How to balance the rear tire
Just got my replacement tires in. The rear one needs to be replaced soon after just 4000miles. Before I get started I need some advice. How does one balance the rear wheel? Since this wheel comes off the hub motor, you cannot use the usual axle mounted balancing approach for the rear wheel. You also have way too much resistance when mounted. Any tips?
Balancing is done at the factory with ONLY the wheel and tyre using an adapter plate for the Vectrix wheel to the balancing machine. Seeing that virtually nobody has the adapter plate, balancing in the field is not done. I have had numerous tyres fitted to V wheels and other vehicles and as Mocassin says alignining the dots on the tyre with the valve stem the balance is often very close to being spot on. I personally have ridden many bikes (too many to count!) after using this method and found none to be excessively out of balance tocause enough vibration to notice at speeds up to 130 mph(not on the V of course or on the road that I will admit to ;-). Just make sure you have the rotation arrow pointing in the correct direction, inflated correctly (32psi front 40psi rear) and remember to 'scrub' in your tyres for at least the first 10 to 20 miles as they are quite slippery for the first bit with the waxes used for mould release and can put you on the pavement. Oh, make sure to clean your rims around the bead seat to remove any junk from the old tyre and might as well clean up the rim itself to remove all the road crap that builds up which can affect ballance. Leave the original weights on then remove if you feel ecessive vibration coming through the bike and up your bum.
I had my time wondering about this one, had my rear tyre replaced about 800 miles ago. No balancing was required and there was no wobble.
I have had success with rear tires by elevating the rear wheel above ground, using a center stand or scissors jack, and putting the wheel in motion by engaging the motor, while watching it to see if it trys to vibrate up and down. (An unbalanced wheel will vibrate/shake noticably at speed, be careful that it does not contact pavement while testing!) If no vibration is noted, you are OK, but if vibration IS present, make a test installation of a small wheel weight, and retest. Depending on the result, you may need to move the weight, untill you find the best location-mark each spot tried, to speed the process, once the best spot has been found, increase or decrease the weight to find the best amount to use. This enables you to obtain good overall balance of all parts involved.-Bob
Balancing is done at the factory with ONLY the wheel and tyre using an adapter plate for the Vectrix wheel to the balancing machine.
Thanks for clarifying that. My rear wheel has a whole string of weights on it in one spot, and I couldn't imagine just a wheel and tire assembly only being THAT badly out of balance!!!
Your wheel may well have been balanced ON its gear hub at the factory, so be sure to mark the wheel and hub both so the wheel will be installed in exactly the same place on the hub.
Motorcycle tires usually come with a balance dot somewhere on the sidewall. Align the dot with the valve stem and you will most likely be done with balancing the tire. Very few bike tires need anything balancing beyond proper tire alignment.