the blue ox

[Steve Green]

Use a little dishwashing soap Ivory in water. Wet both beads. A pop is not necessary. Check that the bead-line around tire is showing all the way around and close to even. For smooth running and good handling definitely balance your wheels. You should have a tire stand. You can make a perfectly fine one out of 2x4 wood, and just clamp it too your bench. Too reduce rotating friction: Get a large diameter (5/8") steel rod that will still pass thru the wheel bearings. Then get 2 cheap caged ball bearing ($5 ea) that will fit over the steel rod. Pass the rod thru the wheel and put each bearing (no grease in bearings, only light oil) over each side of the rod. Support your wheel assembly on these to external bearings.(notch your vertical 2x4s on the stand to hold bearings in place) This will remove almost all the friction from your wheel assembly and enable you to balance it better than any spin balancer. Find heavy spot and compensate on the opposite side by taping weights on. Once you know where to place them, mark and permanently stick. I can balance mine to within 3 grams = 1/2 a lead strip weight square. I use stick on automotive strip weights. They can be cleaned reused with 3M double sided sticky tape. Once you have a stock no need to ever buy more. Clean well before sticking. Split total weight onto each side of rim or directly in center if possible. I do not like spoke weights cause they look crappy IMO, and are harder to be precise with. MISC TIPS: With the stand you can also see how true your wheel assembly is running. Never do the difficult tire iron portion of the installation/removal near the valve stem, since this area is hard to patch if you screw up. Do not use too much water/soap since it can throw off the balancing if trapped between the tube and tire. Just wipe with a soaked rag. Make sure the tube is not pinched between rim and tire or seating will be impossible. Balance rear without sprocket. Hope this helps. Steve

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "Eric Grundin" wrote: > I am changing tires and it is the first time that I have ever done it my > self. I have changed hundreds of bicycle tires and I figure it is about the > same just bigger! I got the front wheel off ok and removed the old tire and > spooned on the new one. So far so good. I pumped it up and it all looks fine > butt I never heard a pop when the bead seated. Does this mean the bead is > not set? It all looks ok so am I fine? I would like to get the tire back on > tonight so any advice is appreciated. Do I need to balance them? There was > no yellow spot on the tire to mark the light spot so I am not sure on what > to do. The tires are Avon Grpsters if that helps. Thanks. > Eric Grundin > Salem, Wi. > 99 Concours "Airbike" > 01 KLR 650 > COG #3728 > AMA #75867 > Silly Yuppie Trailers are for Boats.

[monahanwb@yahoo.com]

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "Steve Green" wrote:

> Use a little dishwashing soap Ivory in water. Wet both beads. A pop > is not necessary.

I didn't have any Ivory when I got stranded yesterday. All I had was a little "personal size" bottle of 'liquid soap' I kiped from the hospital when i was in there a couple of months ago (good camp soap, I was thinking). Worked just fine. In fact, the 6006s I use don't need much if any; if I had better stuff to work with than a side stand and axe handle I wouldn't have had to dig in my pack for the soap. Good advice none the less. Thanks.

[Swede]

Some tires are pre-balanced, on these there is a mark that you line up with the valve stem. In my experience with these kinds of tires, if the rim is balanced and you run the same type tires consecutively, you balance just to check and generally don't have to add or remove weight. "Swede"

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "Steve Green" wrote: > Find heavy spot and compensate on the opposite side by taping weights > on. Once you know where to place them, mark and permanently stick. > Hope this helps. Steve

[Fred Hink]

That yellow dot or circle marks the light side of the tire. It doesn't tell you how light that side is. It will help you get your tire balanced with the least amount of weight you might need but it won't be the same with all tires. Fred www.arrowheadmotorsports.com

----- Original Message ----- From: Swede To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2001 6:40 AM Subject: [DSN_klr650] Re: Tire mounting and balancing tips Some tires are pre-balanced, on these there is a mark that you line up with the valve stem. In my experience with these kinds of tires, if the rim is balanced and you run the same type tires consecutively, you balance just to check and generally don't have to add or remove weight. "Swede" --- In DSN_klr650@y..., "Steve Green" wrote: > Find heavy spot and compensate on the opposite side by taping weights > on. Once you know where to place them, mark and permanently stick. > Hope this helps. Steve Visit the KLR650 archives at http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 Post message: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: DSN_klr650-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com List owner: DSN_klr650-owner@yahoogroups.com Support Dual Sport News by subscribing at: http://www.dualsportnews.com Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Swede]

That's why I said "generally", it has usually worked out for me, but I'm not going to say always. Kinda like "Windex generally works for mounting tires". "Swede"

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "Fred Hink" wrote: > That yellow dot or circle marks the light side of the tire. It doesn't tell you how light that side is. It will help you get your tire balanced with the least amount of weight you might need but it won't be the same with all tires. > > Fred > www.arrowheadmotorsports.com

[Steve Green]

Dear Swede, I have never heard of a "pre balanced tire". The dots on the sides of tires normally have to do with heavy or light spots, i.e. where the wire beads within the tire are joined. Personally I never know if the colored dots are the light spot or the heavy spot. The guys who sell the tires never have good answers for me either. Thus I always balance my tire regardless of spots or dots. I have never found a tire wheel assembly that is balanced without additional weights. I have done hundreds and this has always been the case. Steve

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "Swede" wrote: > Some tires are pre-balanced, on these there is a mark that you > line up with the valve stem. In my experience with these kinds > of tires, if the rim is balanced and you run the same type tires > consecutively, you balance just to check and generally don't > have to add or remove weight. > > "Swede" > > --- In DSN_klr650@y..., "Steve Green" wrote: > > > Find heavy spot and compensate on the opposite side by taping > weights > > on. Once you know where to place them, mark and permanently stick. > > > Hope this helps. Steve

[Pierre Fortier]

I have changed thousands of automobiles tires and i would guess between 2-3% of them that don't need any weight to be balanced...and never been sure if that colored dot made any difference but yes it is supposed to be near the valve

----- Original Message ----- From: "Steve Green" To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Wednesday, June 13, 2001 12:24 AM Subject: [DSN_klr650] Re: Tire mounting and balancing tips > Dear Swede, > > I have never heard of a "pre balanced tire". The dots on the sides > of tires normally have to do with heavy or light spots, i.e. where > the wire beads within the tire are joined. > > Personally I never know if the colored dots are the light spot or the > heavy spot. The guys who sell the tires never have good answers for > me either. Thus I always balance my tire regardless of spots or > dots. I have never found a tire wheel assembly that is balanced > without additional weights. I have done hundreds and this has always > been the case. > > Steve > > > --- In DSN_klr650@y..., "Swede" wrote: > > Some tires are pre-balanced, on these there is a mark that you > > line up with the valve stem. In my experience with these kinds > > of tires, if the rim is balanced and you run the same type tires > > consecutively, you balance just to check and generally don't > > have to add or remove weight. > > > > "Swede" > > > > --- In DSN_klr650@y..., "Steve Green" wrote: > > > > > Find heavy spot and compensate on the opposite side by taping > > weights > > > on. Once you know where to place them, mark and permanently stick. > > > > > Hope this helps. Steve > > > Visit the KLR650 archives at > http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 > > Post message: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com > Subscribe: DSN_klr650-subscribe@yahoogroups.com > Unsubscribe: DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > List owner: DSN_klr650-owner@yahoogroups.com > > Support Dual Sport News by subscribing at: > http://www.dualsportnews.com > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > >

[light1up@yahoo.com]

The colored dot on the tire marks the light side and, in theory, should be lined up with the stem on the rim, supposedly the heavy side. Next time you change tires, throw the rim without the tire on the balance machine and find out the actual heavy spot. Line up the tire's colored dot with the rim's actual heavy spot. You'll save at least 25% of the weight you'd normally use and get a more accurate balance. Julio

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "Pierre Fortier" wrote: > I have changed thousands of automobiles tires and i would guess between 2-3% > of them that don't need any weight to be balanced...and never been sure if > that colored dot made any difference but yes it is supposed to be near the > valve >

[Lance Collier]

Bryan, Why don't you just name your bike "Babe"? -Lance