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Wheel shake

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Mike Hoffman

Joined: 11 Mar 2006
Posts: 54

Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 2:32 am Post subject: Wheel shake

I started doing hi speed taxi tests (35mph +) and can't help but notice my main wheels seem out of round and or out of balance.  (I have already changed the main gear rubber pads to the new ones Zenith sells.)



Has any one else experienced this problem and if so, how did you cure it? Looks like I will be pulling the wheels off and try  to figure out the cure.

ricklach

Joined: 20 Jun 2006
Posts: 127
Location: Kernville, Calif.

Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 7:37 am Post subject: Re: Wheel shake

Hi Mike,



Itâ€™s not too unusual for these tires to have a balance problem. Since they were designed for gulf cart utility trailers they are not a close tolerance production item. I just put on a new nose tire and the vibration was just unbelievable. It took almost 5-ounces of lead to stop the vibration. I used stick-on mag wheel weights. To finish the job be sure and cover the weights with a piece of 2-inch duct tape. Work it around the weigh as best you can and donâ€™t be stingy with it. Itâ€™s an old racer trick. Another though, most builders donâ€™t have a wheel balancer and if they do, the small wheels on the 701 wonâ€™t fit the balancer. So the front fork on the 701 is a perfect static balancer set-up. Bolt the wheel on the front fork, you donâ€™t have to tighten it, just get it on with out any load or binding. Then let gravity do its thing and the heavy side will rotate to the bottom. Then mark the heavy side and temporarily tape some weight on the opposite side of the mark. Once you get enough weight on the opposite side of the heavy marked side you should be able to rotate the tire 90-degrees and it should not move after you let go.  Do this in all four 90-degree positions, if the tire stays put and dose not rotate youâ€™ve got it. Then take the taped on weight and split it in half placing half the weight on one side of the wheel and the other half of the weight on the other side of the wheel. Then do that final duct taping and youâ€™re done.



Hope this helps.



Rick

_________________
701Driver
N35 26.700, W118 16.743

challgren(at)mac.com
Guest

Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 8:45 am Post subject: Wheel shake

Rich:



Thanks, great idea.  Appreciate your suggestion on wheel balancing.   

Old racer tricks never die, they just get repeated-for a different  

crowd.



Stan

701

On Aug 6, 2009, at 9:37 , ricklach wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   

 <rick(at)ravengear.us>



 Hi Mike,



 Itâ€™s not too unusual for these tires to have a balance problem.  

 Since they were designed for gulf cart utility trailers they are not  

 a close tolerance production item. I just put on a new nose tire and  

 the vibration was just unbelievable. It took almost 5-ounces of lead  

 to stop the vibration. I used stick-on mag wheel weights. To finish  

 the job be sure and cover the weights with a piece of 2-inch duct  

 tape. Work it around the weigh as best you can and donâ€™t be stingy  

 with it. Itâ€™s an old racer trick. Another though, most builders  

 donâ€™t have a wheel balancer and if they do, the small wheels on  

 the 701 wonâ€™t fit the balancer. So the front fork on the 701 is a  

 perfect static balancer set-up. Bolt the wheel on the front fork,  

 you donâ€™t have to tighten it, just get it on with out any load or  

 binding. Then let gravity do its thing and the heavy side will  

 rotate to the bottom. Then mark the heavy side and temporarily tape  

 some weight on the opposite side of the mark. On!

 ce you get enough weight on the opposite side of the heavy marked  

 side you should be able to rotate the tire 90-degrees and it should  

 not move after you let go.  Do this in all four 90-degree positions,  

 if the tire stays put and dose not rotate youâ€™ve got it. Then take  

 the taped on weight and split it in half placing half the weight on  

 one side of the wheel and the other half of the weight on the other  

 side of the wheel. Then do that final duct taping and youâ€™re done.



 Hope this helps.



 Rick



 --

Mike Hoffman

Joined: 11 Mar 2006
Posts: 54

Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 2:28 am Post subject: Re: Wheel shake

Thanks for the info Rick. I would highly recommend all new builders check their tire balance after they assemble the wheels and tires, other wise they will have to do it later. 



I bought a piece of 3/4 steel rod and turned it down to fit the bearings and placed it on a pair of jack stands. I never even gave the nose fork idea a thought, great idea.



I ran out of room to place the 1/4 oz weights so I went to a truck tire place and was able to get 1 oz weights. I ended up with 6 oz's of weight on the first wheel I did last night. I will add the duct tape this morning.



Thanks again



PS  Does anybody have any suggestions or experiences with the bunny / crow hop thing??

dashwood

Joined: 24 Jan 2009
Posts: 73
Location: sw ontario canada

Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 3:56 am Post subject: Re: Wheel shake

Does anybody have any suggestions or experiences with the bunny / crow hop thing??

yes and don't do it . very hard on the gear,tires,wing struts,engine mounts,prop,tail skid,seat cushions, pic butt,windows and air frame. not a thing for an  inexperienced person to try. chopping power at the wrong time leaves you 20 + feet off the ground with adverse effects

Tommy Walker

Joined: 12 Jan 2006
Posts: 442
Location: Anniston, AL 36207

Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 3:36 am Post subject: Re: Wheel shake

Mike,



When you are doing your taxi tests, at about 25-30 mph, try to get the nose wheel to come off the  ground and taxi down t he taxiway with just the mains on the ground.  you will be going to slow to get in the the air, but you can taxi using the rudder to control direction.



That's what we did.  My building partner was better at it than me.  He could taxi for almost 1/2 mile with the nose up in the air.  It is a delicate balance, but the more you practice, the better you'll get.  Just pull the throttle back when you think things are getting a little too much....



Good Luck! and 

Do Not Archive this or anything I ever post on the internet.  



 	  Mike Hoffman wrote: 	
		  



PS  Does anybody have any suggestions or experiences with the bunny / crow hop thing??

_________________
Tommy Walker
N25A - Anniston, AL

321PT

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 40
Location: Texas

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 5:48 am Post subject: Wheel shake

One thing to do with balancing tires, if the tire seems to need too much weight, if often helps to turn the tire on the wheel 180 degrees.  Remember it is the wheel/tire combination you are balancing, not just the tire.

 This info. from a "tire buster" many years ago!

  [quote][b]

ronlee

Joined: 25 Dec 2006
Posts: 141

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 8:55 am Post subject: Re: Wheel shake

To make a real neat job of balancing using the least amount of weight try jacking up the wheel and taping the appropriate amount of weight to the outside of the tire until it is balanced. When it is in balance transfer the like amount of weight to the inside. A proper weight vulcanizing patch works perfect. This is all sort of like putting a boot in a tire as they did years ago.

Another benefit to this method is that it takes much less weight to do the job as it is much further out on the radius then putting weights on the rim..

_________________
Ron Lee
Tucson, Arizona

Curt.Thompson(at)verizon.
Guest

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:43 am Post subject: Wheel shake

Does anyone know where to get the balancing weights that go on the inside of

the tire?



Curt

Plans building CH701

Redmond, WA, USA

FLYDAD57(at)neo.rr.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 11:06 am Post subject: Wheel shake

I think he meant adding the equivalent weight in tire patching material to 

the inside of the tire.  I don't think there is a weight especially made for 

this application.



Bob Taylor



---

tclongo(at)att.net
Guest

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 1:06 pm Post subject: Wheel shake

I use stick on wheel weights that you can purchase from Tower Hobbies

designed for RC airplanes. they come in 1/4 oz sick on strips. I have 5 oz

on one wheel, 4 oz on front wheel and left wheel needed none (Rare) and you

can also get stick on wheel weights from Motorcycle shops, they are used on

all mag style wheels now. They stay on very well if you clean area with Mek,

acetone or lacquer thinner first.



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ricklach

Joined: 20 Jun 2006
Posts: 127
Location: Kernville, Calif.

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 4:43 pm Post subject: Re: Wheel shake

Hi Ron and tclongo,



Ron, Where do you get the tire weight your referring to? How about a name, part number or something to help find them.



tclongo, I couldn't get your file open so I went to Tower Hobbies web site and couldn't find much. Do you have a part number, manufacture or something to track these items down.



Thanks



Rick

_________________
701Driver
N35 26.700, W118 16.743

tclongo(at)att.net
Guest

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 5:39 am Post subject: Wheel shake

Hi Rick, here is a link to the lead weights I use, they work very good and

break apart at 1/4 oz increments. they will stick on behind the brake rotor

so you don't even have to put them on the outer side so they show and the

centrifugal force only holds them on tighter. Just make sure the rim is

clean before you stick them on, here is the link:

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/WTI0095P?FVSEARCH=lead+%3Cb%3Eweights%3

C%2Fb%3E



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tclongo(at)att.net
Guest

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 6:06 am Post subject: Wheel shake

Try this link, Tom: 

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXK204&P=ML

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Mike Hoffman

Joined: 11 Mar 2006
Posts: 54

Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 1:25 am Post subject: Re: Wheel shake

Hi Rick,



You can go to almost any tire shop (like Goodyear or Firestone) and ask to buy some stick on weights to balance a golf cart tire. They should charge you about $2.00 per stick for the qtr oz size and $3.00 for the 1 oz size. If they donâ€™t have the 1 oz size, try a truck tire repair shop. I ended up with 6 oz on one, 4 oz on another and 3 oz on the nose wheel.

Last edited by Mike Hoffman on Fri Aug 14, 2009 1:44 am; edited 1 time in total

arno7452(at)bellsouth.net
Guest

Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 3:44 am Post subject: Wheel shake

Hi Rick,

Above all, don't take the wheels to a tire place for balancing.  Here in NC 

the cost is about $5 per wheel.  Way too much when you can do it yourself. 

That's what building is all about.  Don't be concerned if a weight comes 

lose and flies through the cockpit or wing when going 60mph.  Hopefully you 

were landing anyway.



Regards,

Ken



do not archive





---

n85ae

Joined: 14 Mar 2007
Posts: 403

Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 7:45 am Post subject: Re: Wheel shake

My 8.50 x 6's on my Kitfox have alignment marks on the tires which align

with the valve core's, and if you don't you'll get balance problems. I'd

suggest look to see if your tires have an alignment mark, or dot on the

outside. This needs to lined up correctly as some tires have weight molded

in to compensate for the tube's valve core.   



You might also simply try putting a mark on the tire, and reorient the tire

on the rim and see if this fixes it. 

 

Regards,

Jeff

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