Balancing beads.

leonides

leonides

Joined
Dec 18, 2018
Messages
238
Age
82
Location
Miami, Fl.
Does anyone had any experience using balancing beads on your ST's ?
I used on a Michelin Commander II, on my Harley Dyna and did the job.
 
I use them anytime I put a new tire on. and yes I think they work great until you get a nail in the tire and then plug it.

I found I got about 2,000 miles out of a plug before the beads beat it into oblivion!
 
I've used them for several years, Counteract. My front tire doesn't cup any more and both tires wear evenly.
 
I was a total believer in beads until I had a big issue with them causing a strange vibration in my front end when I installed them with a new front tire. It drove me nuts trying to figure it out. I removed them and then balanced with weights and the problem was solved. Since then I've heard of several problems others have had with similar results. I no longer use them.
 
I'm using CounterAct in my bike, my trailers and soon to be in my car (next tire change). No issues, makes life easy. Only time i heard of someone having real problems is using too many. I did patch a tire with the beads already in it. Just made sure I kept the patch on the top side of the tire until the rubber cement has plenty of time to cure. I'm sure the beads have probably beat the tail off on the inside of the tire, but it wasn't doing much anyway. Still holding air and still rolling smooth.
 
I have used beads for the past four years, and they work great. I did have problems with one of my temporary plugs (worm type) - started to leak, but not sure if this was caused by the beads. Now I don't use those other than for emergencies - I always install a proper mushroom plug from the inside whenever I have a flat tire (within a few days). I like beads!
 
leonides said:
Does anyone had any experience using balancing beads on your ST's ?
Click to expand...
No experience. I still haven't been able to grasp the automagic operation of free moving parts inside a tire so none go in mine.
 
I've had the best results with Ride On in my tires, not only does it seal flats, but it also balances the tires every time you ride.
I've been using it for several years, and not only get more mileage out of my tires (less cupping), but a smoother ride as well.
Static balance is good for the moment you balance the tire, however, once the tire starts to wear, your balance changes, and gets worse with the more wear (cupping) you get.
Ride On also will not damage plugs if you have a Large hole you need to plug.
 
45 years of motorcycling and all I've used is the weights to balance tire. Balance seems good till next tire replacement.
 
Well...I'll throw in my two-cents. Been using them since 2011. My son converted me...explaining the Pro's. He does tire installs as a side job. Converts usually 95% to the beads. As the tire(s) wear...lead weights don't, thus a possible felt imbalance. Since the internal beads stay a 'constant' factor-spreading uniformly inside; they work. He does ONLY use the ceramic DynaBeads. He's NEVER had a customer have a TMPS damaged....as the beads are slung 'away' from the center of the wheel. He usually uses 1oz. for the front & 2oz.'s for rear tires. I've done over 125+ MPH and never had any shudder/vibration. Love always being able to CLEAN my wheels with those fugly wheel weights gone. And...I've actually had wheel weights sling off. Again....your choice. I have 4 racing friends that use them. They avg. 90-120 MPH routinely on the track. Your call.....
 
Igofar said:
, however, once the tire starts to wear, your balance changes,
Click to expand...

If this was true, every car owner, where wheel balance is much more critical - and noticeable if it is off - due to the much heavier rotating mass, would have to have their tires rebalanced every 10,000 miles or so.

Cupping is not strictly a result of tire balance either. Under inflation will cause more squirm in the tire. I used to get cupping on my 1100 front tires, while keeping the tire pressure at 36 psi, as called for in the manual. After bumping that up to 38 psi for the front, the cupping vanished on every set of tires since. Same tires too.

The slime product might be good for flat prevention, but to assert other qualities, like a smoother ride, seems more of an unconscious desire to find something that really isn't there.
 
I have used EZ Beads for years now. I decided to give them a try when my local motorcycle dealer switched to using them when they mounted tires. They wouldn't even use weights and static balance anymore. This convinced me to try them and have worked great for me. If nothing else they do help cupping issues better than weights. They will shred any kind of a tire plug though.
 
Bush said:
If this was true, every car owner, where wheel balance is much more critical - and noticeable if it is off - due to the much heavier rotating mass, would have to have their tires rebalanced every 10,000 miles or so.
Click to expand...

the imbalance of a car ( or in my case truck tires ) tire after 10000 is very measureable, the question is can the consumer "feel" the unbalance ?
 
T_C said:
Ever do a load of laundry... watch the spin cycle.
Click to expand...
Well now I know why I can't grasp the method. All my life the dryer doors have been metal, no glass windows in my dryers!

Thanks TC! (all in good fun) Off to the synthetic oil threads now....
 
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