Hitchcocks Forum

Hi guys--------trying to bring some "balance" into these recent postings reminded me of this}------Most new tyres have a little, painted dot ( either Green or Red )to indicate a balance point. Question-----is this marking the HEAVIEST point or the LIGHTEST point ????

Alan, I think it goes opposite the valve. Seems to be that way on my moderns, anyway!
REgards, Mark

Alan you are a tease!!!!!, was that a deliberate pun?. ----------. anyway here is your answer.---------- The dots actually serve a very important purpose in ensuring accurate installation. The red and yellow dots help installers find a tire’s high spot, low spot and light point for consistent balancing.

According to Bridgestone, “The difference between the high and the low is called radial runout. Using sophisticated computer analysis, engineers have found that a graph of the force variations looks a bit like a wave, as does a graph of the runout variations.

By simplifying the graphs to what is called their “first harmonic,” it’s possible to find the place on the tire where, on average, the force variation is greatest. That’s where the first harmonic curve hits its high point. And, it turns out that the first harmonic high point for the radial runout coincides pretty well with the first harmonic high point for radial force variation.

Now wheels, especially steel wheels, tend to have the same kind of high and low spots as tires. In fact, many steel wheels are marked with a dimple that indicates their low spot. So, if you could match the high point on the tire to the low point on the wheel, these forces would, to some extent at least, cancel each other, and you’d expect to get a smoother ride and maybe improved wear.

Some original equipment manufacturers are doing this kind of match mounting when they mount tires and wheels on new trucks. The tire is marked with a red dot at the high point, and this is matched with the low point dimple on steel wheels. On steel wheels without a low point dimple, and on aluminum wheels, the red dot is matched to the valve stem.”

A yellow dot indicates the light balance point on the tire. In order to minimize the amount of weight needed to balance a tire and wheel assembly, match the light balance point to the wheels heavy balance point, which is normally located at the valve stem.

In a situation where a tire has both a red and yellow dot, the red dot takes precedence and should be mounted to the wheel low point dimple or valve stem. ------- Don't thank me I simply copied and pasted, all that typing at this time of night was too much for me.

Hi guys---------MARK M }-- that's what I've always been lead to believe as a general rule of thumb although I've been castigated (not available on the NHS )by many in the past who say it should go next to the valve. DENNIS C }---- Don't let the fact I have OXFORD heated grips on my ROYAL ENFIELD influence you in any way.. Thanks for that "in-depth" look into tyre balance markings---very interesting indeed.

Nowadays the spot should be placed in line with the valve. Years ago you did the exact opposite.

As it has always been explained to me, the yellow dot (I have always found only a yellow dot on my tyres) is the lightest point of the tyre. Normal practise is then to place it near the valve. -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

However: There is no guarantee that the valve is at the heaviest point of the wheel without the tyre. The rim may be heavier at some other point, as may also the inner tube. What I do is to put the wheel with the slightly inflated inner tube on the rim, but no tyre, on the balance stand and determine the heaviest point. Then I mark that point on the rim and fit the tyre with the dot at that point. -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

That way I get the balance as good as possible before I pit any weights on. In most cases this is good enough for the rear wheel without any more weights on. On the front wheel I do one more round of balancing the complete wheel. -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Regards, Anders F. R.

Hello Bullet Bashers !!---------- ANDERS FR}--- when you put it like that well, it's so simple really. I'll have to re-train myself in balancing techniques-----AND getting a decent balancer might help!!!!!So,who was LARRY ADLER then.??

larry adler ,didn,t he play oxford heated grips like a childs musical instrument that actually is a mouth opperated piano,so uncouth its brahms and off to bed