Tire/wheel balancing thoughts

[doorgunner]

Here's my 2 cents worth- When I was a roundy- rounder, we would balance the tire wheel with the latest computer balancer, that worked but we noticed a real improvement by rounding the tires. This was done by mounting the tire/wheel in a machine that had a cutter/shaver that would remove the high spot rubber. Kind of like a big old lathe. THen we used the strobe balancer- commonly called "on the car balancer". after that we were always a contender at the track. 20 years ago. Seems to me that the balance method as shown on Inlands site would be more than adequate for a TT going down the road at 65 mph. Tim

[scottanlily]

The strobe balancer for on the car or trailer in this case, is a lost art of
balancing .They work great ,spinning the wheel and tire and the drum of course ,my tire shop could do the balance on my 70 IH Scout with big tires
by feel ,the smoothest balance job I could get .The balancer broke and they didn't want to fix it. BEAR alignment shops always had those strobe balancers too. but alas ,that was then and those balancers made way for the spin machines ,too bad really ,we replace what works with what we perceive as
better ,only to find out sometimes it isn't . The centramatics have been around a very long time believe it or not ,use to have them at Montgomary Wards auto center for sale ,thats been awhile ago ,but many who use them say they do work well .


Scott

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, From my personal experience, the strobe light balancer was by far the best and also the hardest to use properly. An out of balance wheel or tire Etc. will only effect driveability and or dammage at the speed that you feel it shake. [unfortunatly you won't feel it on your trailer] And this speed is usually between 60 to 65 MPH. With the speed laws [55 MPH in California] and the tire's speed rateing at 65 MPH this is the speed I usually tow at.

Bob

[scottanlily]

when balancing the tire with the strobe ,on my vehical ,the operator was able to spin up the tire at different speeds and check balance, slower then faster .the shake I had was at 55 -60 mph .you could see the shake in the vehical ,but when balanced it was smooth . you could have the balance checked at different speeds,unlike the spin balancers that just RPM up to the
test or balance speed as set by the machine .Bob is correct on the operation of the strobe balancer .The guy would get the speed up ,watch the vibration
and hold these small metal round rings ,in a row on the shaft of the machine
just stopping them in slight motions to achieve the balance,stop the machine
,put the weights on then retry ,worked great ,but took experience to use it.

Scott

[wahoonc]

We have a strobe balancer that we use on the big trucks, and roundy round cars unfortunately one of the parts on it broke and is NLA. I have a line on another unit that we may be able to pirate for parts. However we have gone to Centramatics on the big trucks and they have been bubble balancing the roundy round tires. Those strobe balancers are the only way to go. I am considering Centramatics for the AS based on favorable reports from forum members.

Aaron

[doorgunner]

wahoonc- what parts are you in need of? I could do a little recon in the local area. EQUAL Balancing compound is another thing that works! The kids that have to have those big mongo monster mudders on their street trucks use this product. My interview at a tire store- the owner of the shop said the stuff works quite well altho is is a pain to clean off the innerlinner when a repair of the casing ic necessary. So how far to the right of the decimal point are YOU going to go??Me I'm sticking with computer spin- but looking hard at the Centramatics. P.S. The strobe was the thing. Tim

[flyfisher]

Tim -

Right after we bought our trailer 2 years ago, I had my tires "trued" (shaved off the high spots), and the running gear balanced, as you suggest.

The shop hear our home that did this for me found that one of the hubs on our trailer was substantially out of balance, and it took 3 experienced mechanics almost an hour and about 15 ounces of weight to get the assembly balanced. I'd hate to think of what might have happened if I wouldn't have had this balancing procedure done.

Also, when my 2004 trailer left the factory the tires had not even been balanced, although my owner's manual stated this was done. I'm still perturbed that Airstream management refused to acknowledge any of this was a problem, and they would not provide any warranty coverage to correct it -- of course, they also failed to put sufficient grease on the wheel bearings on my trailer and acccept responsibility for that as a problem as well (fortunately, another Forum member tipped me off to this before I lost one or more of my wheels as he just had done, and I was able to get them properly greased). Later, they had a recall due to insufficiently greased wheel bearings.

I now frequently check and maintain my tires/wheels/brakes/etc. The rest of my trailer is only as good as the running gear that's under it.

John

[doorgunner]

15 ounces!! goodness thats a good size Rib-eye steak. Thank goodness for Rolling Rock probably helped the mechanics !! lol

[scottanlily]

Hello guys ,I need to put out a correction on my post on the strobe balancer,as I was taliking about the on the car spin balancer that runs a drum
up againts the tire and spins up the assembly and you adjust those metal rings and so forth ,but i was saying strobe ,which uses a different method .
Its been a long time ago on those machines so I had the two confused .
A veteren tire guy gave me the heads up on that here on the forums ,so I appreciate that Bob.

Scott

[Gunnyusmc]

I have Centrimatic's on both the Airstream's and the TV. Great!!

Don

[ZoominC6]

Another vote for the Centramatics as they seem to have done the job for us.

[flynmike]

I put a set of Centramatics on my Dodge Diesel and it smoothed it right out...even inproved steering so I knew they would be good for the Airstream so I put a set on it too....wish I could have ridden in it before and after just to see if I could feel a difference.

Mike