[flgarrity]

Just installed the SmartTire system under new Metzlers (130/70HR18 front and 80/60HR16 rear) ... closely followed the manufactures recommendation for the install ...

I’m using the Parnes balancer. The rear tire took 30 grams to balance with the SmartTire sensor in place (normally takes 10 grams without the sensor on the wheel) ...

The front tire however took 80 grams (about 2.8 ounces) to balance with the SmartTire sensor in place (normally takes 20 grams without the sensor) ... I demounted the tire threes times and moved the light spot on the tire here and there relative to the heavy spot on the wheel to see what would happen. Using SmartTire's install recommendations exactly, the light spot on the installed (front) tire was smack in the middle of a spoke .. yuk! ... I demounted again and shifted the tire a little to get some place to install the weights ... (I'm using the OEM weights)

What do you think? Is 80 grams (two 30's + one 20) for the front tire within or way out of the ball park?

 

[IR Harry]

That is a BIG plenty....after that, think I will off my uninstalled SmartTire sensor set and stay with the guage.

 

[tom smith]

Tire balance

The first thing that I would do is try a different tire or try balancing the wheel with just the smart tire sensor installed. JMHO Tom

 

[Teaser 1]

Frank, that sounds major to balance it out. :shock: I had been considering the smart tire system on my next tire change but now I'm not so sure. I don't have any useful advice for you but I'll continue to watch and see if anyone else does. T.

 

[Fred H.]

The Smart Tire sensors will require you to add more weight. I had to about double my normal weight.

 

[REDEYE]

After first balancing my rims with Smartire installed and finding the heavy spot without the tire I then mounted the tires and found that I needed less weight then before. It worked for me.

Redeye

 

[skip h]

When I balanced my front wheel per directions with the Smarttire- it took more weight than I liked.

When I did the rear tire- I balanced the rim with the Smarttire on it only and it took a lot of weigh- so what I did was to spread the heavy end of the s/s clamp away from the Smarttire unit(they suggest 3 ") until it took minimal weight and then marked the heavy spot on the rim and installed the light spot on the tire to it.
The rear tire then only needed the smallest weight that Bulldog sells.
Ya'll might try that next time.

Dam- I just looked in the box that Bulldog sent me and I got 8 crush washers! He must have messed up? :twisted:

 

[flgarrity]

Thanks to all ...

skip h wrote

spread the heavy end of the s/s clamp away from the Smarttire unit

... makes sense ... I'll give that a try ...

Redeye .... I first determined the heavy spot on the (new) front wheel (valve stem landed at about 7 o'clock as I recall) ... then I determined the heavy spot of the wheel with the SmartTire sensor installed ... at which point the sensor and s/s clamp plummeted to 6 o'clock ... and finally, I determined the heavy spot with the wheel + sensor installed + tire (with the tire's light spot at 12 o'clock ... again, the sensor stopped at 6 o'clock

I also deflated the tire, broke the beard and rotated the tire to several positions to see if I could lessen the required weight ... no joy! ... so I realigned the tire's light spot to 12 o'clock ... bit the bullet and added the necessary weight ... both tires are now balanced ... but next time, I think I'll follow skip h's recommendation .... distancing the sensor and clamp makes sense ... I didn't do it at first because I thought maybe the manufacture had some "electrical/mechanical" reason for the 3 inch separation between clamp and sensor???

 

[Jim Ciampi]

Smarttire balancing act

I found the light spot on the rim and put the sensor there Then found the heavy spot and put the tire dot on that and It took about twenty ounces to balance..Jim

 

[flgarrity]

Thanks Jim ... If you used those "scrabble"-size lead weights ... (.25 oz each) that 20 would amount to 140 grams (60 grams more than I used) ... if, in fact, you used 20 ounces, that would amount to over 560 grams ... wow!

 

[Jim Ciampi]

Smarttire and balancing

sorry I meant grams not ounces

 

[chuck_b24]

Just installed the SmartTire system under new Metzlers (130/70HR18 front and 80/60HR16 rear) ... closely followed the manufactures recommendation for the install ...

I’m using the Parnes balancer. The rear tire took 30 grams to balance with the SmartTire sensor in place (normally takes 10 grams without the sensor on the wheel) ...

The front tire however took 80 grams (about 2.8 ounces) to balance with the SmartTire sensor in place (normally takes 20 grams without the sensor) ... I demounted the tire threes times and moved the light spot on the tire here and there relative to the heavy spot on the wheel to see what would happen. Using SmartTire's install recommendations exactly, the light spot on the installed (front) tire was smack in the middle of a spoke .. yuk! ... I demounted again and shifted the tire a little to get some place to install the weights ... (I'm using the OEM weights)

What do you think? Is 80 grams (two 30's + one 20) for the front tire within or way out of the ball park?

Hello you can buy lead sticky tape at a golf store & ballance the rim & smartire alone without the tire!!! Place the lead tape UNDER the strap!!! chuck

 

[flgarrity]

Thanks chuck_b24 .... excellent suggestion!

 

[Jim Ciampi]

Smart tire and balancing act

Great Idea about the taped weight under the Clamp.Now why didn't I think of that.That is just one of the things about this board I like...Jim

 

[Sam Jones]

You guys are making this WAY TOO HARD.

Just buy the 90 degree metal valve stems from patchboy and they will almost exactly offset the weight of the SmarTire AND sove the valve stem reliability problem.