-13 years with good to great results.
I found out who supplies them and would buy a quart jar at a time, I would weigh them out into 2-3 ounce zip lock bags and sell them for 3-4 bucks a bag.
you wouldn't believe what the original application for these was. T.P.

 

[RICZ]

Bird shot??
I'd be more interested in Counteract Beads - less abrasive.