Ceramic tire balancing beads

[Giblet]

I just finished installing a new Dunlop D404 on the rear of my 82 GK. While searchung for a cheap bubble balancer on the web I stumbled on to this website, http://www.innovativebalancing.com/index.html . The company manufactures "a high-density ceramic bead that, when easily installed, continuously balances your tires as you drive. The amount of material will distribute itself in weight and position dependent on the balance requirements of the individual tire". Seemed too good to be true till I talked to my brother, a fleet manager for Aramark Linen Service in Tyler, Tx. He is testing a similar product in two of his large deliver trucks. He saya they do work & he is still waiting to see if they actually increase tire life. My GK had developed a vibration at about 75 MPH and so I was thinking about getting it rebalanced. I put the beads in the back tire and rode it up to ~85MPH and had no discernable vibration from the rear. I then removed the weight from the front and put the beads in it as well (also a D404 with about 8K miles on it). Rode it again up to 85MPH and had the front vibration was gone. Initially it appears it was worth the $14 investment/experiment. I'll post again in a week or so with more results. Hopefully I'll not be spending $35-40 a pop any more to have M/C tires mounted and balanced.

 

[Giblet]

Innovative Balancing

Innovative Balancing

This worked for me. This bike is so smooth and I am absolutely amazed, even more so that I was able to change my tire all by myself. Feels almost as good as the financial break I got once both boys got out of diapers \\/ . I got the tire shipped direct to my door and still came out $25 ahead even with purchasing the tire irons & the beads. I just need to fab a fixture to make breaking the bead easier.

 

[jimcor]

I've used PJ-1 Balancing Fluid and it seemed to work very well. As far as I could tell it was nothing more than 'clothes dryer lint' in a carrying fluid. Very messy when new tire time came around though. I'd be interested in hearing how these beads work.

 

[Busafied]

I just need to fab a fixture to make breaking the bead easier.

That is the easiest part-

a) Take a 2x4 block and mount it to the wall horizontally.
b) Take another about 48" and use a hinge to mount it perpendicular to the one on the wall with a Heavy Duty hinge.

c) and final step: using a toggle bolt or whatever you have, mount another 2x4 vertical about 10-12" from the wall on the one that is hinged.
On the bottom of it, nail on a piece of 2x4 about 8" wide.
It will be like an upside down "T"


How it works~
Pushing down in the ( 4' ) 2x4 mounted with a hinge, applies multiplied force to the one mounted like a "T" and breaks the bead.

Easier to show then type, but it SIMPLE , works & folds out of the way when done/

 

[dig dug mx6]

Nice find. I have new tires on my Guzzi that need balancing and this will be cheaper and I don't need the fugly paper weights.

BTW the 2x4 thing works great. I used a two loose 2x4's and I just wedged abotu a 8ft under a vertical 2x4 in the garage wall off the floor about 2ft then with another loose 2x4 about 2ft I just pryed down and pop'd em right off. by not mounting the short 2x4 I was able to adjust and get it lined up right, but you have to be careful with it no connected.


Here is a picture I found http://www.webbikeworld.com/t2/bead-breaker/motorcycle-tire-bead-breaker.htm

 

[Giblet]

Makes perfect sense (once I saw the pic). Good thing I had the walls & ceiling covered in wafer board instead of gypsum. That should work great. I saw on the website where someone had removed the beads after 30K miles of use and sent them back to the company to show how they held up. I'm wondering how much trouble it is to get them out or if its easier to just pour in a new 1oz bag? The beads are about the size of poppy seeds and a 1 oz bag is about the size of an individual size tea bag. The site encourages patience (pouring slowly) unless you want to do a whole lot of tapping on the valve stem. I probably cut the tip of the applicator bottle too big. Its like a tube of caulk so smaller is better because it is very difficult to keep the pour rate down otherwise.

 

[distraction628]

Good tip. Oh for tire change stuff check out what us COG owners do.

http://www.ldrider.ca/techpages/tirechangingtools.htm

Easy and works great.

 

[Giblet]

Cool. Hopefully I'll get to these items before my next tire change \\/ .

BTW, whats a COG?

 

[jimcor]

COG. Concours Owners Group.

 

[Giblet]

COG. Concours Owners Group.

Ahhhhhh! I'm looking for a newer bike, hopefully this spring. I keep coming back to the Concours. Maybe I'll be a COG guy too.

PS. NOT planning to sell the GK. Planning to strip it down to the frame and "restore" it to its former glory.