Out of balance wheels?
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Club Member
Joined: Dec 2014
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From: SWFL
Out of balance wheels?
I picked up a set of enforcers off a 2019 Street Glide locally. When I got them I checked for roundness and lateral runout using my rudimentary balance stand. Looked fine.
Had a local shop pull the rubber and install a Michelin Commander 3 front. I did use a steel valve stem which I weighed @ 1.25oz, and a Fobo bike TPMS cap which weighs 7g (.25 oz) FYI. They gave me back the wheel, saying it took 4.5 ounces of weights directly opposite the valve stem to spin balance it.
Im not thrilled with that much weight, so Im going to have them rotate the tire 180 to see if that helps (at a trusted friends suggestion). A little ticked that they didnt try that. (I asked after the fact) But if that doesnt help much, taking into consideration the 1.5oz heavy stem and TPMS cap, is 3oz of weight too much?
I looked at my Dyna which runs smooth as glass and it has about 2.5oz on it.
Am I being bothered by nothing?
Had a local shop pull the rubber and install a Michelin Commander 3 front. I did use a steel valve stem which I weighed @ 1.25oz, and a Fobo bike TPMS cap which weighs 7g (.25 oz) FYI. They gave me back the wheel, saying it took 4.5 ounces of weights directly opposite the valve stem to spin balance it.
Im not thrilled with that much weight, so Im going to have them rotate the tire 180 to see if that helps (at a trusted friends suggestion). A little ticked that they didnt try that. (I asked after the fact) But if that doesnt help much, taking into consideration the 1.5oz heavy stem and TPMS cap, is 3oz of weight too much?
I looked at my Dyna which runs smooth as glass and it has about 2.5oz on it.
Am I being bothered by nothing?
Seems like quite a bit, that's more weight than any of the 33" tires on my truck took to balance!
I would see what it is after they spin the tire 180 degrees. if it still takes that much. Although with the heavier valve stem and TPS if it runs smooth, and you're not getting funny wear I wouldn't worry about it. Although I'd be concerned as to what the weights piled on that side look like.
I would see what it is after they spin the tire 180 degrees. if it still takes that much. Although with the heavier valve stem and TPS if it runs smooth, and you're not getting funny wear I wouldn't worry about it. Although I'd be concerned as to what the weights piled on that side look like.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2009
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From: Niagara, Ontario, Canada
You would have thought someone would have tried rotating that to alleviate the weights ! They know how much that pisses everyone off. I doubt the valve you installed is the issue.
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2014
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From: Arizona
This. Havent had them balance my tires in years just bring in a bottle with the tire and have them squeeze it in.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2006
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From: Black Hills
On mag wheels we use dyna beads. What's the date code on your C3 tire ? There were problems with older 19" front tires. I have a C3 on my bagger with dyna beads and it rides fine.
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/wheel...mander-3s.html
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/wheel...mander-3s.html
Last edited by rizzo; Dec 14, 2023 at 09:35 PM.
Thread Starter
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Club Member
Joined: Dec 2014
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From: SWFL
On mag wheels we use dyna beads. What's the date code on your C3 tire ? There were problems with older 19" front tires. I have a C3 on my bagger with dyna beads and it rides fine.
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/wheel...mander-3s.html
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/wheel...mander-3s.html
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6th Gear
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 14
Likes: 11
From: CR
TD/DR cliffs: quality control on new HD wheels is poor.
I always take the extra step to check the wheel balance by itself minus the tire when doing tires on HD mag wheels now. I have run across a large number of the post Castalloy generation mags that are off in left field and IMO should have been rejected in quality.
Imgur hosted clip I took of a New XL Iron wheel out of box(virgin paint on the bead area) with new bearings installed. I have found this static balancer setup to be repeatable to under 2 grams(~.07oz). The wheel heavy spot is 90° away from the valve stem, the heavy spot took over 100g(~3.5oz) alone to cancel out.
Without knowing the heavy spot of the wheel isn't at the valve stem(it's assumed it is), the balance dot on the tire is meaningless.
By comparison most of the wheels I check on the big 4 Japanese are under 15g(~.5oz) if they are not actually zero with a valve stem and it's a rarity IME to see the heavy spot to be more than 5-10° away from the valve stem.
I always take the extra step to check the wheel balance by itself minus the tire when doing tires on HD mag wheels now. I have run across a large number of the post Castalloy generation mags that are off in left field and IMO should have been rejected in quality.
Imgur hosted clip I took of a New XL Iron wheel out of box(virgin paint on the bead area) with new bearings installed. I have found this static balancer setup to be repeatable to under 2 grams(~.07oz). The wheel heavy spot is 90° away from the valve stem, the heavy spot took over 100g(~3.5oz) alone to cancel out.
Without knowing the heavy spot of the wheel isn't at the valve stem(it's assumed it is), the balance dot on the tire is meaningless.
By comparison most of the wheels I check on the big 4 Japanese are under 15g(~.5oz) if they are not actually zero with a valve stem and it's a rarity IME to see the heavy spot to be more than 5-10° away from the valve stem.
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Joined: Dec 2022
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From: Queens NY
TD/DR cliffs: quality control on new HD wheels is poor.
I always take the extra step to check the wheel balance by itself minus the tire when doing tires on HD mag wheels now. I have run across a large number of the post Castalloy generation mags that are off in left field and IMO should have been rejected in quality.
I always take the extra step to check the wheel balance by itself minus the tire when doing tires on HD mag wheels now. I have run across a large number of the post Castalloy generation mags that are off in left field and IMO should have been rejected in quality.
And just because they fixed their moulding issues doesn't mean you didn't get a bum tire. I've balanced hundreds of tires over the years. I've seen some take 1/2oz, others take 4 1/2oz. If you don't like the one you bought send it back.
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From: SWFL
Resolved.
Took the wheel back to the shop. The place is a two man operation, the owner who sits behind a desk and the tech who does all the work.
Here is where it gets funny. I walk in with the wheel/tire. I could tell the tech was pissed off already. I hand him the tire and he starts in “I don’t give a F what anyone says - every tire needs weights, blah blah…” so I look at him and say - “you would ride along with four and a half ounces on your front wheel? you’d be ok with that? Really? You don’t want to do this, give me back my f’ing wheel and I’ll take it somewhere that gives a ****.” He quieted down, pulled the core, deflated and broke the bead. Put it up on the clamps and said “what do you want me to do” - I told him to rotate the tire 180 and check it. (I already stripped off the quarter pounder worth of weights). He did, reinflated it and put it on the balancer. Spun it and loe and behold, 1.75 oz opposite the ounce and a quarter steel stem and Fobo TPMS cap. Nice. A crap load better than 4.5oz.
I just looked at the tech and said, “well, how about that…” - the boss then came over and said “Sorry”.
Guess where I’ll never go again…
Took the wheel back to the shop. The place is a two man operation, the owner who sits behind a desk and the tech who does all the work.
Here is where it gets funny. I walk in with the wheel/tire. I could tell the tech was pissed off already. I hand him the tire and he starts in “I don’t give a F what anyone says - every tire needs weights, blah blah…” so I look at him and say - “you would ride along with four and a half ounces on your front wheel? you’d be ok with that? Really? You don’t want to do this, give me back my f’ing wheel and I’ll take it somewhere that gives a ****.” He quieted down, pulled the core, deflated and broke the bead. Put it up on the clamps and said “what do you want me to do” - I told him to rotate the tire 180 and check it. (I already stripped off the quarter pounder worth of weights). He did, reinflated it and put it on the balancer. Spun it and loe and behold, 1.75 oz opposite the ounce and a quarter steel stem and Fobo TPMS cap. Nice. A crap load better than 4.5oz.
I just looked at the tech and said, “well, how about that…” - the boss then came over and said “Sorry”.
Guess where I’ll never go again…
