Where besides dealers do you get tires mounted and balanced?

[DickB]

I pulled the rear wheel on my 2014 RSS. My local tire shop says they can install a new tire but can't balance because the center hole is too small. The nearest Can Am dealer is 2 hours away. Others have reported that tire shops can do it. What shops specifically?

 

[troop]

I have a local trike builder who mounts my rear tire. That said, take it to any other motorcycle shop. They should be able to do it.

 

[Gwolf]

https://www.amazon.com/tire-bubble-balancer/s?k=tire+bubble+balancer

 

[Knizar]

You can learn to do your own tires!

That's what I did, purchase a manual bead breaker, 3 or 4 small spoon bars, soapy water sprayer, & watch some tire changing videos. Takes patience and a "Can Do" attitude!

Rear tire is easier than the front because it's wider, and a helping hand is a big plus.
The more you do the easier it becomes. My brother & I have done 10 different tires to date, I'm 73 years next week.

We use centramatic balancers Good Luck:thumbup:Bill

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I pulled the rear wheel on my 2014 RSS. My local tire shop says they can install a new tire but can't balance because the center hole is too small. The nearest Can Am dealer is 2 hours away. Others have reported that tire shops can do it. What shops specifically?

I have reported on this issue for many years, I posted the complete technical explanation as why, but it was rather lengthy and I'm a two finger typist .... my experience is with AUTO tires .... the rear doesn't need to be balanced. Mike :thumbup:

 

[shakin_jake]

You can learn to do your own tires!



Rear tire is easier than the front because it's wider, and a helping hand is a big plus.
The more you do the easier it becomes Good Luck:thumbup:Bill

~~~glad to hear the rear is easier because, the fronts were nothing short of Bears, using hand tools. Others may have better and different ideas



Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.
We always like a little bit of volume- Phil Campbell

 

[CloverHillCrawler]

I go to a local tire shop that not only works on cars but does can am side by sides and UTVs, they are more than happy to mount my tires for me and have the equipment to balance them although next time I am going with a 3 0z bag of balance beads as that is what the dealer did when they put on this Kenda to replace the rear Quatrac that was destroyed when I was rear ended back in Sept.

 

[Leaping1]

Forget balance just put some "ride on" in the tires and you will be set.
Leon

 

[DickB]

I have reported on this issue for many years, I posted the complete technical explanation as why, but it was rather lengthy and I'm a two finger typist .... my experience is with AUTO tires .... the rear doesn't need to be balanced. Mike :thumbup:

Well, my rear wheel has three weights on it.

 

[Jdr00ejr]

Well, my rear wheel has three weights on it.

When I do tires for folks - I pop off existing weights and use 3oz of Balance Beads. What I believe BlueKnight was trying to say is that it's not critical to balance the rear. I agree with this statement.

You have weights because the last person to put a rear on was able to balance it - but if you a) left those weights and just mounted a new tire or b) removed those weights and mounted a new tire - with no other weight options like beads, ride on, etc - you still likely won't notice on the rear if the tire is a bit out of balance. Adding the beads is easy if you are worried about balance.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[BajaRon]

As has been said. Put Ride-On or balance beads in the tire and you're good to go!

 

[Mikey]

Got any custom bike shops around? Like said above, you may not need to do anything! When I did mine last season, I didn't have much weight on the tire to get it balanced! Probably could have done without, but it would be a PITA if we were wrong!! :2thumbs: Good Luck

 

[DickB]

.... the rear doesn't need to be balanced. Mike :thumbup:

I ended up taking it to a dealership. They needlessly put on all this weight. I told them "but I read on the internet...", but they were unimpressed.

BTW for those who may be following, they needed the hub and brake rotor attached to properly balance.

 

[BajaRon]

I ended up taking it to a dealership. They needlessly put on all this weight. I told them "but I read on the internet...", but they were unimpressed.

BTW for those who may be following, they needed the hub and brake rotor attached to properly balance.

Why do you say 'Needlessly'? That is a Kenda tire. You're lucky it didn't need more weight to balance. And if the out of balance is due to being out of round, it will never be a smooth riding tire. You can't make a tire round by putting weights on the wheel.

I've been thinking about getting a tire shaver/truer. I could fix some customers Kenda's with one of those. But they want an outrageous amount of money for them. I'd never break even.

 

[Peter Aawen]

Why do you say 'Needlessly'? That is a Kenda tire. You're lucky it didn't need more weight to balance. And if the out of balance is due to being out of round, it will never be a smooth riding tire. You can't make a tire round by putting weights on the wheel.

I've been thinking about getting a tire shaver/truer. I could fix some customers Kenda's with one of those. But they want an outrageous amount of money for them. I'd never break even.

I tried that on a bunch of Kendas early in the piece - those that didn't break thru to cords/plies somewhere after the first pass still wouldn't run true/round &/or not vibrate/oscilate/cause (extreme) collywobbles while riding; and it wasn't my machine, so my time using it was restricted... I pretty much completely gave up on trying to 'fix' any Kendas about then! If they don't balance/run true first time around on the balancer &/or after an alignment, they get converted into lawn ornaments! :banghead:

 

[pegasus1300]

I have always had good luck with my local independent tire shop getting my tires mounted. They have been able to balance the fronts but not the back but since the do know how to properly orient a tire when mounting neither the fronts or the rear have needed much in the way of balancing and the rear none.

 

[BajaRon]

I tried that on a bunch of Kendas early in the piece - those that didn't break thru to cords/plies somewhere after the first pass still wouldn't run true/round &/or not vibrate/oscilate/cause (extreme) collywobbles while riding; and it wasn't my machine, so my time using it was restricted... I pretty much completely gave up on trying to 'fix' any Kendas about then! If they don't balance/run true first time around on the balancer &/or after an alignment, they get converted into lawn ornaments! :banghead:

Well, that is good information Peter. Saves me finding out the hard (and expensive) way. I wondered about that myself. Some Kenda's are so lumpy. I was afraid I'd have to shave to air before getting them round. Well, another pipe dream dies an anguishing death. It isn't the first.

 

[Peter Aawen]

Well, that is good information Peter. Saves me finding out the hard (and expensive) way. I wondered about that myself. Some Kenda's are so lumpy. I was afraid I'd have to shave to air before getting them round. Well, another pipe dream dies an anguishing death. It isn't the first.

There's no denying that they are better than they used to be, but it's only a little better!! :banghead:

I've already seen a few on fairly recent brand new Spyders that've been instant throw-aways... And it seems that it pretty much takes a Supreme Court Action to get any warranty action from dealers on them, even when it's clear to blind freddy that they're really not great, if not outright unsafe!! :gaah:

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

When I do tires for folks - I pop off existing weights and use 3oz of Balance Beads. What I believe BlueKnight was trying to say is that it's not critical to balance the rear. I agree with this statement.

You have weights because the last person to put a rear on was able to balance it - but if you a) left those weights and just mounted a new tire or b) removed those weights and mounted a new tire - with no other weight options like beads, ride on, etc - you still likely won't notice on the rear if the tire is a bit out of balance. Adding the beads is easy if you are worried about balance.

Just my 2 cents.

:agree: ..... The short version of WHY (the rear AUTO tire) doesn't need to be balanced is because of the way it's secured to the suspension .... By comparison, the front wheels are quite loosely mounted & the tie rods will convey every little pebble on the road & a very small imbalance to the wheel/tire ..... I don't do my Rear tires, but by all means do yours if that makes you Happy .... I love it when folks are Happy :roflblack:

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Well, my rear wheel has three weights on it.

I'm not surprised .... it was a "KENDA" tire ..... My post #5 above refers to ... "AUTO" tires ....Mike