Automatic Tire Balancers

[jcurry2]

Has anyone tried the Centramatic Wheel Balancers(sold by MrTruck.com) for your Truck, SUV and Trailer, supposedly for longer tire life. Automatically Balances your Wheels and Tires as you Drive. Eliminates vibration and tire cupping? Talked with a Ram 4500 owner that is so impressed with his that he is going to install on his fw.

[chevor]

I use counteract balancing beads in the tires.

[jrnymn7]

My steel rims were beyond balancing using lead weights, realistically, so the tech threw in some glass beads. They have worked great for several years now. And he changed out the valve covers to red ones, as an indicator; so something to watch for.

The OP appears to be referring to centrifugal/harmonic balancing. We used to do that to our harleys, to help reduce drive-line tremors 🙂

[wintersun]

When I buy a set of tires it includes lifetime rotation and wheel balancing. Every 5,000 miles the tires are balanced and rotated and I don't have to worry about some gimmick.

If the rear wheels are out of balance it is not going to be apparent, only with the front wheels where the condition is telegraphed to the steering wheel. This is going to result in more wear on the steering components.

Cupping is the result of alignment problems or shocks that are not working properly. Rotation spreads the uneven wear though with my SUV's and trucks with IFS that problem has completely disappeared. Solid front axles put a lot more stress on the components and result in faster wear and more problems with cupping with 4WD vehicles. After switching to IFS vehicles 25 years ago I have never had a problem with tire cupping or uneven wear except if the tire inflation pressure was incorrect.

[jcurry2]

Thanks for the fast replies, will probably try them.

[hershey]

I had them on my 2002 Workhorse and I really couldn't see that they did any good. Sounded like an easy fix but didn't work in my case.

[wa8yxm]

For those who do not know the centramatic units

This is a ring that mounts OUTSIDE the tire (mounts to the lugs) otherwise it works much like the powder's BBs, Ceramic things, and such people use.

I am not sold on these shortcut methods of balancing... But then I have never tried them either.

[Dtank]

jcurry2 wrote:
Has anyone tried the Centramatic Wheel Balancers(sold by MrTruck.com) for your Truck, SUV and Trailer, supposedly for longer tire life. Automatically Balances your Wheels and Tires as you Drive. Eliminates vibration and tire cupping? Talked with a Ram 4500 owner that is so impressed with his that he is going to install on his fw.

Yes -
(Some posters are not familiar with what you are asking about)
Centramatic and Balance Masters *do not* go *inside* the tire - like the various types of "balance beads" etc.
Inside the tire types *may* clump and/or clog the schrader valve.
(Although many folks say it isn't so, and love 'em)

For me - the Centramatics took up too much space on the wheel studs,
returned them. (No thread showing outside lug nuts)
Balance Masters (basically same principle, but different rotating media) - worked out fine.

Currently on front (tow vehicle) wheels, plan to add to rear also.

BTW - many OTR truckers use Centramatics on their "steers".

.

[mgirardo]

I used Equal in my TSL Boggers I ran on my Xterra. Never had a problem with them. I used the powder which made it easy to reuse. I think they make beads now too.

-Michael

[Garry_Gayle]

I have on my 450, love them, put them on and forget about ever balancing again.

[Goostoff]

I use regular BB's that you would shoot pop cans with as a kid in my large Jeep tires. I think there is 7 ounces in each tire and it works awesome. Been using them for years. Somewhere on the interwebs there is a chart that tells you how many ounces to put in for the size of the tires you are using.

[stripit]

I have them on my truck front tires, love them, would buy them again. Had all kinds of issues with the new tires not staying balanced and had them spun balanced at least 4 times trying to get them to roll smooth. Then bought the Centramatics and all the problems rolled away! I think worth the money.

[purplekeenah]

While on an extended trip in 2010, I stopped at a Speedco in Cottondale, AL., they sell and install them. They removed my front wheels and sandwiched the Centramatics between the hub and the wheels, torqued the lugnuts to 450fp, and sent me on my way. I've been a happy camper since, before that I had the front wheels spun balanced a few times without good results and decided to try the Centramatics after a talking to a trucker that had them on his rig.
I used the Dynabeads on my last rig which also worked very well.
For those not familiar with Centramatics, they are not beads or liquid that are spent after changing out tires, they are a metal disc with a hollow tube on the perimeter of the disc that is filled with a glycol type liquid and steel shot that balances the wheel through centrifigul force.

[jplante4]

Yup, the old tires had the sand bags in them and the truck tire place where I bought the new ones said that could do the same thing. First 20 miles or so were a little bumpy, then everything smoothed out.

[Vet_Man]

If you are talking about the bean bag type, I had them out in when I bought new tires for my MH. Worked great, never thought about them again.