Do you remove old wheel weights when changing rear tire?

[Dakota Jim]

Hi, there is a lot of info about changing the rear tire out and how many people don't balance the rear tire. My question is, "Do you remove the old wheel weights if not balancing the new tire OR even if you do take the wheel in for balancing, do you remove all the old weights first? I just put a new Vredstein on the rim and will try to get it balanced tomorrow but there are 12 weights on there from the old Kenda tire. Thanks for any responses.

[Tourer]

Before any balancing, remove all the old weights. I too have read that some members don’t balance the rear tire.

I replaced all three tires on my F3 and put balance beads in the rear and liquid Ride On in the fronts. Trike rides super smooth.

[Peter Aawen]

12 Wheel Weights indicates that someone had issues with that wheel!!

Given that there was obviously some issue getting the previous tire/rim assembly balanced properly, I'd remove all the old wheel weights on the rim now that your Vredestein is on it, cos given their quality, the new tire is not all that likely to need that much in the way of weights or seriously need balancing before use on the rear of a Spyder, securely mounted on a thru axle that's supported on both sides by the swingarms! . However, if the wheel assembly still needs much in the way of balance even with the new tire on it, do be aware that there have been a number of Spyder RIMS that've been seriously out of balance too... so given me 'druthers, I would've at least done a rudimentary balance on just the rim while it was naked, just to be sure to be sure!

When tire retailers say they 'can't balance a Spyder rear wheel due to the rim/brake etc', it's really usually just a matter of exercising what should be basic skills for their techs and getting the correct fittings for their machines - fittings which are generally readily available, albeit only useful for a few odd rim sizes like those on our Spyders... so maybe you could offer to buy the fittings for them??

Still, if you can't readily get it balanced elsewhere just to confirm for your own peace of mind that with the new tire mounted, it's now well balanced enough not to be an issue, then you could probably do that rudimentary balance yourself before re-mounting the wheel on the Spyder. All you need is a tube or rod, preferably but not strictly necessarily of the same Diameter as the OE axle tube, one that'll go thru the axle tube with enough projecting out each side to let it sit on something each side and let the wheel freely spin; and a couple of axle stands or chairs etc that are sturdy enough to hold the wheel juuust off the ground while you gently spin it on the substitute axle.... Then once it's sitting suspended up there:

1. gently spin your wheel & let it stop of its own accord;
2. mark where it's stopped with relation to some fixed object, a brick on the ground alongside the tire is a good idea;
3. * rotate the wheel 1/8th of a turn, and gently spin again;
4. wait for it to stop once more & mark it again, looking for any difference between the previous mark & the latest mark;
5. repeat from * at least 6 more times, so that when completed, you should have started your 'gentle spin' from every 1/8th quadrant of the wheel;
6. compare all the marks, looking for any of them being abnormally close together...

If the marks are all fairly random around the wheel, go ahead & mount it, happy in the knowledge that it's close enough to 'correctly balanced' for it not to be any real issue running as a single rear drive wheel supported on both sides by the axle & swing arms! But if there's a few marks that are gathered fairly closely together anywhere (or worse, all of them!) then that's a reasonable indication that you might need to find someone who can do a better balance on that tire & rim assembly than the balance you've just done; or read on - maybe it's an indication that you need to find a new rim, one that's possibly not quite so un-balanced &/or out of round?? :banghead

You remember that brick you put alongside the tire so you could mark & compare the tire basically where it stopped after each gentle spin?? If you watch fairly closely for any changes in the gap between it and the tire/sidewall as your wheel is gently spinning, you can often get a good idea of any tire mounting issues &/or odd run-out in the tire itself, or any similar issues plus any warping/out of round of the rim. Any big changes in the gap as the wheel rotates might be cause for concern; where the gap changes are coming from can indicate which part is of concern; but do remember that this balance & run-out checking method is pretty rudimentary!

Good Luck!

[Badmotorf1nger]

Little advice from experience, take the old weights off yourself with some solvent & a plastic scraper BEFORE you bring the wheel to the tire shop.
Otherwise those clowns will definitely put a bunch of screwdriver/chisel scrapes in your wheels.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Absolutely remove any weights .... Balance rear tire/wheel, I have done 7-8 rear tires and ONLY balanced the first one. .... Frankly if you have an Auto tire on the rear, don't bother balancing it .... it isn't necessary ..... Mike

[Mikey]

[Isopedella]

Absolutely remove any weights .... Balance rear tire/wheel, I have done 7-8 rear tires and ONLY balanced the first one. .... Frankly if you have an Auto tire on the rear, don't bother balancing it .... it isn't necessary ..... Mike

Surely a correctly balanced wheel assembly is best practice?
For example, it may detect a problem with the rim, tyre, or the fitting of the tyre.

Please explain why that is not so as I can understand why you would not balance the wheel assembly recommend 2nd best shoddy work practices? It's not a difficult task.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

So I see my post on quality workmanship and best practice for maintenance has been deleted as it is in conflict with the it dosnt need it attitude.

Surely a correctly balanced wheel assembly is best practice?
For example it may detect a problem with the rim, tyre or the fitting of the tyre.

Please explain why that is not so as I can understand why you would to not balance the wheel assembly recommend 2nd best shoddy work practices. Its not a difficult task.

" best practice " ... ABSOLUTELY .... I agree 200 % ..... is it NECESSARY .... No !!! ... The one tire/wheel that I did have balanced ( Not a Crapenda ) took less than a half oz. ... The guy that did it, cut the weight in half .... and He said He only did that because He was ANAL ...... ..... Mike