Wheel balancing question(s)

For balancing rotors should be on the front wheel.

As for rear, take off the sprocket and cush drive when balancing, but the rotor should be left on.

Tim

 

agreed

 

Just curious as to the thought behind this? Tdub

 

Keeps my hands from getting greasy! Not to mention it wont fit in the balance stand...

 

But would you agree that "ideally" it should be balanced with the cush drive and sprocket?

 

I just always figured that anything to do with the rotating mass would affect the balance, don't know what theory would have to do with it as you would not be working with an unknown. I know when I would use a spin balancer, I always included it...but I also agree that the entire assembly usually doesnt fit the static balancers that the trackside guys use. As far as one of the tire guys laughing at me, hmmm....

 

The thought behind this is the cush drive is a movable object and you need to be in the geometric center of the rim to get the best static balance. With the cush drive and wheel spacers off and connecting the balancer to the wheel bearings, you are reducing issues caused by friction.

 

I don't know about your balancer, but my static balancer does not rely on the wheel bearings to operate, but rather its own rollers.

 

you DO NOT balance with cush drive and sprocket. Since these can be removed and re-installed in different orientations possibly doubling the balance error (at least that caused by the cush and sprockets), you always do not include easily removable items in the balancing.

rotors stay on because they typically stay attached to the rims for the life of the rim (or at least certainly the life of the current tire)

 

Ok, you have affirmed what I have been wondering. If you agree that the cush drive can in fact cause a balanced wheel to be out of balance, why would you want to not balance as a unit, taking into concideration the orientation of the cushdrive?
I realize this is not the norm, just trying to uderstand why not. Tdub

 

the balance error is negligable the closer the imbalance is to center of mass, and can only be worsened if you mix up which cush went where, and how the sprocket was oriented. plus what others said about how much of a pain in the ass it is to have them balanced that way at the track.

do what you want. but it's unnecessary. same argument would apply in why don't we balance down to the 1/1000th of a gram. because there is a point of diminishing returns, and there is some reward of reliability in simplicity.