shakin_jake
Member
~~~~yes, I absolutely leave the rubber air valve stem in place when looking for the *TRUE* heaviest point of the rim. The tire wont hold air if you leave it out Peter=
I’ve been using Marc Parnes balancing system, as seen in the above pic sitting on top of my kitchen stove. How this system works, the bearings in the two outer blocks with flat spots are able to sit on top what most that use with this system, a pair of concrete blocks, since they are readily available everywhere for cheap. The length of a concrete block is typically longer than the distance of half the height of your average motorcycle rim/tire combo
So the flat spots of the bearing blocks sit on the concrete blocks, you then insert the shaft through your rim’s bearings. The shaft does not come in contact with your rim’s bearings, that’s what the cones do, they butt against the bearings after you finger tighten the thumb screws. Marc Parnes offers cones for a multitude of motorcycle wheels. I haven’t checked his site but I would imagine he carries cones to fit Spyder wheels. When I started using Marc’s system I bought cones to work with my GS as seen in the below photo and my modern Vespa, a 2013 GTS
Okay, going through my flickr photo stream I found a pic showing what I described above
at the risk of going off topic, here’s another tool I use when doing tire work. Before I bought this contraption I used the heels of my boots to break the seal that forms between a tire and motorcycle rim. The above works on leverage
again, at the risk of going slightly off topic, I thought I’d show this pic doing tire work on my living room floor. Here in north central Fla. its hotter than the hinges of Haddes most of the year, so I bring the work indoors where I have air conditioning. I think a lot of two and three wheel pilots (at least in my part of the world) dont want to do tire work because its too hot outdoors. I say bring the work inside where its cool. Now I’m really going off topic with this next comment. I’d like to see manufacturers like Can Am offer cooling seats besides heated seats to their offerings. I’d love to be able to buy a Spyder with an option to cool the seat. We have more hot months where I ride than months where its cool
Aight!, just to recap what I said about finding the true heaviest point of the rim so you place the light point of your new tire you’re installing on said rim, Hey!, if others want to blindly install their new tires with the paint dots to the tire valve, thinking it’s the heaviest point of the rim, more power to them. As you and others have said Peter, its worked for you. OTOH, since I have the tools and the technology (application of knowledge), I’d rather take the time on a new to me wheel and fins the true heaviest point, and mark that spot inconspicuously (I place a dot using a permanent marker on the center of the rim) so that next time I mount a new tire, I’ll place the painted dot to that point knowing it’s the heaviest point of the rim
I’ll readily admit I’m splitting hairs doing it my way. It’s kind of like using a torque wrench to tighten a nut or. Bolt vs. using the built in torque wrench of your brain. Both work, but in the case of tire life, I’m likely to get more life out of a tire rather than not finding the true heaviest point on the rim, with the rubber air valve installed=
Best,
Jake
Reddick Fla.
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while
hyea:
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