The Dilema of Balancing Big Tires
08-22-2005, 04:51 PM
#1
The Dilema of Balancing Big Tires
Well I've got the 37s on the 85 completely unbalanced...and it ain't too bad. Got some shimmies at a few speeds, but certainly a far cry shy of death wobble. It is certainly drivable and quite pleasant at speeds over 65 mph! 
The previous 35s drove wabfabulous!
Several questions though...
1. These shimmies would seem that over a period of time would be detrimental to components that are mounted, i.e. engine mounts, tranny mounts, t-case mount, etc. What do you think the effects are on these components?
2. I've read tire balancing threads out the wazoo - from BBs to golfballs to Equal to intergalactic gizmos concocted by space aliens who liked rockcrawling...all seem a bit far fetched even if some swear by them. I'd like to at least have the rig drivable if need be until I get another DD/tow rig early next year sometime and it would seem that just slapping on the conventional weights would be the best idea. Yet when I initially had the tires mounted the tire tech said that the first tire he spun was going to need a TON of weight. So I just said forget it cause I was in a hurry.
P.S. If you have not had tires over 33" in your life on a vehicle and/or have experience w/ such...don't bother offering an opinion please.
The previous 35s drove wabfabulous!Several questions though...
1. These shimmies would seem that over a period of time would be detrimental to components that are mounted, i.e. engine mounts, tranny mounts, t-case mount, etc. What do you think the effects are on these components?
2. I've read tire balancing threads out the wazoo - from BBs to golfballs to Equal to intergalactic gizmos concocted by space aliens who liked rockcrawling...all seem a bit far fetched even if some swear by them. I'd like to at least have the rig drivable if need be until I get another DD/tow rig early next year sometime and it would seem that just slapping on the conventional weights would be the best idea. Yet when I initially had the tires mounted the tire tech said that the first tire he spun was going to need a TON of weight. So I just said forget it cause I was in a hurry.
P.S. If you have not had tires over 33" in your life on a vehicle and/or have experience w/ such...don't bother offering an opinion please.
Last edited by waskillywabbit; 08-22-2005 at 04:54 PM.
08-22-2005, 05:00 PM
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I would have them dynamic balanced and let them ride! I have heard good things about equal, but do not have any personal experience with it.
You might look for a truck shop that can spin balance them on the vehicle.
You might look for a truck shop that can spin balance them on the vehicle.
08-22-2005, 06:15 PM
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08-22-2005, 07:03 PM
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Originally Posted by waskillywabbit
...1. These shimmies would seem that over a period of time would be detrimental to components that are mounted, i.e. engine mounts, tranny mounts, t-case mount, etc. What do you think the effects are on these components?...
08-22-2005, 07:18 PM
#12
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After running my 35s for a couple months and running the 36s for about a month I was checking around with a friend of mine and he told me they were toast....I don't know, check em out.
08-22-2005, 07:24 PM
#14
A few things to try.
I like the Centramatics (http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTri...ce/index.shtml). Big rigs run them and you can move them from tire to tire with no additional cost. I am on my 5th sets of tires with them and still the same units. I guess that puts the cost/tire balance at about $10/tire which is usually less than a shop would charge, so I have recovered the cost of the balancers.
I also bought a bubble balancer (Harbor Freight) and have had good luck static balancing my tires (33s and 35s/beadlocked). Just need to get them close then the Centramatics do the rest.
A few guys in my club are running the DynaBeads in beadloncked 37"+ tires and love them, although they mainly trailer their rigs. I may dump about 8 oz. on my 35s since the wheels won't quite fit my balancer.
Or find a big rig shop and have the tires checked and trued if needed. I did this to my old Swampers (they had upwards of 2 lbs. of lead on them before). They shaved off the high spots and that made a huge difference in the ride. If the tires are not round, no amount of lead will make them run smooth.
Or, find a good tire balance shop and have them spend the time to seat/balance/reseat the tires on the wheels to minimize the imbalance. Wheels are not perfectly round. Tires are also not perfectly round nor perfectly balanced. I discuss the details on my web page (http://www.4crawler.com/Diesel/Tires.shtml#RUNOUT) but the idea is to put the high point of the tire over the low point of the wheel to get the roundest install. I notice that BFG is now marking the ATs and MTs with high spot marks like passenger car tires have had for years. Goodyear doesn't seem to be doing that. On my new 33x10.50 BFGs, I lined up the dots with the valve stem holes and had one take 0 weight, then other an ounce or two and they run very smooth.
I like the Centramatics (http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTri...ce/index.shtml). Big rigs run them and you can move them from tire to tire with no additional cost. I am on my 5th sets of tires with them and still the same units. I guess that puts the cost/tire balance at about $10/tire which is usually less than a shop would charge, so I have recovered the cost of the balancers.
I also bought a bubble balancer (Harbor Freight) and have had good luck static balancing my tires (33s and 35s/beadlocked). Just need to get them close then the Centramatics do the rest.
A few guys in my club are running the DynaBeads in beadloncked 37"+ tires and love them, although they mainly trailer their rigs. I may dump about 8 oz. on my 35s since the wheels won't quite fit my balancer.
Or find a big rig shop and have the tires checked and trued if needed. I did this to my old Swampers (they had upwards of 2 lbs. of lead on them before). They shaved off the high spots and that made a huge difference in the ride. If the tires are not round, no amount of lead will make them run smooth.
Or, find a good tire balance shop and have them spend the time to seat/balance/reseat the tires on the wheels to minimize the imbalance. Wheels are not perfectly round. Tires are also not perfectly round nor perfectly balanced. I discuss the details on my web page (http://www.4crawler.com/Diesel/Tires.shtml#RUNOUT) but the idea is to put the high point of the tire over the low point of the wheel to get the roundest install. I notice that BFG is now marking the ATs and MTs with high spot marks like passenger car tires have had for years. Goodyear doesn't seem to be doing that. On my new 33x10.50 BFGs, I lined up the dots with the valve stem holes and had one take 0 weight, then other an ounce or two and they run very smooth.
08-22-2005, 07:28 PM
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BB's or Golf balls. If you are doing weld on-beadlocks and plan on wheeling this, then any balancing you do that involvs stick on weights will be a waste of money.
Dump a shotglass or two of BB's in each tire and call it good. I ran golf balls in my Q78's for 22K miles on a daily driver, and while it did work, they were not to refined. I still had slight vibrations, mostly because of the size of the golf balls, they dont spread out like the BB's do.
And to adress the issue of getting them out, all you do is break the bead, nothing complicated about it.
Dump a shotglass or two of BB's in each tire and call it good. I ran golf balls in my Q78's for 22K miles on a daily driver, and while it did work, they were not to refined. I still had slight vibrations, mostly because of the size of the golf balls, they dont spread out like the BB's do.
And to adress the issue of getting them out, all you do is break the bead, nothing complicated about it.
08-22-2005, 07:33 PM
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When I got my tires put on the guy at Discount tire said he had to mount/dismount them on the wheels 3 or 4 times each to get then close enough to balance with lead weights...I think my best balanced tire has about 5 strips of 15 of those stick on weights and 2 of the big long weights and a couple of the short ones, these are with aluminum wheels which I think are better balanced then steelies...I'm may look into equal altho I've heard some bad things about it clumping so I'll probably look into that other kind ou put in your tire (I dont remember the brand name)
08-22-2005, 07:39 PM
#17
Equal is powder, works fine in big rig tires that never get aired up and down. Air up and downa lot and you'll get moisture in the tires unless you run dry CO2 or something like that, but compressed air has moisture. The DynaBeads (see InnovativeBalancing link above) are supposed to work better, they are larger ceramic beads and won't clump (like powder) or rust (like BBs). The Centramatics I run are essentially lead shot in a plastic ring filled with oil.
And yes, the mounting/remounting the tires is a good thing to do. Unfortunately most places put them on once, spin them up and slap a few pounds of weight on them and call it good.
And yes, the mounting/remounting the tires is a good thing to do. Unfortunately most places put them on once, spin them up and slap a few pounds of weight on them and call it good.
Last edited by 4Crawler; 08-22-2005 at 07:41 PM.
08-22-2005, 07:49 PM
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Ya dynabeads thats the other one I was thinkin of Thanks 
its nice that the managers that work at the discount tire here wheel and run either swampers, MT/Rs or BFG muds so they take extra care with off road tires
its nice that the managers that work at the discount tire here wheel and run either swampers, MT/Rs or BFG muds so they take extra care with off road tires
08-23-2005, 04:22 AM
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I went thru this very same thing trying to balance 37 boggers on TrailReady Beadlocks.
BBS suck, they are loud, disinegrate over time and just about impossible to deal with IMO. Golf Balls worked AWESOME!
Get a bubble balancer for motorcycle wheel and lay a mounted tire on it.
Lay golf balls on the side setting higher than the other till is sits level. Whatever # of golf balls you have, throw them in the tire and it's balanced.
It works like a washing machine being in balance and if you air up and down alot, stay away from the powder. I've almost always have had mudd in my rims and that stuff sucks when it mixes with moisture even if your valve stems are wet.
I'll balance these Krawlers the very same way. It works.
BBS suck, they are loud, disinegrate over time and just about impossible to deal with IMO. Golf Balls worked AWESOME!
Get a bubble balancer for motorcycle wheel and lay a mounted tire on it.
Lay golf balls on the side setting higher than the other till is sits level. Whatever # of golf balls you have, throw them in the tire and it's balanced.
It works like a washing machine being in balance and if you air up and down alot, stay away from the powder. I've almost always have had mudd in my rims and that stuff sucks when it mixes with moisture even if your valve stems are wet.
I'll balance these Krawlers the very same way. It works.
