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How to Balance a Racing Go Kart Tire

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By eHow Contributing Writer
(1 Ratings)

Racing Go Karts is a great sport for youngsters and adults alike. A tire that's out of balance can cause the Go Kart to pull in one direction and that can cause accidents. For the occasional racer, it's recommended you get the tire balanced by a pro. If you're racing Go Karts full time, balance the tire yourself to save time and money.

Difficulty: Moderate
Instructions
  1. Step 1

    Place the tire balancer on a level surface. If you don't have a tire balancer, you can make one by stacking several blocks together to form a tower. Make two towers of the exact same height and make sure they are level and steady. The purpose of the tower is to be able to hang the tire between the two sets of blocks without it touching anything to achieve a perfect balance.

  2. Step 2

    Slide the tire onto the spindle of the tire balancer and put the spindle into the brackets of the tire balancer. If you don't have a tire balancer, find a sturdy steel rod that is level and long enough to stretch between the two towers of blocks. The steel rod must be level in order to balance the tire correctly.

  3. Step 3

    Position the tire in the middle of the spindle or steel rod and spin it. Allow the tire to stop turning on it's own. Mark the very top of the tire with chalk or a marker. This marks the lightest part of the tire. Do not move the tire at this point.

  4. Step 4

    Cut a piece of duct tape and attach the balancing weights close to the hub, adjacent to the mark on the tire. Don't attach the weights permanently yet as this is a process and the weights need to be adjusted.

  5. Step 5

    Rotate the tire enough that the weights are located at the 3 o'clock or 9 o'clock position. Release the tire and allow it to stop on it's own. If the tire weights fall to the 6 o'clock position, there are too many weights and you'll need to remove some. If the tire stops at the 12 o'clock position, then more weights need to be added.

  6. Step 6

    Continue adding or subtracting the weights until the tire doesn't move, regardless of the position of the weights. To balance the tire, it may take many attempts until it's done correctly. The Go Kart tire needs to be balanced correctly for safety reasons, as well as to keep the Go Kart in good racing shape.

Tips & Warnings
  • Read the manual if your racing Go Kart is built by a manufacturer and bought right off the sales floor. Many manufacturers will void a warranty if the instructions aren't followed specifically.
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