Dyanbeads for wheel balancing...(NGC)

[bigbikerrick]

Hello Folks, Do any of you have any experience with dyna beads tire balancing beads? I was wondering if they would work for me with a problem wheel I have on My 350 Z roadster. We added some high end aftermarket wheels to my roadster,and one of the front wheels got bent slightly from hitting a pot hole. The bend was on the inner lip of the rim. I took the wheel to a place called "Nu Wheel" that repairs wheels,and they straightened out the bent lip, for $125.00 but still the wheel takes alot of weight to balance, about 7-8 ounces,and even though I have had it re balanced numerous times, it still eventually develops a bad vibration at around 80 mph.
  These wheels are no longer available, so I cant buy one replacement wheel. The wheel repair place says thats all they can do with it. I was wondering what the group's opinion is on trying dyna beads in that tire? I want to avoid having to buy 4 new wheels, since I really like the way these wheels look. Any suggestions you wish to share, much appreciated.
Rick.

[RinkRat II]

   Take just the wheel to a performance wheel balancing shop and find out why after hitting a pothole your wheel would be off that much.  You can balance a square wheel but it still won't ride worth a damn. Something else is going on, not just balance.

      Paul B

[Bulldog9]

I had an unexpected mid-tour tire change on my Norge a couple years ago, needed new front and rear tires. The shop I went to (only shop in 100 miles) happened to have a set in the size I needed. He dumbed those balance beads in the tires before mounting, and I rode the 3000 miles more of my trip and another 2K miles with them in to good effect. No vibration or imbalance at speeds up to 120 +/-.  I was sceptical, but would definitely use again without hesitation.

That said, I don't see how they can help with a flat spot in the rim, so unlikely they will work, but nothing ventured nothing gained.

[Perazzimx14]

Tractor Trailer do not need 7 o 8 ounces of weigh for balancing. If it takes that much weight there is another issue. For the record I stopped balancing tires last year and do not notice the difference. I used to buy beads 120 ounces at a time.

Today I mounted a Shinko 804 front on a a new to me bike. After the tire was on I remove the five (5) 1/2 ounce sticky weights that were on the rim. There is also no locating dot on the tire so it when on with no idea of or if there was a heavy spot. Took it out and at any speed I had it too was smooth as silk.

I'm convinced that motorcycle tires (for everyday road use) just do not have enough mass or spin fast enough to need balancing.

[wirespokes]

Was the tire replaced?

[malik]

I use dynabeads, and quite happily. BUT, the gross imperfection you describe seems beyond the DynaBeads design brief. Have the rim properly trued, or replace it.

[bigbikerrick]

Thanks for the replies folks. Yes , I replaced te tire with a brand new one. Also ,the rim does not have a "flat spot", I believe that what the wheel guy told me is that the lip edge of the rim is straight and true when he spins it on his machine,but there is a slight bend at the  mounting hub , and thats what causes it to require so much weight. You can not see the "bend" when you spin the wheel ,and look at it, it all looks like it  spins true, as in there is no lateral run out, or vertical run out, you can appreciate with the naked eye. He also told me the balancing would "change" that you could balance it and it would only be smooth for about a month. I am not sure what exactly he meant by this. I dont see how the balancing requirements would change.
Rick.

[wirespokes]

It seems dynabeads would be your answer.

I'm curious how the rim would behave on a static balancer.

This is all so mysterious - I wonder how anyone would know the tire would exhibit out-of-balance after a month of running? And how would he know the mounting is bent if it's not visible? Why not true it up if he knows that's the case? A machine shop would have to make a mounting fixture, but after that, with a little machining, true everything up.

Can you see a wobble when spinning the wheel with tire mounted?

[bigbikerrick]

Wirespokes, When I jack up the car and spin the tire/wheel by hand, I cant see any obvious deflection, either laterally, or vertically. The bad wheel is on the passenger front, when I do the same with the drivers side wheel,for comparison, I see no obvious difference in deflection. I took the wheel to a place called Nu Wheel in Tucson, and they have been around for a long time, doing wheel repair. The owner told me that when a wheel is slightly bent at the hub, there is not much they can do about that.He stated that you can balance it pretty good, but with the bend at the hub, the balance job wont "hold". I took it to discount tire and had the guys re balance the tire twice,and the best they could get it was taking 8 oz of weight. It vibrates between 80-83 mph. Its smooth at 70, and at 100 mph. Thats why I was debating, if I left the 7 ozs of weights on the rim, and added the dyna beads, maybe it would help some. 
thanks,
Rick

[cliffrod]

A likely reason why the balance won't  "hold" indefinitely is likely because the weights will eventually be thrown off when it reaches the point of significant vibration. 

A bend or deformation isn't going to change the weight/mass of the wheel, only the placement of mass in terms of the wheel's three dimensional area.   Now there is mass where it is not supposed to be.   This condition may not be noticeable until a specifc speed is acheived, which is a sweet spot for the new state of imbalance.  Even if it isn't as noticeable at other speeds, it's likely that some oscillation is occurring constantly that may further enhance the chances of a premature failure.  Not cool.

If the wheel will magically heal itself back into a normal state of balance (which is the basic approach to all needed repairs in my father's squeeze-a-penny "it'll fix itself" mentality), it also makes sense that it will also move again into a state of disrepair or beyond just as easily.  Hit a unexpected pothole or retread and it's showtime.   Neither place is where I want to be at 80-100mph, even with four wheels instead of two.   Removing material from the wheel to balance it will weaken the wheel at the same time it increases the static imbalance, which will probably not be any different at the new sweet spot of rotational imbalance.  Not cool either. 

I understand wanting to save the wheel and thus save the set of wheels, but that may not be practical or safe this time. No amount of weight to mask the condition will make it safe.   That's why I so dislike fancy alloy wheels on cars. I sold a lot of muscle car-era special wheels as a kid when it was profitable before repros changed the market.  Compared to a steel wheel, It takes very little damage to render an alloy wheel useless. 

Good luck.

[Perazzimx14]

I assume that they also made more then 4 of these wheels so there is maybe a possibility of finding a good used one??

Maybe a picture and some info on the wheels would help the rest of us keep and eye out for one for you?

[bigbikerrick]

Perrazimx14, The wheel is a Ruff racing R 280 in a 19" rim with a charcoal grey center. I have been looking for one for the last couple of years. Sometimes you find a place online that shows them, but when you call them to order one, the answer has always been " not available"

Cliffrod, taking into consideration what you tell me, it sounds like it may be a safety issue. I am thinking I may be better off biting the bullet,and just  buying a complete set of aftermarket wheels.I hate to think what woud happen if the wheel failed at speed...
Thank you
Rick.

[cliffrod]

There were certain wheels that I traded back then that had a tendency to crack in specific places, even though there was usually no other easily discerned issues damage.  Having a wheel fail at speed is never good. 

I understand where you're at.  My old friend's Ducati F1-B that I often mention suffered a damaged Marvic front wheel during a needless momentary lapse of attention low speed get-off over a decade ago.  Those wheels survived a long race career and are so much lighter & cooler than the stodgy (by comparison) OEM.  The wheel can be repaired but that's not the ideal or desired resolution.  So far, a match to replace it still has not been found. 

[John Ulrich]

Rick,

Did they move the tire on the rim 1/2 a turn?   Worked for me this time last year..... took 3 tries at various Discount Tire stores driving to AZ.  Third guy know what I wanted and worked like a charm.

[roadventure]

Rick,

Did they move the tire on the rim 1/2 a turn?   Worked for me this time last year..... took 3 tries at various Discount Tire stores driving to AZ.  Third guy know what I wanted and worked like a charm.

Don't you hate it when you have to instruct the guy mounting tires on how to do the job correctly?