DYNA BEADS for tire balancing

Dyna beads=BEST BALANCING METHOD BY FAR.

Dyna beads work and continue to work effectively as your tires wear. Your tires wear more evenly and last longer because the Dyna Beads constantly adjust to the dynamics of the tire.

Dyna beads are much closer to the ideal as they are near the outer edge of the tire's circumference, unlike rim weights that are closer to the center of the wheel!

I find it hard to believe that people are still questioning or debating the merits of this innovative product. I used them on my GS, my BMW Z3 (car) and now on my K bike. Going to put them in my Toyota 4Runner and Honda scooter now, too---they're good for any kind of tire that will be used at 25mph and above.

Get some, install them carefully (they like to scatter and bounce all over the place if they get loose)---continual tapping of a screwdriver against the tube works for me---and go out and enjoy a smoooooth ride.

PS: Don't forget to discard your old rim weights; you won't need them ever again!

End of story, in my opinion.

Why don't they all migrate to the point furthest out from the axle?

For what it's worth:

When I had my last new set of tires mounted I did some semi-scientific testing. The independant shop that mounted the tires is run by one of our club members. He has a computer dynamic balancer. So I ran some tests.

First I tested the balance with no balance weights, no Dyna Beads. I don't remember the numbers, but the balancer indicated a certain amount of weight at a cetain location on the wheel. Reran with the same results.

I then added the beads and repeated the tests several times. You have to run up to an rpm equivalent to about 10 mph for the beads to do their thing. Results 0/0

Repeatable.

I now them in both my bikes.

Oh yeah, no more problem with stick on weights falling off. After about 5 K miles still no problems.

Rod

I like the beads so well on my bikes that I decided to try them on my '07 Mustang GT as I had a slight wheel shimmy at around 65 mph. I called dyna beads rep and was told that because of the profile of the tires on my Mustang the dyna beads might not help. I was also advised to not remove the rim weights. He was right, did not help. Had the tires removed and re-mounted with the orange dots on the sidewalls positioned adjacent to the valve stems and after re-balancing problem corrected. This kind of got off subject but it adds a different perspective to dyna bead action with a different tire profile. Oh, Ford refused to pay for the balancing as I was 4 days over the one year warranty on normal wear items like tires. Kind of reminds me of BMW.

knary said:

I can't remotely figure out the physics that would make these things work. I understand how they would distribute themselves, but why and how would they distribute themselves to compensate for the imperfections of a tire, the valve, and so on? And do it each and every time you start rolling down the road.

I believe riders that haven't had problems with them, but has anyone done back to back tests between a tire that was clearly out of balance and then reinstalled it in the exact same way but with the beads?

It all sounds too good to be true.

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I'm with Knary. I'd like to think they work, but I just don't buy into it. It would make my life easier when I change my tires, though.

The thing is, I mounted TKC-80's and rode them unbalanced for a few hundred miles before going to get them balanced. I hardly could tell a difference and they were "off" by a bit. In my case, balancing made a minimal difference, and for all I know that's how it is with a motorcycle - you may never notice it.

I've heard mixed stories. One guy at a race track saw a guy mounting/balancing tires who had a bag full of beads he vacuumed out of tires after the racers complained the bike would shimmy with hard braking coming into a turn. Another riding friend says they're the greatest thing in the world. I've seen all the videos that show how they work, but I'm unconvinced.

The way I see it, bike manufacturers could save time in assembly by just pouring beads into tires instead of balancing them with weights. Until a bike comes off the assembly line of a major manufacturer with dyna beads, I'm not going to try them.

jdmetzger said:

I've heard mixed stories. One guy at a race track saw a guy mounting/balancing tires who had a bag full of beads he vacuumed out of tires after the racers complained the bike would shimmy with hard braking coming into a turn.

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That video with the electric drill and plastic water bottle would seem to confirm this. I'm staying with weights. Bikes can get wiggly enough without your wheels becoming dynamic.

It all sounds too good to be true.

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Maybe... But so was the that infernal horseless carriage at one time.

It seems to make sense... I've yet to find a bad review...

I'm in at next set of tires.

http://www.innovativebalancing.com/HowItWorks.htm

Why not do it the right way if you're mounting your own tires?

http://www.marcparnes.com/BMW_Motorcycle_Wheel_Balancer.htm

I don't think I'd want to risk a death wobble/tank slapper because I saved a few dollars putting some beads in my tires.

I don't think I'd want to risk a death wobble/tank slapper because I saved a few dollars putting some beads in my tires.

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Lotta tank slappers are from a thrown lead weight.
I'd like to think technology moves forward from time to time.

One big complaint I've always had about the Dyna beads is the lack of any way to really verify they work aside from "they feel OK" and their demonstration video. They have created a situation where it's impossible to verify they function.

From their site:

" Can I put the tire on a balancer to see if it's working?

No. Dyna Beads operates on physics principles, and requires the tire assembly to be in motion against a road surface to detect the exact counterbalance position. An electronic balancer has a solid, fixed mount, and does not allow the tire to react to imbalance."

My biggest complaint is the last sentence:

" An electronic balancer has a solid, fixed mount, and does not allow the tire to react to imbalance."

Uhm - when you bolt the tire/rim up to the car (or bike) it ALSO has a solid, fixed mount. I don't see how this makes ANY difference. Plus, if the balancer doesn't allow the tire to react to an imbalance, then how does the balancing machine detect them being out of balance for lead weights? If they work on "physics principles" (EVERYTHING in the world does, in fact), then they should balance out a tire on a balancer just the same as they do on the road. The other thing I know about electronic balancers (at least for car/truck tires, which they sell Dyna beads for) is that they also balance for "wobble" - side to side motion. That's why you will sometimes see weights on both sides of the rim of your car if you look. Again, that doesn't sound like a "solid, fixed mount".

It reads like snake oil, and the lack of any easy way to verify their claims makes me even more wary. If you can't test them with a spin balance machine, how can anyone ever know if they truly work? I can't find any scientific review on those things, just lots of "they seem to work great". Some people say the same thing to doctors after being given a sugar pill...

Uhm - when you bolt the tire/rim up to the car (or bike) it ALSO has a solid, fixed mount. I don't see how this makes ANY difference. Plus, if the balancer doesn't allow the tire to react to an imbalance, then how does the balancing machine detect them being out of balance for lead weights?

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Detection is not correction.
The tire needs to be in contact with the road for the reaction to the action to take place. That is what the beads are correcting.

Look at the illustration. It's not to hard to comprehend what is actually taking place.

grafikfeat said:

Detection is not correction.
The tire needs to be in contact with the road for the reaction to the action to take place. That is what the beads are correcting.

Look at the illustration. It's not to hard to comprehend what is actually taking place.

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I've seen the illustration and videos. If the road surface made such a difference, static lead weights wouldn't work.

The tire spins and the beads distribute themselves in the tire. If they actually work, having the tire in contact with the road may change the distribution of the beads compared to a tire on a balancing machine, but either way it should show the tire/wheel in balance. If it doesn't balance on the machine I have no idea how it would balance on the road. You can't have one without the other.

As they say on their website, "they work on physics principles" - the physics are the same in both places, so why would the beads only work in one?

jdmetzger said:

As they say on their website, "they work on physics principles" - the physics are the same in both places, so why would the beads only work in one?

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The one is not the spinning of the tire. It's the reaction of the imbalance and that motion created in the illustration due to the up and down motion while moving laterally.
This is why they won't correct harmonic distortion of bent rims etc.

this beads are a scam....

fabiox said:

this beads are a scam....

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So are Trolls...

grafikfeat said:

The one is not the spinning of the tire. It's the reaction of the imbalance and that motion created in the illustration due to the up and down motion while moving laterally.
This is why they won't correct harmonic distortion of bent rims etc.

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I'm still might unconvinced, and their illustrations/descriptions defy logic. I also think they could get a lot more business if they would have an impartial scientific study done on if/how they work, but I guess they decided spending the money on marketing would be better - I wonder why.

I don't think we'll ever agree on this, of course. I'll keep using the stick-on/clamp on (spokes) weights, you can use the beads, and we'll both be helping someone stay in business.

jdmetzger said:

I'll keep using the stick-on/clamp on (spokes) weights, you can use the beads, and we'll both be helping someone stay in business.

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Hopefully keeping ourselves on the road... Ride Safe.

My tires feel more "planted" with Dynabeads than they do without. Couldn't tell any difference in the balance compared to a static balance.

I installed them with a tire change without balancing the tires. I removed them 2000 miles later and static balanced the tires. I couldn't tell any difference in the Dynabead balance compared to a static balance. I did need to add weights when I did the static balance.

I did not try the tires without the Dynabeads or static balance, so I can't say if the wheels were in balance to start with. I did remove the old weights when I mounted the tires.

I will probably try them again with my next tire change. If I do, I will do some miles with no Dynabeads or wheel weights before adding them.

I have used them on my GS with TKC 80's (knobbies) and the beads were great once I figured out that one ounce is enough for the front tire. According to the instructions, BMW's need 2 ounces up front..... NOT correct!
In any case I will use them again, as tire life was greatly improved. Just my 0.02 cts. YMMV

Has anyone here tried the synthetic dyna beads?