Wheel Balance Beads

[johnbirchjar]

I have been having a bit of a "surf" for wheel balancing weights,(I used all those that I cadged off Dell Boy for the rear wheel,worked a treat,thanks mate,)and I came across "wheel balancing beads" anyway, they seem to go down a storm in the US of A,lots of possitive comments,but not a lot from this side of the pond,any of you guys used them/know someone who has?and know where to buy them?ect;as allways,ride safe,J.B.(be b****y pleased when this artic weather departs,can't ride the Classic,to cold to play golf,most depressing )

[bodgerbloke52]

I have used the beads on bikes and my motor home for years with great success.The MH weighs 15 tons and is fitted with big truck wheels and Michelin's.The fronts developed a mild buzz at 55-65 which no amount of balancing could cure.My truck tyre dealer advised fitting a 1/2 lb bag of beads inside each tyre, if it did not cure I was to take it back for him to remove gratis, no small job on these monsters.Up the freeway I go, total cure. January this year in Arizona I had Michelin fit 6 new tyres as the originals were just over ten years old. They advised that they no longer balance wheels with weights, they chucked a bag of beads into each tyre. The MH ran like velvet, smoother than it has ever been.How the heck the beads work I have no idea but they sure do in my experience.Advice, forget about feeding the beads in down the valve with tyre on. Take the tyre off, drop in a bag full relevant to tyre size and stuff it back together. In a couple of miles the thin paper bag bursts. Taking the tyre off yonks later the beads are still floating round but the paper has been pulverised into dust.Roger In the Pacific NW