Weight Required For Tire Balancing

[Ohio HD]

Over the years I've always tried to keep rear wheels to a maximum of 3 ounces of weight, and fronts to 2 ounces of weight. I've of course ran across some wheels and tires that took more. But in those cases it is what it is.

I'm balancing a new set of Bridgestone tires for my Ultra, front took 0.9 ounces (5 x 0.18 oz) and the rear took 1.8 ounces (10 x 0.18 oz).

It looks crappy because weights are soo light now, at only 0.18 ounce they take more to get them balanced. And using a static balancer is like watching paint dry.

I'm curious as to what you guys consider too much weight to get the wheels balanced. 


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[Coyote]

I've put up to 3 oz on the BMW wheels but they have a large, TPMS on one side. I don't think I ever had to use more than 1.5 on any of my HD wheels. Newer bikes might be different since they are now using sensors.

Can't you get lead weights in OH?  I always had to import them from KS in CA.

[fbn ent]

If it's over 2 oz., I'll spin it on the rim to try to get it down. 3 really feel excessive. I have never spun a rim to check it...don't know why .

[Ohio HD]

I've put up to 3 oz on the BMW wheels but they have a large, TPMS on one side. I don't think I ever had to use more than 1.5 on any of my HD wheels. Newer bikes might be different since they are now using sensors.

Can't you get lead weights in OH?  I always had to import them from KS in CA.

I always used the HD weights because they're small, and they used to be I believe 0.25 ounce. What ever they're made of now they weight 0.18 ounce each. No TPMS for me, just heavy wheels.   

[road-dawgs1]

Ever try these? Centramatic. Kinda pricey but wonder how well they work.

[Ohio HD]

I've never tried balancers like that, I have tried balance beads, but really couldn't tell if they really did anything. Too messy for me too.

[Coyote]

The thing about any of these balancers (or beads) is you need more weight in beads (or balls) than your imbalance for it to work. I wonder how many using beads put 2-3 oz of beads in? The balancers in the link above don't even specify how much movable mass they have available.

I just use the cheap lead weights. I have both silver and black wheels on my bikes. So I keep a can of gloss black and gloss silver rattle can paint and paint the lead weights for use.

[lilchief]

Ever try these? Centramatic. Kinda pricey but wonder how well they work.

I had those on my FLHT when I had it. They worked really well IMO, at least on that bike.

[hattitude]

Ever try these? Centramatic. Kinda pricey but wonder how well they work.

I had those on my FLHT when I had it. They worked really well IMO, at least on that bike.

I've never seen them on a bike, but.....

I used them on my 40' Class A RV and they made a night & day difference....   

[calif phil]

I rarely see a wheel that needs 3oz, most are around 2 oz + or - , sometimes I get lucky and they don't need any.
Mag wheels and quality tires come out the best, spoke wheels, cheap tires like Shinko are the worst. 

[60wt]

new 2023 heritage...3 1/2 oz on spoke front tire straight from the dealer  (20-5gn tape a weights)

[Buglet]

   The Dunlop's WWW have to be the worst for having to use a lot of weights to balance.

[SP33DY]

I had a wheel from a CVO M8 that took a ton of weight to balance. I tried moving he tire around and it didn't help. It was so much weight, that I took the tire off and checked the wheel itself. The problem was the wheel. I also checked it for runout in the truing stand, and it was perfect. I don't understand how that cast and machined aluminum wheel could be that imbalanced. Called the customer and he decided to run it. It's the worst I've ever seen by far, and very unusual.

It came out that the wheel was a take-off that he bought cheap at an H-D dealership. I would guess that it was taken off for good reason! Just the same, I never saw one that bad and I can't explain it.

[92flhtcu]

I'm a Ride-On guy, been using for about 15 yrs now, works great, NO, it is not like Slime.....

and I've actually had it seal a puncture on a new tire somewhere between leaving Milwaukee, 2 weeks of Sturgis and riding back home to Milwaukee..

www.ride-on.com

[IronButt70]

I've never tried balancers like that, I have tried balance beads, but really couldn't tell if they really did anything. Too messy for me too.

Been using the beads for years and many 100k miles. 2 oz in front, 3 oz in rear. What about them is so messy?