Tire Balance

Cummins12V98 wrote:

RAS43 wrote:
Weights could be on the inside. That is where Big O put them on my chrome boat trailer wheels for a clean look.

You want me to take a pic of the inside?

NOPE!

I'm not educated enough to advise but I did balance my new trailer tires. I have disc brakes so don't if that's different in terms of what's been discussed. One difference I can tell since installing my new balanced tires is I had a lower body panel screw that would always back out during travel. Just towed 350 miles and it didn't move.

RAS43 wrote:
Weights could be on the inside. That is where Big O put them on my chrome boat trailer wheels for a clean look.

You want me to take a pic of the inside?

Weights could be on the inside. That is where Big O put them on my chrome boat trailer wheels for a clean look.

Les Schwab Trailer Tire no weights. Discount Tire tire has weights.

memtb wrote:
If we’re concerned about the drum being out of balance....why not use “balance beads”? That should take care of that issue....unless it’s “very” badly out of balance! memtb

Not a believer in those, they need to reorient themselves every time the speed drops to a certain point. I asked the believers this question a long time ago: How many ounces of beads would you add to a tire that is 4 ounces out of balance with a brake drum that is 5.5 ounces out? Never got an answer. This is a real situation that I experienced. I knew the heavy spots on both and mounted with them opposed, so only 1.5 ounces of weight were required. For the bead fans, please calculate the amount needed (hint: it would be between 2 and 14 ounces).

If we’re concerned about the drum being out of balance....why not use “balance beads”? That should take care of that issue....unless it’s “very” badly out of balance! memtb

bpounds wrote:
My opinion, many are making way too much out of hub versus lug centric balancing. You might have a wheel bad enough to matter, but very very unlikely. And if your wheel is that bad, it is going to run OOR, and never balance well anyway. The shop would see that, and if they are any good at all, they will try to figure out why. If they slap way too much weight on one side, and you let that pass, look in the mirror.

As far as balancing or not, how would you even know if you need balancing until you've done it? And if you're going to buy the mounting and hazard insurance, balancing is going to already be included. At most shops anyway. If they try to charge extra they are just gouging you.

I have seen them more then once rotate a tire on the rim, to get it to balance out better on truck tires .. I have no problem with balancing trailer tires, but lets put it this way, I wouldn't pay extra. I understand most include balancing in the mounting, but thats generally accepted because its automotive. I just don't think I am going to get too hung up on balancing trailers tires .

Pretty sure you won't see them balanced from the factory like automotive tires, and most likely in a lot of case those tires go thousands of miles not balanced . I know mine have

My opinion, many are making way too much out of hub versus lug centric balancing. You might have a wheel bad enough to matter, but very very unlikely. And if your wheel is that bad, it is going to run OOR, and never balance well anyway. The shop would see that, and if they are any good at all, they will try to figure out why. If they slap way too much weight on one side, and you let that pass, look in the mirror.

As far as balancing or not, how would you even know if you need balancing until you've done it? And if you're going to buy the mounting and hazard insurance, balancing is going to already be included. At most shops anyway. If they try to charge extra they are just gouging you.

fj12ryder wrote:
FWIW, I've always balanced my motorcycle tires, and they are always, always a little bit off. However I've talked to people that have never balanced a motorcycle tire and swear that they have never needed to. Seems to me that it would be unlikely that I'm the only person buying tires that need a little weight to be balanced.

I think the difference in motorcycle tire balancing need, is the speed you ride. A guy chugging along on his Harley at 60 mph may not need tire balancing, while you/me running often times triple digits, a tire slightly out of balance, will be noticeable.

IMO, trailer tires do not need balancing for this very reason. Not many towing a trailer at speeds over 65. I also agree with others, that if you don't balance trailer wheels/tires properly, many shops don't, you are better off to not balance them at all.

Jerry