balancing tires

[stargirl96]

We were talking to a tire dealer who said he would put some new tires on our Winnebago. We were surprised when he said he doesn't balance or align MH tires. This is a newbie question, but is this unusual?

[Horizon170]

Use Balancing Beads--------------regardless of tire size you will be happy.
Different amount of beads per tire depending on tire size.
Never have to worry about balancing that tire again.

[WayneLee]

Sounds like the tire shop was thinking about Class A tires. Class A tires, especially the 22.5" tires, are difficult to handle, align and balance, and they weigh a lot. When I had my DP Class A, I went to a truck tire shop for new tires. They were able to align the front tires and I put beads in the front tires for balancing.

Now, when you have a Class C coach, you move into the "smaller truck" sized tires, like 16", a whole lot easier to handle than the 22.5's. The tires are easier to mount, align and balance. Just about any tire shop could mount and balance them, but you might have to search for an alignment place.

[harley-dave]

yes, balance them. You won't like it if you don't.. We just put on all 6 tires on our C. The tire shop included the balancing and alignment check no charge.

Dave

[HuckleberryHunt]

Agree with the others. When I got new tires for the travel trailer at Les Schwab I asked to have them balanced. Got the same answer as above that they usually don't balance trailer tires. I said I wanted it done and so they did with no more argument.

[DrewE]

Light truck tires are balanced (or should be). An unbalanced tire/wheel in a motorhome is every bit as unwanted in a motorhome as in a car.

At least around here, most tire shops wouldn't do an alignment by default, and many don't do alignments at all (especially for large vehicles like motorhomes). If the handling was acceptable with the old tires and they weren't wearing excessively or in an uneven manner, I wouldn't worry about the alignment; there's no reason to suspect it's incorrect. If, on the other hand, you have alignment-related issues, then doing the alignment regardless of whether new tires are needed or not seems to me to make sense.

[SoCalDesertRid1]

I've not heard anything so rediculous. That guy should not be in business mounting tires on motor vehicles. Period.

[AJR]

Have the tires balanced.

[darsben1]

Get away from that tire dealer.
He is taking care of himself. He does NOT have your best interest at heart.
Then post a review of the dealer at rvservicereviews.com so others can avoid that dealer

[Terryallan]

New guy at the tire store told me he didn't balance TT tires. I told him you will these. He argued, I told him to take them off my rim. He balanced them. Store owner agreed with me.

Thing is. Your money, your rules. Tell him to balance them, or go to another shop.

[OLYLEN]

Go to a different dealer. I used balancing beads in the last coach DP, on all six tires, really ran smooth. I would also go to an Alignment shop that knows motor homes. The present are smaller tires and they used weights on all six again, C class. I would have it aligned with new tires a good under $200 investment both in safety and tire life.

LEN

[tatest]

I would think so, at least the balancing. The tire dealer I regularly use sells balancing for light to medium duty truck tires as well as including it on as part of passenger car tire sales.

But this shop does not do wheel alignment as part of a tire sale, that is a separate service. Not all tire shops are equipped to do wheel alignment on a vehicle as large as a motorhome, and if they sell that service the work is usually farmed out to a truck wheel alignment shop that has the large service bays and heavy equipment needed.

I last bought motorhome tires through a truck alignment shop. Balancing was included in the sale price, as was a wheel alignment check. If the alignment check showed the need for adjustments, that service would have been extra cost.