Centramatic Wheel Balancers

[hddecker]

Anybody use the Centramatic Wheel Balancers?

Check out the video on their web site. I vaguely remember something like this when I was a a youngster, anybody that has experience with them I'd like to here your opinion on then.

http://centramatic.com/Home.aspx

[ScottG]

ROBERTSUNRUS wrote:
🙂 Hi, Centramatics do what they are advertised to do, but they can't fix your problem. They are made to balance your wheels, not to prevent a weak frame from flexing.

There's nothing week about the RAM's hydroformed frame.
The steering gear mounts flex on some and the brace fixes it.
In my case I have a out of balance rotating component. Too far out for the Centramatics to compensate for.
Also nothing is worn or loose.

[hddecker]

tsetsaf wrote:
I went with dynabeads and they work well EXCEPT the tire installer needs to properly mount the tires first with the marked light spot either at the heavy spot on the rim OR at the valve stem.

Funny, I was thinking about that a week or two back. When I was checking my tires.

My first job when I was 15, back in the early '60s,was in a SERVICE STATION. When you mounted tires you made sure that the white or red or what ever color the manufacturer used was at the the valve stem. This made for easy balancing of the tires. A lot didn't need any weights added.

Every one of the tires on my TT has the dot some where other than the valve stem. Plus great gobs of lead added.

Different times, different manufacturing and proper training. Most important back then was customer service often lacking in this day and age.

[campigloo]

Do you have a good quality LT tire on the ground? I had a similar problem with a F150, changed all kinds of parts at different shops until a guy on the radio told me to put decent tires on it. Cured all the problems right away!

[tsetsaf]

I went with dynabeads and they work well EXCEPT the tire installer needs to properly mount the tires first with the marked light spot either at the heavy spot on the rim OR at the valve stem.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

🙂 Hi, Centramatics do what they are advertised to do, but they can't fix your problem. They are made to balance your wheels, not to prevent a weak frame from flexing.

[hddecker]

ScottG wrote:

hddecker wrote:

ScottG wrote:

hddecker wrote:

ScottG wrote:
I used them on my truck in an effort to get rid of a pesky vibration. It didn't work but I'm hoping it makes my tires last longer.

Is your truck a Ram by chance?

Yes it is!

Sounds like a typical Ram thing. I get a vibration at times too, apparently the Ram has alot of flex in the steering box and that can lead to the vibration and the dreaded death wobble.

There are several steering box stabilizers on the market that is supposed to cure that problem.

It's one of the things on my to do list.

My vibe is something that seems to be in the wheels/brakes. It comes on at 38~41 mph. I've replaced everything that spins except the front rotors.
FWIW, I do have a SBS (steering brace) on my steering gear and it made a nice difference to the feel of things. I wholeheartedly recommend them.

The SBS just moved up my list of things to do. I do a fair amount of forest service road driving and the Ram seems to have a lot more "wander" for lack of a better word, than I have had in any other truck that I've driven in the bush.

So I guess the Centramatic don't do what they are advertised to do then, because they are supposed the balance the whole assembly.

[ScottG]

hddecker wrote:

ScottG wrote:

hddecker wrote:

ScottG wrote:
I used them on my truck in an effort to get rid of a pesky vibration. It didn't work but I'm hoping it makes my tires last longer.

Is your truck a Ram by chance?

Yes it is!

Sounds like a typical Ram thing. I get a vibration at times too, apparently the Ram has alot of flex in the steering box and that can lead to the vibration and the dreaded death wobble.

There are several steering box stabilizers on the market that is supposed to cure that problem.

It's one of the things on my to do list.

My vibe is something that seems to be in the wheels/brakes. It comes on at 38~41 mph. I've replaced everything that spins except the front rotors.
FWIW, I do have a SBS (steering brace) on my steering gear and it made a nice difference to the feel of things. I wholeheartedly recommend them.

[hddecker]

ScottG wrote:

hddecker wrote:

ScottG wrote:
I used them on my truck in an effort to get rid of a pesky vibration. It didn't work but I'm hoping it makes my tires last longer.

Is your truck a Ram by chance?

Yes it is!

Sounds like a typical Ram thing. I get a vibration at times too, apparently the Ram has alot of flex in the steering box and that can lead to the vibration and the dreaded death wobble.

There are several steering box stabilizers on the market that is supposed to cure that problem.

It's one of the things on my to do list.

[ScottG]

hddecker wrote:

ScottG wrote:
I used them on my truck in an effort to get rid of a pesky vibration. It didn't work but I'm hoping it makes my tires last longer.

Is your truck a Ram by chance?

Yes it is!

[hddecker]

ScottG wrote:
I used them on my truck in an effort to get rid of a pesky vibration. It didn't work but I'm hoping it makes my tires last longer.

Is your truck a Ram by chance?

[ScottG]

I used them on my truck in an effort to get rid of a pesky vibration. It didn't work but I'm hoping it makes my tires last longer.