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[Simpleman1025]

Hi y'all,

I have a 2013 CVO RoadKing. I recently had both the front and rear tires replaced under warranty at the local HD shop. My local shops service is great with really good people working there. I didn't notice it when I picked it up. The next day I pulled "OleRed" out to ride yesterday and noticed that they had put 5, 1oz weights in one area. Speaking to some friends, 1 of which is a Harley mechanic at a different dealership, they seem to think something is not correct. My question to you is how many and how much weight is acceptable? This is on the front tire in which the old tire didn't have this problem, it was replaced for cracked sidewalls.

[grc]

Check to see if they aligned the balance dot of the tire with the valve stem.  If not, they should have.  As for a maximum amount of weight, I've never seen a spec from Harley but 5 ounces is a bit excessive in my opinion.  Take it back and talk to them.

If they want to determine if the problem is the wheel or the tire, it's not that hard to remove the tire and check just the wheel on the balancer.  

Jerry

Btw, assuming the assembly really was that far out of balance, they should have split the weight so half is on the left side and half on the right side, not all on the right side. 

[ultrarider123]

If it were mine, I would have had them re-balance before I took it home.  WAY too much weight on that wheel.  Bet the dot and valve stem ain't lined up (as stated by Jerry).  Got something way out of whack if they are lined up, however.  Take it back for a check and re-balance...

[DCC]

Had a similar situation last time I got new tires, only mine had 3.5 ounces of 1/4 oz weights (14 weights, 7 per side).  Looked fugly.  My dealership says 3.5 oz was the max and they would be willing to rotate the tire to see if it would make a difference.  I sent an email off to Dunlop and their reply was 3.5 ounces is too much and to break the bead, rotate the tire 180 degrees and re-balance.  I'd say, if you have 5 ounces, question it.

[murphy]

FYI...

The dot allignment is not a hard and fast rule for all types of tires for all types of vehicles.

We bought a new Lexus last year and I saw that the dots weren't matched up, I also saw what I thought was too much weight placed on the inside of the rim... I called the manufacturer and asked about the weight, they said it was fine, I also told them that the dots were not lined up and they said that the dots they place on their tires are for distribution coding not allignment.

I was pretty surprised, it was an SUV mind you but I thought the tire dot "rule" went for every tire.

[ultrafxr]

I agree with all the suggestions and add this:  perhaps the tire is defective.  How does it ride and handle?  Couple years ago when I had my RUSE dealer replaced the front tire due to sidewall cracking.  Picked it up last Friday evening and just rode straight home.  Then on Saturday went for a long ride and it just did not feel right.  Hard to describe - no vibration, nothing dramatic but it just did not feel stable and true.  So back to the dealer that afternoon and service manager had tech check balance.  Service manager reported to me that tech said he had a hard time after originally mounting the tire to get it to balance properly and when service manager got involved he said the tire would not balance to his satisfaction.  Can't recall how many weights were on the tire but do recall it was more than usual and made me suspect.  Anyway, after mounting another new tire all was well.  

Several years before that had a similar experience with new rear tire on my '07.  Could tell pulling from dealership that it did not feel right.  Had to ride it for several hundred miles however since did not have time to deal with it then.  But upon return tech checked runout and tech said it was right at the limit and general manager would not let him replace it (service manager was on vacation) since it was still within spec, but barely so.  I paid for a second new tire and problem solved.  Eventually the service manager worked out a credit to another bill and made me whole on the tire.

Point is tires can be and are sometimes imperfect enough to cause problems.  Don't know if it is poor QC or what but that is one reason I wouldn't buy my tires anywhere except at the dealer.  If I had that problem with mail order tires that a third party installed I'd be SOL if such a problem arose.

[Simpleman1025]

I am in the same boat as I think UltraFXR, from the last post. I rode it home at the end of the day(closing time) Saturday . Didn't notice anything on the short ride home. Rode a little with the fellas yesterday, felt different. Ride a couple hundred just now and it definitely not the same. I will be waiting at the door of the dealership to open in the morning

[Ghost__Rider]

On my 2012 with Agitators, the rear wheel on it always took a chit load of weights and always in the same location regardless of tire. I just accepted it and since it was the rear you couldn't see them. My 2014 didn't have any weights on it when I got it. It shook like a SOB above 70 mph. I balanced it myself and it took 3 oz on it. I split them up 1/2 on one side and 1/2 on the other. Smooth as silk now.  
Like the others said, if its the tire you can break it down and spin it 180 on the rim and it will half the weights. If it's the wheel it's either accept it or have it balanced internally by grinding off the inside.

[Simpleman1025]

Ghost Rider, the ironic thing about it is that the old front tire had no weights and was smooth even though the side walls were cracked. This new tire requires all those weight? They probably didn't chuck it right to balance it. I've had both the rear and front changed in 2 day (warranty). My hands were even falling asleep today at interstate speed

[OBB]

Won't be long before those weights fly off anyway. I've read about it many times and it's happened to me as well. I'm a big fan of dyna beads from here on out.

[dlaws01]

Man, that's more lead than I have in my tackle box!   

[SneakyPete]

I suggest that they balance the wheel without the tire to find the true heavy spot.  Most think that this is where the valve stem is mounted and then they line up the dot on the tire (light spot) with the valve stem.  I started changing my own tires using this method and I never use more than 1/2 oz of weights, sometimes none at all.

[SmokeyJoe]

Won't be long before those weights fly off anyway. I've read about it many times and it's happened to me as well. I'm a big fan of dyna beads from here on out.

Agreed

[Simpleman1025]

At the dealership now just waiting

[ultrarider123]

Will be interesting to see what your dealer/service department says.

Let's hope it's not those all endearing words that we hear on a daily basis "They all do that"