Road tires - bead balancing vs traditional weights?

[subybaja]

Death wobble is fucking scary too. Only time I had something with over 38 inch tires I had to deal with it. Not fun.

Boy howdy! I flew to Tx to drive my avatar home, and it would try to throw you out the window between 45-55.

Old hard MTRs with half a gallon of grease in each one, +4" arched springs w no trackbar, and a bent tierod sleeved in waterpipe- who knew that would happen?
A little toe and a trackbar, and it's like a nice civilized '60s tractor!

 

[arse_sidewards]

of course balancing ain't gonna do shit for you, what with the ten pounds of clay packed in each wheel

If he hits the highway while the clay is still wet the balance will probably sort itself out.

 

[larboc]

Why use beads instead of coolant?

 

[Mikel]

Why use beads instead of coolant?

Coolant has less friction and sloshes around. Works fine for me in rear wheels. In the front I get horrible death wobble.

 

[JR4X]

If he hits the highway while the clay is still wet the balance will probably sort itself out.

I’m riding the shake weight machine right now. Too many days in a row of stacking mud on mud in the wheels. I had it stuck on Saturday but I haven’t washed it yet because the mud hasn’t dried up yet.

 

[WaterH]

It’s been so long since I’ve had a car car I kinda forget people even do that. I haven’t had anything that took P tires in over 15 years. So my throw out the balancing comment doesn’t apply. But for new LT tires on a pickup van or SUV I just don’t care. The Cooper M/T 285/70/17’s on my work truck are not balanced. On days when I haven’t been mud bogging it it cruises nice and smooth.

I get annoyed when people are asking about “what’s the best way” to balance 40’s on beadlocks. Are you f’ing serious? You can’t be serious.

I will say that new tires made by reputable manufacturers generally don’t need balancing. I have no weights on the Delorean and it’s smooth at over a 100. But my 46” military tires on the HEMTT would be jumping off the ground if I didn’t have a hunk of steel as big as my fist bolted on the wheel. I’ve always found the anything made by intergo needed balancing if you wanted to drive on the highway. But my Nitto’s don’t need it. (They are 38’s)

 

[Tiha]

I have no weights on the Delorean and it’s smooth at over a 100.

Dude, you are such a Liar, Everybody knows a delorean can't go over 88mph.

But I agree, buy a decent tire or buy a bunch of weights, repeatedly.

 

[Texas97]

I will say that new tires made by reputable manufacturers generally don’t need balancing. I have no weights on the Delorean and it’s smooth at over a 100. But my 46” military tires on the HEMTT would be jumping off the ground if I didn’t have a hunk of steel as big as my fist bolted on the wheel. I’ve always found the anything made by intergo needed balancing if you wanted to drive on the highway. But my Nitto’s don’t need it. (They are 38’s)

they all need it. they are all rarely balanced and completely round. i run Michelins, quality manufacturer, right? 10 plys, spin balance fine, vibration like crazy at 65-75 mph. there's a company that road force balances and shaves the tires. no rotating after that, smooth as can be on a one ton truck.

i can't get on board with quality tires don't need to be balanced

 

[WaterH]

they all need it. they are all rarely balanced and completely round. i run Michelins, quality manufacturer, right? 10 plys, spin balance fine, vibration like crazy at 65-75 mph. there's a company that road force balances and shaves the tires. no rotating after that, smooth as can be on a one ton truck.

i can't get on board with quality tires don't need to be balanced

Some manufacturers mark the tire where you are supposed to put the valve stem. I assume that is because they have already done some kind of spin test and determined the tire needs the valve stem weight at that location. If the valve stem weight is that critical, I would say they are pretty balanced.

 

[Filthy McChevy]

Some manufacturers mark the tire where you are supposed to put the valve stem. I assume that is because they have already done some kind of spin test and determined the tire needs the valve stem weight at that location. If the valve stem weight is that critical, I would say they are pretty balanced.

Since I found out about those marks I look for them. Rarely do tire shops install the tires using those marks.

 

[DMG]

Some manufacturers mark the tire where you are supposed to put the valve stem. I assume that is because they have already done some kind of spin test and determined the tire needs the valve stem weight at that location. If the valve stem weight is that critical, I would say they are pretty balanced.

Nope. I have experimented with mounting both ways. It rarely makes any difference. And the tires could be or more ounces out either way.

 

[bad zuki]

Since I found out about those marks I look for them. Rarely do tire shops install the tires using those marks.

They should. It makes balancing tires alot easier and uses less weights.

I recommend putting 2 Bags of Beads in on 40"s or bigger. Anything smaller will fit on our balancer. Bead balancing will produce a better result at 30MPH while balance beads are better at 60MPH.

 

[Squamch]

How did your cut new treads down to the wire belts experiment work out?

I had a set of free 31x10.5 Yokohama ats years ago that I cut the wear bars out of, and then another just less than to the cords amount. They were great tires on an 89 xtra cab toyota. I liked 235/85r16 better though, cause you could run anywhere from 0-65 psi with no noticeable difference until I started to get more than about 6" under the tires on jumps.

 

[[486]]

though I don't drive the truck enough to have a good idea of its tire wear characteristics. Damn things are 20+ years old, cracked bad and really should be thrown away (but they have such good tread)

and now that the auction's over, the anxiety starts

gotta drive this pile of shit 500 miles
through the cities twice
fuck

why don't I just rent trucks when needed

 

[Thatg9659]

and now that the auction's over, the anxiety starts

gotta drive this pile of shit 500 miles
through the cities twice
fuck

why don't I just rent trucks when needed

Just put on black face, they won’t dare pull you over.

 

[[486]]

Just put on black face, they won’t dare pull you over.

I ain't really worried about getting pulled over, I'm worried about the tires and the loose water pump bearings and the serp belt driven vac pump that smells burn-y sometimes but is necessary for belt tensioning

 

[Thatg9659]

I ain't really worried about getting pulled over, I'm worried about the tires and the loose water pump bearings and the serp belt driven vac pump that smells burn-y sometimes but is necessary for belt tensioning

Bring spares.

 

[[486]]

Bring spares.

Ain't got spares for the engine bits, got spare tires that always come with

you're always doing this shit, and without spare tires even

 

[arse_sidewards]

Rent a trailer and run the Jetta?

I know you hate trailers but they're really not that bad if you don't have to go downtown with them.

 

[[486]]

Rent a trailer and run the Jetta?

I know you hate trailers but they're really not that bad if you don't have to go downtown with them.

I was thinking about renting a uhaul ramp trailer and borrowing someone else's truck to drag it with
but the dimensions they've given says that they won't stack in there even if I could slide them sideways which I can't

I could haul one at a time on my normal little VW trailer, but 3x8hrs round trip says "nah" to that

 

[Thatg9659]

Ain't got spares for the engine bits, got spare tires that always come with

you're always doing this shit, and without spare tires even

You’ll be fine! It’s not like you’re driving 400+ miles away.

With the exception of this last trip, still haven’t gotten a replacement 17.5 for the one I ruined. haven’t gone out without spare tires and supporting tools since that episode in va. Even if I got a flat in the rear 18K over three 5k tires should get me to a truck stop.

 

[[486]]

You’ll be fine! It’s not like you’re driving 400+ miles away.

With the exception of this last trip, still haven’t gotten a replacement 17.5 for the one I ruined. haven’t gone out without spare tires and supporting tools since that episode in va. Even if I got a flat in the rear 18K over three 5k tires should get me to a truck stop.

I still feel kinda bad about playing some part in convincing you to get those 17.5s

while pissing I just had a really dumb idea on the 'caliper clearance' fix; run 16s with the right circumference tires on the inside and then run the 17.5s just on the outside haha

 

[Thatg9659]

I still feel kinda bad about playing some part in convincing you to get those 17.5s

while pissing I just had a really dumb idea on the 'caliper clearance' fix; run 16s with the right circumference tires on the inside and then run the 17.5s just on the outside haha

Don’t be a fag, The 17 fives are great! I was just being retarded making a mountain out of a molehill getting them to fit. Still need to get the fifth wheel welded back together And some better valve stems that I can get to so I don’t procrastinate checking the pressure.

Yes, that is a dumb idea

 

[[486]]

Don’t be a fag, The 17 fives are great! I was just being retarded making a mountain out of a molehill getting them to fit. Still need to get the fifth wheel welded back together And some better valve stems that I can get to so I don’t procrastinate checking the pressure.

I keep meaning to get the little hoses that bolt to the hub
but they're like 30 bucks, and I only drive the damn thing a couple times a year so...

I forget, did you end up grinding the calipers to fit?

 

[ExWrench]

Death wobble is fucking scary too. Only time I had something with over 38 inch tires I had to deal with it. Not fun.

Boy howdy! I flew to Tx to drive my avatar home, and it would try to throw you out the window between 45-55.

Old hard MTRs with half a gallon of grease in each one, +4" arched springs w no trackbar, and a bent tierod sleeved in waterpipe- who knew that would happen?
A little toe and a trackbar, and it's like a nice civilized '60s tractor!

If you experience death wobble and you're in a pinch (side of road / broke / whatever excuse), set your toe ~1/8" - 1/4" OUT & it should kill the self-perpetuating vibrations, at least on a SFA w/ track bar + traditional steering. It won't fix out-of-round tires, balance issues, or cupping, but it kills the self-amplifying feedback loop that loosens fillings & fatigues dafook out of hard parts.


Now that I've hopefully given one of y'all a helpful trick

,

I await the feedback of everyone else:

 

[Thatg9659]

I keep meaning to get the little hoses that bolt to the hub
but they're like 30 bucks, and I only drive the damn thing a couple times a year so...

I forget, did you end up grinding the calipers to fit?

Burned up 3 flap wheels on each one. I got 40,000 miles out of the rear pads. Fronts are due now at 50k Gonna splurge and get new rotors & repack the bearings that I haven’t given a lick of maintenance to in the last 50,000 miles Provience

Getting a weird clunk clunk clunk clunk clunk while coasting in gear at parking lot speeds echoing right through the driveshaft, but as soon as I put any load on it, it gets silent and smooth. It’s always had a lot of backlash shifting from forward to reverse will take a look as I need to reseal the diff cover anyway.

Need a bigger piece of angle iron to hold the passenger front swaybar mount in the hole where the frame stuff used to be.

Haven’t blown the new manifold gaskets out yet, but there’s footanxiety because I know it’s coming. One hole near the middle still has part of a tap in it and a much larger short bolt wedged in the enlarged hole, I’m a lot more gentle on the accelerator than I used to be when they were loud as fuck.

 

[[486]]

Getting a weird clunk clunk clunk clunk clunk while coasting in gear at parking lot speeds echoing right through the driveshaft, but as soon as I put any load on it, it gets silent and smooth. It’s always had a lot of backlash shifting from forward to reverse will take a look as I need to reseal the diff cover anyway.

check the pinion nut for tightness before you go anywhere

 

[Provience]

Burned up 3 flap wheels on each one. I got 40,000 miles out of the rear pads. Fronts are due now at 50k Gonna splurge and get new rotors & repack the bearings that I haven’t given a lick of maintenance to in the last 50,000 miles Provience

Getting a weird clunk clunk clunk clunk clunk while coasting in gear at parking lot speeds echoing right through the driveshaft, but as soon as I put any load on it, it gets silent and smooth. It’s always had a lot of backlash shifting from forward to reverse will take a look as I need to reseal the diff cover anyway.

Need a bigger piece of angle iron to hold the passenger front swaybar mount in the hole where the frame stuff used to be.

Haven’t blown the new manifold gaskets out yet, but there’s footanxiety because I know it’s coming. One hole near the middle still has part of a tap in it and a much larger short bolt wedged in the enlarged hole, I’m a lot more gentle on the accelerator than I used to be when they were loud as fuck.

They stopped making noise for a few hundred miles



Then came back with a vengeance

 

[Thatg9659]

check the pinion nut for tightness before you go anywhere

I was under it in neutral, trying to wiggle stuff around, couldn’t get any play out of it or u joints. But since you mentioned it seems about half tire rotation speed, which would match up with the pinion clunking against the carrier.

 

[[486]]

I was under it in neutral, trying to wiggle stuff around, couldn’t get any play out of it or u joints. But since you mentioned it seems about half tire rotation speed, which would match up with the pinion clunking against the carrier.

and it going away when accelerating because that mashes the pinion forward