Wheel bearings...to remove or not remove prior to balancing?

jdmccright

jdmccright

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La Plata, MD
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2000 ST1100
I pay to mount/balance new tires. Should I be removing the wheel bearings before I hand them over? Seems like when I get them back, they are always louder. Is it them? Is it me just removing/reinstaing them? My other option is to just expect to replace them with each tire change. But to me a pro shop should exercise caution to not damage the bearings, esp when they charge $100 to do the job.

What are your practices and experiences?
 
Think of it this way - is the axel straight and true without marring or pitted, are the bearings tight and no wear, are they mounted correctly, is the wheel round and true, tires mounted correctly, then get balanced. Always inspect it from the core to the rubber, if anything is not right, replace then balance. Just my ocd habit
 
jdmccright said:
I pay to mount/balance new tires. Should I be removing the wheel bearings before I hand them over? Seems like when I get them back, they are always louder. Is it them? Is it me just removing/reinstaing them? My other option is to just expect to replace them with each tire change. But to me a pro shop should exercise caution to not damage the bearings, esp when they charge $100 to do the job.

What are your practices and experiences?
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It would be needless wear on the wheel bearing race surface to remove the bearings before a new tire is installed. If the bearings check good they are good if they are bad remove it and replace it only then before the tire is changed.

I doubt the tire place is hurting your bearings while they have the wheel. I doubt they even use the center of the wheel (bearing) to do anything other than stick a shaft through for balancing.

I've also never heard my bearings after a new tire is installed. The tire tread would make a lot more sound over the bearings.
 
Im confused about how a shop can damage wheel bearings when doing a tire re and re. While machines hold the rim and there is an "axle" on some machines to center the rim on the machine, i havent seen a machine that adds any force to the bearing as to cause damage. New tires will sometimes make noise as there are deeper grooves/sipes in new rubber, but I cant see bearings getting louder.
 
I find the front bearings hold up well as long as they are not being abused on the road. The rear race bearings last roughly two tires.
 
jdmccright said:
I pay to mount/balance new tires. Should I be removing the wheel bearings before I hand them over? Seems like when I get them back, they are always louder. Is it them? Is it me just removing/reinstaing them? My other option is to just expect to replace them with each tire change. But to me a pro shop should exercise caution to not damage the bearings, esp when they charge $100 to do the job.

What are your practices and experiences?
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what, I've never heard of removing wheel bearings for tire balance. I take out the spacers, that's it, I thought the bearings are needed to put an axle through to do the balance.

And who charges $100 to balance a wheel off the bike? I'm assuming you're taking the wheel off yourself because you're asking about removing the bearings.

there's nothing in the balancing process that I know of that could damage the bearings.
 
So, YES the bearings are needed in the rim to balance it. Most of the balance machines i've used or seen don't put any more presuure on the bearings than installing it in the bike does. If your shop is truely damaging your bearing than you better find anothe shop ASAP. For $100 you can buy all of the tools needed to do a static balance. Weekend racers don't have a spin balance machine in their pits, they static balance. I've static balanced over 50 wheels and have never had an issue. I've you can take the wheels off, you you have the talent to static balance them. YouTube is your friend here.

Around here the rate is about $100 a wheel to mount AND balance them.


To the gentleman that likes his dyna beads, Good luck plugging that tire along the side of the road. The beads are small enough that they get into the plug and cause it to fail. Been there and tried that a couple of times.
 
$100 to mount and balance, I bring the new tire and dismounted wheel in. I don't know how or have eqpt, and don't care to do it even though I could. Kudos to those that do it. Thanks for the feedback.
 
aniwack said:
I find the front bearings hold up well as long as they are not being abused on the road. The rear race bearings last roughly two tires.
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That can vary greatly. I'm sure some will doubt this but my rear wheel bearings were replaced the first time at 332,507 miles. I did pull the rubber seals back and check or add grease twice in that time. The front bearings were replaced at 252,700 for the first time.

The single row 6905 2RS rear flange bearings were replaced 3 times.
 
$100 a wheel to fit a tyre and balance....wow. The UK isn't a cheap country to live in by any means but I have never paid more than £30 a wheel (that's about $40) and that's at specialist tyre dealers, not bike shops!
 
jdmccright said:
Should I be removing the wheel bearings before I hand them over?
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No. If you did they would likely not be able to balance them at all as any balancer that I have ever seen mounts through the bearings.
jdmccright said:
Seems like when I get them back, they are always louder. Is it them?
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Not likely. I can't fathom how changing a tire or balancing afterwards could damage a bearing but I have been surprised before.
 
Flexit said:
$100 a wheel to fit a tyre and balance....wow.
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Yeah, that sounds more like the rate for simply dropping the keys on the desk, so they push the bike in from the lot, remove the wheels, tear off (and dispose) the old rubber, install the new ones, balance and install the wheels on the bike again... (hopefully all checked and lubed as required; bearings, brakes and hub dampers inspected (checked the head-bearings while at it), marine grease behind the seals and moly on splines replenished, all bolts properly torqued as indicated in the w/shop manual... all points I've lost confidence in those 'grease monkeys' these days...)
 
ST1100Y said:
Yeah, that sounds more like the rate for simply dropping the keys on the desk, so they push the bike in from the lot, remove the wheels, tear off (and dispose) the old rubber, install the new ones, balance and install the wheels on the bike again... (hopefully all checked and lubed as required; bearings, brakes and hub dampers inspected (checked the head-bearings while at it), marine grease behind the seals and moly on splines replenished, all bolts properly torqued as indicated in the w/shop manual... all points I've lost confidence in those 'grease monkeys' these days...)
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If all that only cost $100 I'd pay for that in half a heartbeat. Maybe if I were a more regular customer with a more modern ride, they'd give me more courtesy. But I only change tires every 5-7 years. I'll continue being stingy and ride my old STuff.
 
jdmccright said:
If all that only cost $100 I'd pay for that in half a heartbeat. Maybe if I were a more regular customer with a more modern ride, they'd give me more courtesy. But I only change tires every 5-7 years. I'll continue being stingy and ride my old STuff.
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Just ride to the Holler and I'll change them for free - it's only about 680 miles one way! ;)
I have done a tire change or two on ST1100s ...
 
jdmccright said:
If all that only cost $100 I'd pay for that in half a heartbeat. Maybe if I were a more regular customer with a more modern ride, they'd give me more courtesy. But I only change tires every 5-7 years. I'll continue being stingy and ride my old STuff.
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Well, if they charge you $100,- per wheel (as I'd understood the OP), they actually ought to...
Besides that as automotive mech you have the obligation to check and triple check every item you lay your hands on and report any safety relevant defects to the client...
(I'd practice the same thoroughness if you'd drop by in my shed for any reason... like I've replaced the brake pads, but found a blown headlight bulb in the process...)

If you only bring the wheels, you're on your own... but then $100,- a pop seem quite steep...
 
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