How to Build a Motorcycle Wheel Balancer
Balancing motorcycle wheels is essential to their performance, especially for riders who use the motorcycle for long-distance rides. Balancing the wheels can improve efficiency, improving ride quality. Balanced wheels also have an increased life expectancy due to reduced wear. Many mechanics will balance motorcycle wheels; however, taking the motorcycle to an auto repair shop for wheel balancing can be costly. A more cost-efficient solution is building your own homemade motorcycle wheel balancer.
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Things You'll Need
- Two 13 1/2-inch 2-by-4 boards
- Two 4-by-9-inch plywood boards (1/4-inch thick)
- Two 8-inch two-by-four boards
- Four 3-inch sheetrock screws
- Eight 1/2-inch sheetrock screws
- Two 2-inch metal angles (3 1/2-inches long)
- 4 bearings (1614-DCSR12)
- Drill
- Drill bits
- Pencil
- Ruler
- Angle grinder
- Four 3/8-inch hex cap screws (3/4-inch long) and nuts
Instructions
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1
Place an 8-inch two-by-four board on a flat surface. Attach one of the 13 1/2-inch boards to the right side of the two-by-four. Center the piece against the two-by-four so it is placed vertically upright and secure the two pieces with two 3-inch sheetrock screws.
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2
Center one 4-by-9-inch board vertically upright against the 13 1/2-inch board. Attach the boards together with two 1 1/2-inch sheetrock screws. Secure a second 8-inch two-by-four against the 4-by-9-inch board with two 3-inch sheetrock screws.
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3
Insert a 1/8-inch drill bit into an electric drill. Drill two holes in the bottom portion of the metal angle that will serve to attach the angle to the wooden boards. Use 1 1/2-inch screws to attach the metal angle to top of the 13 1/2-inch board. Position the metal angle so the flat upright side of the metal angle faces away from the 4-by-9-inch board.
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4
Measure approximately 8/5-inches from one end of the metal angle with a ruler. Make a mark at the spot. Measure the same distance from the opposite end of the metal angle and mark the spot with a pencil.
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5
Grind the 1/4-inch center section between the two marked spots on the metal angle with an angle grinder. Grind the metal angle into a small half-circle that will allow clearance for the motorcycle's axle.
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6
Insert a 3/8-inch drill bit into the drill and drill a hole on each side of the metal angle close the 1/4-inch center portion. The two holes should be at approximately a 1/4-inch distance from each other.
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Insert the bearings into the metal angle and use 3/8-inch hex cap screws and nuts to secure the bearings to the metal angle. The bearings should face towards the two-by-four attached directly to the wooden board the metal angle is secured to.
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References
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