Sometime ago the talk was about changing tires etc..I wanted to show this...

http://i40.tinypic.com/28vyk47.jpg

http://i44.tinypic.com/2141k4n.jpg


http://i40.tinypic.com/20qgkzk.jpg


http://roadstarclinic.com/content/view/83/130/


Top three links to photo of my cheap ass wheel balancer.   4th is website with ideas of how to make.

You need to make to the size which will fit your wheel diameter plus your axle width...

I got bearings out of old inline skate wheels.  Cost $0.  I clean out grease from bearings and add light machine oil so they turn real easy!

Made metal brackets from old sheet aluminum in shop.  Just attached with clamps so easy to re do for different size wheels.

Rod in pictures is just to show were the actual axle from your wheel goes...


Cookie

http://www.webbikeworld.com/t2/bead-breaker/motorcycle-tire-bead-breaker.htm


Here's a link to the cheap ass bead breaker...don't laugh...it works!

Only I don't use my car...I just screwed a block of wood onto the leg of my workbench in the garage..to make the pivot point.

I use a much shorter board for the main lever arm...about 4' .....and a shorter vertical piece too...also make the vertical piece with a taper or wedge where it meets the tire, so it gets closer to the rim...

I also put the wheel in closer to the pivot point......(better leverage) ...but it really doesn't matter...just try what works for your application..

Cookie

Quote from: twocool on January 21, 2012, 01:56:35 PM
Sometime ago the talk was about changing tires etc..I wanted to show this...

http://i40.tinypic.com/28vyk47.jpg

http://i44.tinypic.com/2141k4n.jpg


http://i40.tinypic.com/20qgkzk.jpg


http://roadstarclinic.com/content/view/83/130/


Top three links to photo of my cheap ass wheel balancer.   4th is website with ideas of how to make.

You need to make to the size which will fit your wheel diameter plus your axle width...

I got bearings out of old inline skate wheels.  Cost $0.  I clean out grease from bearings and add light machine oil so they turn real easy!

Made metal brackets from old sheet aluminum in shop.  Just attached with clamps so easy to re do for different size wheels.

Rod in pictures is just to show were the actual axle from your wheel goes...


Cookie

wheel + axle + two lawn chairs (or two cinder blocks, or two cats/dogs/horses) = balancer

hey, you can even do it on the bike if you're too lazy (me) to remove the wheel. just pry out the pads a little, and drop the chain.

if your wheel won't spin freely on the axle, it's time for new bearings or it's too cold to be working on bikes.

Looks good! For a while I just used a steel rod on 2 saw horses. It worked ok, but I just kept an eye out and eventually this guy was on sale at harbor freight and I got it for $25. Works well. I would've just made my own if I had a lathe to make the cones for the bearings, but I don't.

http://www.harborfreight.com/motorcycle-wheel-balancing-stand-98488.html

 

Cookie
[/quote]


wheel + axle + two lawn chairs (or two cinder blocks, or two cats/dogs/horses) = balancer

hey, you can even do it on the bike if you're too lazy (me) to remove the wheel. just pry out the pads a little, and drop the chain.

if your wheel won't spin freely on the axle, it's time for new bearings or it's too cold to be working on bikes.
[/quote]

Yep, on the GS500 you don't really need the little skate bearings as the wheels will spin freely on their own bearings.  But they do make a nice level spot to cradle the axle.  On some bikes / wheels the bearings have "tight seals"...nothing wrong with the bearing but the seals make too much drag to let the wheel settle to low point and balance the wheel.  Also some, like my scooter don't really have an axle for the rear wheel.  So the little bearings are a sort of "one size fits all" deal, like the factory balancers...

But the whole point is you can create a wheel balancer for free....and spend the $25 or $50 or $200 it costs for a factory built balancer, on something more important, like tires for instance!  And save another $25 per tire when you mount and balance yourself!

Cookie

The reason I picked one up instead of just using my axle is because the bike I had at the time didn't have an even axle, so I couldn't just put it on some bearings and let it spin.


being able to balance and change your own wheels is great though. It takes forever the first few times, but I've guys on youtube do it in 2 minutes, so I'm hoping for the best haha. Just expect the first tire change to be an investment. You don't need a ton of stuff, but after buying 2-3 tire irons at $15-20 a piece, some rubber lubricant, rim protectors, and rim weights, it'll feel like you lost money to start with.