Wheel Balancing & 'SLIME'

**2door** · #1 01-03-2009, 12:18 PM

I'm not sure how many of you bother with wheel balancing but I've always tried to keep them in the ball park. I use solder wrapped around the rim end of a spoke to get the wheel as close to balanced as I can. A day or so ago I was checking my speedo sensor and had the front wheel off the floor and found it very, very heavy at a point well away from my solder wrap. I went through the process again, got the wheel back in balance but after setting for a few minutes I discovered another heavy spot where the wheel sat against the floor. Then it dawned on me. "Duh", the 'SLIME' is running to the low area when the bike is standing still. That makes my efforts to balance useless. Just wondering if anyone else has found that adding 'SLIME' to their tubes has effected the way the bike rides. I have not noticed any discernable difference so maybe it's a moot point. I typically ride in the 15 to 18 MPH range so maybe at those low speeds I wouldn't notice but I've occasionally riden for some distance at 25+ and still felt no undue wheel vibration or hop. Does the 'SLIME' distribute evenly when the wheel is spinning?

NunyaBidness · #2 01-03-2009, 01:22 PM

When you're balancing the wheel, you have it spinning, right? Then after the wheel sits for a minute the slime collects in the low spot. I would think it does the same thing while riding, when you stop it collects in the low spot, then as the wheel starts to spin, the slime distributes through out the tube, balancing the wheel again.

Hope that helps, I'm no mechanic or engineer, just a guy who tries to learn from watching and listening to those kind of people and that was what came to my mind as I read your dilemma.

**2door** · #3 01-03-2009, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NunyaBidness

When you're balancing the wheel, you have it spinning, right? Then after the wheel sits for a minute the slime collects in the low spot. I would think it does the same thing while riding, when you stop it collects in the low spot, then as the wheel starts to spin, the slime distributes through out the tube, balancing the wheel again.

Hope that helps, I'm no mechanic or engineer, just a guy who tries to learn from watching and listening to those kind of people and that was what came to my mind as I read your dilemma.

Nun,
I agree with that theory. It would be interesting to see exactly what happens to the 'SLIME as the wheel spins. I'm trying to invision a parallel and the closest thing I can come up with is my wife's clothes washer. I ran it with only water and put it into a spin cycle. The water seemed to distribute evenly around the tub but that's water, not a viscous consistency like 'SLIME'. As I said, I think, at least for me, it's probably not an issue because I rarely exceed 20 MPH. If I want to go faster I take the hot rod out

jasonh · #4 01-03-2009, 02:52 PM

Yeah, I think it does distribute while you're moving. Best way to balance with slime would be to balance before adding the slime I think.

I recently redid my bearings, and now my wheels will swing back and forth forever before stopping due to the slime constantly redistributing.

Bikeguy Joe · #5 01-03-2009, 03:03 PM

I used slime in an automotive tire, and it wreaked havoc on the balance when the car was driven at anything below 40 degrees F.

I agree that if you slime, balance first, then cross your fingers.

mabman · #6 01-03-2009, 07:58 PM

You have too much time on your hands 2door. I have been around bicycles all my life and have never heard of anyone balancing their wheels. As long as they are round and true that is all that really matters for the speeds that these bikes achieve. But their is a definite knack to getting them tensioned properly so that they stay round and true which takes practice. It helps if you learn how to actually build a wheel from scratch.

DOC BOLM · #7 01-03-2009, 09:03 PM

Go to the slime website ,bicycle f.a.q it tells alot.Harleys Dad

**2door** · #8 01-04-2009, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mabman

You have too much time on your hands 2door. I have been around bicycles all my life and have never heard of anyone balancing their wheels. As long as they are round and true that is all that really matters for the speeds that these bikes achieve. But their is a definite knack to getting them tensioned properly so that they stay round and true which takes practice. It helps if you learn how to actually build a wheel from scratch.

Mab,
When you're semi retired and the wife works full time...you're right; I've got too much time on my hands

Nevertheless, balancing can't hurt but I also agree that at the speeds I typically ride, 15-20MPH, it probably doesn't do much. I built a wheel jig some years ago and use it to true my wheels but so far after the first time the rims on the MB have stayed good. I've found that the cheaper the tire the more you can expect lumps. The high end rubber will give you a truer circle and the bumps probably cause more uneveness than any balancing issues. Thanks.
Tom

mabman · #9 01-04-2009, 03:32 PM

I wasn't sayin' you shouldn't do it, just that I had never heard of it before. When you get a harmonic balancer going maybe you could market it?

**2door** · #10 01-04-2009, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mabman

I wasn't sayin' you shouldn't do it, just that I had never heard of it before. When you get a harmonic balancer going maybe you could market it?

Now comes the question: Static or dynamic?