Wheel balancing in Brisbane - beads?

Stafford

Member
Hi all, since putting on super singles Ive had a bit of wobble at high speeds. Id like to get them balanced really well before going on a big trip.

Any recommendations in Brisbane area? Im in Bangalow NSW but will be in Brissy on Monday.

Also possibly keen on ceramic beads if they work! Any shops install these?
 

gait

Explorer
Several years ago this place had a big enough balancer. I haven't checked recently. Its a few doors away from Big Wheels for wheel alignment - who may know somewhere for balancing.

Carroll Tyres, 1 Permarig Pl, Rocklea QLD 4106
Phone: (07) 3276 8466

Last time I got tyres and balancing at ATW in Yandina but that's a day trip north of Brisbane.
 

dan85

Observer
Not sure what super singles you have but I got mine from trucksupersingles.com.au and they were pretty well balanced from the get go. Perhaps they can help if you bought them from there or even if you didn't? I had used the beads in a motorcycle and it wasn't a bad solution, nice and smooth above 30-40kph but at slower speeds you could start to feel a little bit of vibration but on 200hp motorbike 30-40kph is not really your focus so that slow speed vibration wasn't bad enough for me to care about. I'm not sure how it would go in such large heavy tyres with the amount of beads required but perhaps you could use a combination of traditionally balanced to close as possible and add a small amount of beads to help balance out at speed.
 

Peter_n_Margaret

Adventurer
My tyre and rim combinations weigh 80kg each (rim 30kg + tyre 50kg). The 400g of lead shot worked from day 1 on all wheels and at all speeds. I must say that I was surprised.
I am now balancing the bare rims as I change tyres. Some that I have done were up to 110g out of balance.
The Michelin tyres have typically been pretty good.
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome
 

Bris31

Adventurer
Year 2016, after front leaf springs were extended I got wheel balanced at "Straight Wheels Truck Alignment", 3/1 Shoebury St, Rocklea QLD 4106. Still no issue after 30K+kms.
 

Aussie Iron

Explorer
Balance beads are the way to go - " the rate is 1oz per 10Lbs of tyre or part there of ". So 73Lb tyre takes 8ozs. Yes I know it's in Imperial weights but convert it then.
Using balance beads is great as in if you cut a piece out of a tyre on a rock or something it will still balance up.
I'm still using the first lot of Stainless beads that I bought in my wheels.

I am now balancing the bare rims as I change tyres. Some that I have done were up to 110g out of balance.

Peter
OKA196 motorhome

Those rims are a long way out of balance, any rims I have tried are no where near that far out of balance.

Dan.
 

skippythedog

Observer
Ceramic Beads are the way to go! I run steel singles and Hankook 37x12.50x17....eight ounces each. There is only one quirk that I notice: Occasionally, upon acceleration around 30-35 mph there is a very slight side to side oscillation of the steering wheel....I surmise that this happens as the beads distribute and find their happy spot. I never feel it upon deceleration.
Find a product that comes in pre-portioned bags and just toss 'em in....Available on Amazon or Ebay if you're in the sticks...

I think that if I discovered that my rims were out of balance, I would see what weight it takes to balance them alone (with no tires) and then add that weight or a smidge more to the tire/diameter calculation. Omitting this step I suspect, would be the only reason people claim beads are not working for them. It is not a matter of "only working with certain tires" as some have stated....just weight and centrifugal force.

One more thing to explore: Tires are often marked with a reference point and are marked to be mounted opposite the valve stem. Some of these super singles have dual stems. If the mfg bead chart recommendation isn't working for you, an effort should be made to find the heavy spot on your rim(s)...If it's consistent in each rim in reference to a hole (or holes) commit that to memory and mount tires accordingly. If not, then mark each rims heavy spot and mount tires accordingly. This may allow you to run less weight in your tire/rim combination....
 
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F350joe

Well-known member
I have beads in my 315/16 BFG ko2. They wobble between 80 and 85mph. Also feel a little out of sorts after turning on the hwy as well. The guy I got the truck from went with beads because he could not get the tire balanced no matter how hard they tried. I think they are nylon beads though and it sounds like there are better options. Good info skippythedog, where were you when I replaced my entire front end trying to track down my wobble.
 

skippythedog

Observer
I have beads in my 315/16 BFG ko2. They wobble between 80 and 85mph. Also feel a little out of sorts after turning on the hwy as well. The guy I got the truck from went with beads because he could not get the tire balanced no matter how hard they tried. I think they are nylon beads though and it sounds like there are better options. Good info skippythedog, where were you when I replaced my entire front end trying to track down my wobble.

Now in your case, (for now) I think I'd try simply adding 2 more ounces through the stem....Your beads have simply reached the limit of their ability to balance. (Who the hell goes 85 in a mudder? :pMy top speed is 74).

As I recall from my youth, 1 ounce creates 60lbs of pull/force at 60 mph.

I could not find anyone to balance my tires successfully either. Our trucks live in a no-mans land between automotive and commercial trucks. The auto shops don't have 42mm sockets. The commercial guys don't have accurate machines and no one has a lug-centric adapter. There is one device that would work, an on-the-vehicle balancer by Hunter or Bee Line but these haven't been made since the 60's..........I know of 2 in my state. Neither are used regularly at the shops where they live.

I think once everyone tears down and spins each rim to determine the weight required to balance (or correct deficiency) and adds that to the bead weight from the chart for the given tire (plus maybe an oz or two for missing chunks) they'll be happy.

......and then the government will outlaw the beads due to some environmental concern.....
 

gait

Explorer
there's the out of balance around the circumference, which beads are good at compensating,

and there's the out of balance across the wheel (with normal balancing different weights may be added to inside than outside of rim), which beads are not quite so good at and may be what is contributing to wobble at 80 mph,

there is a simple solution ......
 

F350joe

Well-known member
Now in your case, (for now) I think I'd try simply adding 2 more ounces through the stem....Your beads have simply reached the limit of their ability to balance. (Who the hell goes 85 in a mudder? :pMy top speed is 74).

As I recall from my youth, 1 ounce creates 60lbs of pull/force at 60 mph.

I could not find anyone to balance my tires successfully either. Our trucks live in a no-mans land between automotive and commercial trucks. The auto shops don't have 42mm sockets. The commercial guys don't have accurate machines and no one has a lug-centric adapter. There is one device that would work, an on-the-vehicle balancer by Hunter or Bee Line but these haven't been made since the 60's..........I know of 2 in my state. Neither are used regularly at the shops where they live.

I think once everyone tears down and spins each rim to determine the weight required to balance (or correct deficiency) and adds that to the bead weight from the chart for the given tire (plus maybe an oz or two for missing chunks) they'll be happy.

......and then the government will outlaw the beads due to some environmental concern.....

I’ll try that thanks. They are ATs, I think they can handle the speed, maybe I should check the speed rating...(106mph). In Utah the speed limit is 80mph. I actually got pulled over with a warning for doing 90, love Utah. With the gear-vendor she’s not even hitting 2k rpm at 90, a 7.3.
 

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