Ride-On LED Smart cap

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Mar 21, 2016
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I cant imagine using a funnel. If you do, you will have to tap the funnel/hose/valve stem constantly to keep it from clogging. I use the little plastic injector bottle. You squeeze and release the bottle, over and over. the pressure pushes some beads in and then when you release, the vacuum lifts the remaining beads in the air. That way, the beads dont clog. With a regular valve stem, I have filled a car with beads in 5 minutes or so. The angled valve stems on my ST took much longer... 10-15 minutes. At first it looked like nothing was going in the tire.
 
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cjames431
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Oct 17, 2014
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Tacoma, Wa
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I used a vibrating etch tool when I dumped the beads in. Set it on high and hold it against the valve stem. Still slow going but works.
 

T_C

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Mar 8, 2012
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St. Louis, MO
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8568
I cant imagine using a funnel. If you do, you will have to tap the funnel/hose/valve stem constantly to keep it from clogging.
You tap one you tap all. They are connected. Since two fingers are holding the funnel the other three (I really just use one) can tap. Once the beads clear the bottleneck at the bottom of the funnel they fall nice and orderly the rest of the way into the stem and tire.

I used a vibrating etch tool when I dumped the beads in. Set it on high and hold it against the valve stem. Still slow going but works.
GreenZR does it this way too. Saw him do it at an Indiana tech event, nice and smooth with Dynabeads. But hold it against the funnel, that's the bottleneck (punny and true).

Tapping a 2" diameter funnel with my finger fills a 12" trailer tire with metal stems in 30 seconds. Don't believe, try it. Put hose on funnel and aim it back into the storage bag. This was with Counteract beads, dyna might take longer with all the ranting and raving they do about Counteract being just sand and water. ;)
 
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ST Gui

240Robert
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Ok so back to my original question- is there a limit? Or does Xoz of beads handle the same Xoz of imbalance?

Has anybody 'worked' a bare rim to be in balance by shaving or light drilling of the heavy spot? They're probably the lessor offender of the issue but I'm curious. Maybe not worth the effort.

Back to the first hijack— before centripetal force works its magic is there any oddness felt as you accelerate from a stop? It sounds like beads are just the thing to compensate for tire wear.
 

paulcb

- - - Tetelestai - - - R.I.P. - 2022/05/26
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Ok so back to my original question- is there a limit? Or does Xoz of beads handle the same Xoz of imbalance?

Has anybody 'worked' a bare rim to be in balance by shaving or light drilling of the heavy spot? They're probably the lessor offender of the issue but I'm curious. Maybe not worth the effort.

Back to the first hijack— before centripetal force works its magic is there any oddness felt as you accelerate from a stop? It sounds like beads are just the thing to compensate for tire wear.
I've never felt anything during acceleration. Sometimes during decel, at about 15mph, I can feel a slight vibration as the centrifugal force reduces enough to allow the beads to fall. It's very slight and barely noticeable.
 

T_C

Joined
Mar 8, 2012
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Location
St. Louis, MO
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2005 St1300
STOC #
8568
Ok so back to my original question- is there a limit? Or does Xoz of beads handle the same Xoz of imbalance?
No.
Xoz of beads handles xlbs of tire. They have formulatuions on how much per tire based on size, and if that fails, based on weight. Enough beads to coat the inside but not enough to have too many with nowhere to go.

Has anybody 'worked' a bare rim to be in balance by shaving or light drilling of the heavy spot? They're probably the lessor offender of the issue but I'm curious. Maybe not worth the effort.
Yes, people have. Or instead of shaving and possibly huritn rim integrity some low temperature brazing to add weight.

Back to the first hijack— before centripetal force works its magic is there any oddness felt as you accelerate from a stop? It sounds like beads are just the thing to compensate for tire wear.
One of the advertised advantages to the Counteract over DynaBeads is that the glass will develop a bit of static charge and cling to the tire. I don't know if this does or doesn't happen. Guess I could bust a bead and look, but you'd have to be gentle. I've never felt or heard them move when on the bike. My trailer I can hear some inside, but only when the trailer is standing on end and in the quiet realm of my garage. I doubt if it takes very long upon rolling to get spread and balanced out again.
 
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