Modern Vespa

Created article Marc Parnes Wheel Balance Video Demonstration

Was really cool to see it in action. Those bearings are very sensitive.

This post was not quite
What we were hoping to see
Try again, perhaps?

This post was not quite
What we were hoping to see
Try again, perhaps?

This post was not quite
What we were hoping to see
Try again, perhaps?

Is there.... something missing?

Every static tire balancer I look at has adjustable feet in each corner, and either has a built-in bubble or comes with a level, so you can make sure the balancer is totally level before you get started, otherwise you would get a false reading.

This just looks like two random cement blocks arbitrarily placed just anywhere on the floor?

My understanding is that if the axle isn't level, your balance is off, so balancing the tire will be off. Is this not correct?

Actually it's not that important - a few degrees will make little difference to a static balancer like the Marc Parnes. The quality of the bearings is far more important.

I have balanced hundreds of motorcycle tires, by using a couple of jackstands and the axle. Basically the same idea as this. Some took longer than others, but I got them all balanced. I just got one of these balancers and tried to balance a new rear tire (Michelin City Grip 2) on my GT200. I've been at it for 3 days now, and still cannot get it balanced. I laid the balancer across the same jackstands I've used for decades to balance motorcycle tires. I quickly found the light spot and marked it. I'm using 1/4 ounce stick on weights. So far just attaching them with masking tape. I got up to 4 of them (1 ounce) opposite the light spot, which moved the light spot about 45 degrees from where it was. I added 1 more 180 degrees from the light spot for a total of 1 1/4 ounces. That turned the light spot into the heavy spot. I tried putting weights in different spots instead of all in one spot opposite the original light spot. No matter what I do, or where I put weights, the tire/wheel always rotates until the same spot is on top, until I change the location of the weights. Then the light spot changes, but always comes back to the top. I have spent hours and hours trying to get it where I can put it in any spot and it will stay there. It's just not happening. I'[m wondering if it's just because the tire/wheel is just so much smaller in diameter than a motorcycle tire/wheel, or because there is less friction in this balancer than there was in the motorcycle wheel bearings. If it were the front wheel, I'd just put it on and see what happened. But I hate to do all the work required to install the rear wheel, only to have to take it off again.