Paint mark on tire - align opposite valve stem?

[Nessism]

Currently mounting a Bridgestone BT45 and noticed a paint mark on the tire. Does anyone know if this mark should be aligned with the valve stem or opposite? I think it's one or the other but can't remember.

Thanks.

Ed

[Boondocks]

The paint mark is the light point of the tire and should be aligned with the valve stem.

[bradleymaynar]

The paint mark is the light point of the tire and should be aligned with the valve stem.

From what I've been told, it's actually the heavy point on the tire and should be opposite of the valve stem (Crap! A new debate!:shock: ). The more important thing, though, is to properly balance the tire.

Brad bt

[Baatfam]

What if you have two dots, one red and one yellow, about 90º apart???

Had that on some new car tires I bought....

Bob T.

[bradleymaynar]

What if you have two dots, one red and one yellow, about 90º apart???

Had that on some new car tires I bought....

Bob T.

Dunno!:shock:

Brad bt

[RobGS850L]

The front on my 1100 was mounted and balanced at Cycle Gear and the yellow dot is lined up with the valve stem. And I do remember this same thing being talked over about a year ago and the yellow dot thing was an overall consensus of being lined up with the stem I think. I only say that because I've been doing it like that on the other rims where I have done the mounting and not taken them in and balanced them. I hope this made sense because my typing skills are that of 2 to 3 words a minute. And I lose track of what I'm saying. :roll:

[Boondocks]

From what I've been told, it's actually the heavy point on the tire and should be opposite of the valve stem (Crap! A new debate!:shock: ). The more important thing, though, is to properly balance the tire.

Brad bt

Maybe you will believe the AMA instead of what you were told. See What's in a tire besides air?.

Although lining up the balance spot on the tire with the valve stem is the standard way of mounting a tire, a more exact method is to spin the tireless rim first to locate the rim's heavy spot. If it doesn't line up with the valve stem hole, mark the rim heavy spot and line up the spot on the tire with the rim heavy spot.

[focus frenzy]

What if you have two dots, one red and one yellow, about 90º apart???

Had that on some new car tires I bought....

Bob T.

those mark heavyest and lightest points.
or mark heavy spot and the highest spot (radial run out) dependant on tire make.

on motorcycle (and car) tires you normaly align up the mark and the valve stem. on tires with one mark (yellow or red dependant on manufacturer) it indicates the light spot of the tire and you normaly align it with the valve stem.
the problem with that is the valve stem is not always the heavy spot on a wheel, you should check the ballance of the wheel first and using a crayon to mark the heavy spot of the wheel and then align the tire mark with the wheel mark.

[Nessism]

Thanks to everyone for the feedback.

Yellow mark by valve stem balances much better than the other way around. Next project is to build a balance stand.

[sharpy]

Just to confuse you

If you are fussy and it is a tubeless fitting/wheel you can find the heaviest part of the rim. It isnt always the valve area and if you place the dot at the heaviest part you end up using less weight which always looks better.