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Inland RV Center, In · 09-28-2012, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZoominC6

Sure you can. If your wheels are spoked aluminum you won't be able to see through them as the metal pan of the Centramatics blocks the view. One cool modification is to take the Centramatics off, clean them with a good solvent or denatured alcohol and then paint them flat black with a heat resistant type paint or epoxy. The spokes of your wheels will show much better. Good luck and happy trails.

The "specials" that we have made, are indeed painted "flat black".

In that way, they do not distract the looks of the mag wheels.

Andy

Airperson · 09-29-2012, 07:41 AM

Thanks ZoominC6 I will check it out today.

perryg114 · 09-29-2012, 02:48 PM

Ok here is the assembly with all the pieces there. As you can see it fits.

http://www.motorcycleproducts.org/AS...r-assembly.pdf

Perry

Airperson · 09-29-2012, 07:47 PM

zoominC6 I checked it out and I have them. Thanks again for the information. Airperson

Ag&Au · 10-01-2012, 09:20 PM

I just checked the Centramatics that I bought recently direct from centramatic. The face that you see through the wheels is finshed in a black wrinkle finish.

Ken

ZoominC6 · 10-02-2012, 05:18 AM

It's great that Centramatics now pre-finishes the units in black as I would imagine their finish would be much more durable than our homemade solution.

crispyboy · 10-02-2012, 06:19 AM

I have Centramatic balancers on my pickup truck and recently I had to have them warrantied. The Centramatic folks do back up their warranty which is good.
The truck seemed to be having an annoying vibration while out on the highway at speeds over 60 mph and was really bad around 70 mph. On a hunch I took off the Centramatics and found that on 3 of them the balancing material inside the ring did not make any noise. The truck drove very smoothly thereafter. I have the new warrantied balancers but I have not installed them yet. After talking to the Centramatic folks I don't think this is a very common problem. I think there was a time several years ago when the sealer they used went bad. Apparently they have changed sealers since then.

Something to think about anytime you have a tire dismounted is to make sure the Centramatics make the proper "noise" when you spin the hub.

BAB · 10-02-2012, 06:21 AM

Thanks for posting this, Steve. Will make sure I hear the "swishing" sound next time I spin a wheel!

ZoominC6 · 10-02-2012, 09:40 AM

No kidding. Thanks Steve! I purchased ours back in '05 or '06 so will check that out as well.

dznf0g · 10-02-2012, 02:34 PM

Steve, could you see evidence that the oil had all leaked out. I have heard of that in a few cases before.

Dwight · 12-10-2012, 05:34 PM

Will they fit the Dexter axle with drum brakes? A friend has a 6-lug Dexter axle...

Inland RV Center, In · 12-10-2012, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dwight

Will they fit the Dexter axle with drum brakes? A friend has a 6-lug Dexter axle...

Fitting the drum, is not the issue.

Yes, they will fit.

BUT.....the shape of the back side of the wheel, can cause a problem.

The back side of the wheel, must have a minimum of a 10 inch flat circle.

If it does, as all the steel wheels do, then no problem.

If the trailer has Mag wheels, then the back side must be checked.

Andy

Melody Ranch · 12-10-2012, 05:41 PM

Joshua Texas? Jeeze!!!! You are about 20 miles from the factory store. Call 'em....ask 'em....go over there! They install for free.

dsrtgrls · 03-29-2013, 02:53 PM

i just had new tires installed at discount tire. i had wanted them to put on the centramatics i had bought for my bambi bu the manager shared that 1. with properly road force balanced tires they should not be needed. 2.that there was concern about the centramatic plate against the wheel and that particles could get between and possibly cause the lugs to need to be torqued every hundred miles. the the aluminum wheels were made to fit directly against the thing (drum?) with nothing in between no matter how thin for the ultimate fit and functioning. i got scared of course and deferred the installation until i could get some feed back on these thoughts. i have not heard responses by folks saying that the lugs were loosening in such a frequent way. the discount tire manager just was not feeling in was a wise thing. i can have them put on when i finally go to have the axle serviced. i know i can be a scaredy cat but is what this manager says correct? any help welcome.

ventport · 03-29-2013, 03:02 PM

Road force balancing while the best method to balance a tire and wheel, does not take into consideration an out of balance brake drum. The centramatics balance the whole rotating mass not just the wheel and tire.

dznf0g · 03-29-2013, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsrtgrls

i just had new tires installed at discount tire. i had wanted them to put on the centramatics i had bought for my bambi bu the manager shared that 1. with properly road force balanced tires they should not be needed. 2.that there was concern about the centramatic plate against the wheel and that particles could get between and possibly cause the lugs to need to be torqued every hundred miles. the the aluminum wheels were made to fit directly against the thing (drum?) with nothing in between no matter how thin for the ultimate fit and functioning. i got scared of course and deferred the installation until i could get some feed back on these thoughts. i have not heard responses by folks saying that the lugs were loosening in such a frequent way. the discount tire manager just was not feeling in was a wise thing. i can have them put on when i finally go to have the axle serviced. i know i can be a scaredy cat but is what this manager says correct? any help welcome.

I have never had the lug nuts loosen after one retorque a few hundred miles after a rotation. Make certain the hub face, the centramatics, and the wheel are clean.

ZoominC6 · 03-29-2013, 03:16 PM

We've had our Centramatics on since 2004 and we also have aluminum wheels. We are careful to check our lug nuts with a torque wrench before and after each trip which I feel is a good practice. We've never had a problem. Good question however. Happy trails!

Inland RV Center, In · 03-29-2013, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsrtgrls

i just had new tires installed at discount tire. i had wanted them to put on the centramatics i had bought for my bambi bu the manager shared that 1. with properly road force balanced tires they should not be needed. 2.that there was concern about the centramatic plate against the wheel and that particles could get between and possibly cause the lugs to need to be torqued every hundred miles. the the aluminum wheels were made to fit directly against the thing (drum?) with nothing in between no matter how thin for the ultimate fit and functioning. i got scared of course and deferred the installation until i could get some feed back on these thoughts. i have not heard responses by folks saying that the lugs were loosening in such a frequent way. the discount tire manager just was not feeling in was a wise thing. i can have them put on when i finally go to have the axle serviced. i know i can be a scaredy cat but is what this manager says correct? any help welcome.

Your discount tire store manager has grossly mislead you.

First of all, the Centamatic plate rests against the drum.

Two, he obviously knows nothing about an Airstream, it's suspension system or it's design.

If the aluminum wheels have a minimum of a 10 inch flat surface on the back side, the Centramatic will fit correctly.

Third, if any dirt got on to the balancer, it will get off the same way it got on.

Fourth, if what he says was true, then when we get a rock in a tire, everything goes to kapot?? NOT!!!

Lugs always get loose, WHEN they are not properly torqued.

Install the Centramatics, and the next time you need tires, ask the opinion of those that are familiar with what your doing, and not a stranger to technolgy.

Andy