I have seen discussion here on tire balance but nothing on the normal amount of weight. Here is why I am asking. Had new tires put on motorhome and used the beads. In short local trips I was very satisfied with the results. However once I was loaded for a long trip with full fuel (80gal)and 3/4 tank of water, I was not pleased. Short trips were 50/55 mph. Run it up to 62 on interstate and then the out of balance condition was very apparent. Found a commercial tire shop and had the tire checked and balanced. It took ten ounces to level it out. It was good afterward except I could feel every revolution of the wheel on smooth roads. Not happy with that. Just dropped the MH off at service center to have a seeping water pump replaced. They are also going to find a better tire to move to the front and rebalance the fronts. I think that much weight is too much but just wanting other opinions. Might add here tires are 245/70/22.5 on a Spartan chassis. Thoughts?

On that big of a tire 10 oz is probably not excessive. But, you could have the tire dismounted, moved in relation to the valve stem amd rebalanced. Its quite possible the original people who mounted them did not get the in correct orientation.

Most tires (at least new ones) will have a balance mark on the sidewall and you orient that mark with the valve stem

This sounds like a tire that is not round. Has anyone checked that?Fred

fcooper wrote:This sounds like a tire that is not round. Has anyone checked that?FredYup, start by checking RUN-OUT with your symptoms.All (good)tire dealers have them and it only takes 30 seconds after getting weight off the tire.

Check alignment? Did they remove the beads before re-balance with weights?

Tire balance...weight | Good Sam Community

15 Replies

Passin_Thru
Explorer
Oct 11, 2017
We used stainless BBs in our truck wheels for years, same concept without the ring. Stay balanced the life of the tire.
wolfe10
Explorer
Oct 10, 2017
Yes, TIRE TRUING still exists, but is almost a lost ART. Yes, art, something that Bubba with 15 minutes experience can not do.

This info is a couple of years old, but when I needed it done (trued on the vehicle), I contacted the company that makes the truing machine. They gave me the name of dealers how had their equipment in my area. Then called them-- many just did race car tires, but found one who serviced OTR trucks and worked me it at their schedule.

Tire Truing Equip: Amermac Ellaville, GA 800 841-8065.,
DrewE
Explorer II
Oct 10, 2017
Mr.Mark wrote:
DrewE, it's basically a 'one-time' charge as you don't have to balance a new set of tires, just reuse the Centramatics.

Centramatics take the imbalance of the braking and hub out of the imbalance equation, then the new tire/tires can be addressed/replaced if 'out of round'.

If a person plans on keeping their coach for a long time, probably cheaper in the long run.

MM.

I have Centramatics on my RV, and naturally I agree that they are good products. I simply didn't see where it would be any benefit in this case to remove the beads that the OP already has and install Centramatics instead, since they do pretty much the same thing.

I do wish that garages and tire shops that take the wheels off would understand that the access holes in the Centramatics for the dually wheels are there so you can reach the inner valve stem, and consequently should be aligned with it...but that's another mild rant altogether.
stripit
Explorer
Oct 10, 2017
I installed new tires and felt the vibration even with the beads as the balancing agent. I went and purchased Centramatics and had those installed, removed the beads. Much better but still some slight shake. Found a tire store in Florida that did tire truing. The tire was first removed from the wheel and repositioned, checked roll out again, high spot, so they shaved the tire round, I watched. Checked the other front tire and it also was ever so slightly out of round. Trued that one too. The truck never felt so good at any speed. No shake or movement in the steering wheel at all. I think cost for truing was about $30 per tire.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Oct 10, 2017
There is another condition that MAY exist.. Tire out of round.

There are shops that can "True" the tire.. I however have no direct experience with them.. Only second hand.. A former Girlfriend's father told me of them.

Wish I could give you more. But alas.. We did not marry.
Mr_Mark1
Explorer
Oct 10, 2017
DrewE, it's basically a 'one-time' charge as you don't have to balance a new set of tires, just reuse the Centramatics.

Centramatics take the imbalance of the braking and hub out of the imbalance equation, then the new tire/tires can be addressed/replaced if 'out of round'.

If a person plans on keeping their coach for a long time, probably cheaper in the long run.

MM.
DrewE
Explorer II
Oct 10, 2017
Mr.Mark wrote:
Our coach came with Centramatic wheel balancers. These attached to the hub. This is what it says from the Centramatic website:

"Centramatic's patented "On-Board" balancing technology is time tested and proven to increase tire life, reduce maintenance cost and increase fuel economy by constantly balancing the complete wheel assembly."

MM.

Centramatics do work well, but they are not an inexpensive solution. The theory the Centramatics use is exactly the same as for beads--inside the Centramatic rings are little balls and some sort of a damping fluid, I believe.

In short, with beads, I don't think there would be any advantage to the original poster to using Centramatics. Neither one is too effective against tires that are not round (nor, for that matter, is traditional balancing).
Mr_Mark1
Explorer
Oct 10, 2017
Our coach came with Centramatic wheel balancers. These attached to the hub. This is what it says from the Centramatic website:

"Centramatic's patented "On-Board" balancing technology is time tested and proven to increase tire life, reduce maintenance cost and increase fuel economy by constantly balancing the complete wheel assembly."

MM.
10forty2
Explorer
Oct 10, 2017
wolfe10 wrote:
rockylarson wrote:
Did they remove the beads before re-balance with weights?

Good point. If tires were not dismounted and beads removed, any other method of balancing would be a failure.

My thoughts exactly! I've had pretty good luck with the beads so far. I have the solid, long valve stems on my rear duallies, so spin balancing with weights won't work.
wolfe10
Explorer
Oct 10, 2017
rockylarson wrote:
Did they remove the beads before re-balance with weights?

Good point. If tires were not dismounted and beads removed, any other method of balancing would be a failure.