Getting Running Gear Balanced?

[markdoane]

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

. . . Now I know why I find paint marks on the wheels—probably the running gear was balanced and it was marked and now I know to make sure the wheel is put on in the same place if removed.

Gene

If the paint marks are red and yellow dots, they mark the part of the tire with the maximum weight imbalance and the maximum runout.

They are used for match-mounting the tire to the wheel, by offsetting the corresponding weight or runout points on the wheel.

[Utahgoldrup]

Thanks Carl & Torii - I just had the tires/wheels balanced yesterday, I may consider getting the centramatics, as soon as Andy lets us all know they are carying them.

[Silvertwinkie]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

I plan on it as soon as I get back from my trip.

We should have them right at the end of March, and, at a real good price, too, along with "no shipping charges."

Andy

Glad to hear that, cause I was gonna pick them up pretty soon. Would rather give the business to someone in the community whenever possible.

[Gene]

I've been Googling for double deep discounts for Centramatics without success. A couple of sites for large trucks that have pretty good discounts don't sell the smaller ones. The Centramatic company has them for $199, not sure about shipping. It's strange no online discount store has these (at least in the first 100 hits of 18,800). Lots of reviews though, all positive.

Gene

[crispyboy]

You won't find the Centramatics any cheaper than by just ordering them directly from the company. I have only seen these cheaper one time and that was through a group buy on another forum for pickup trucks a long time ago.
Maybe a group buy could be a possibility for you guys..........

[slowmover]

I went by the factory in Alvarado, TX south of Fort Worth to pick up mine. Nice people, and, as always you can see at least one Class 8 tractor on the rack getting a set, plus a tour bus or other interesting vehicle getting theirs (shop is visible from I35W).

I called around to some big truck shops in Dallas to see about lug-centric balancing. A couple of "service managers" didn't know the term, and the others weren't interested in servicing a travel trailer.

I had the wheel/tire combo on mine Road Force balanced (as I have done the past eight years), and then mounted them atop the Centramatics. Seems foolproof enough for now.

Next travel trailer will get lug-centric balancing if I can find it. Centramatics, of course.

[slowmover]

I went by the factory in Alvarado, TX south of Fort Worth to pick up mine. Nice people, and, as always you can see at least one Class 8 tractor on the rack getting a set, plus a tour bus or other interesting vehicle getting theirs (shop is visible from I35W).

I called around to some big truck shops in Dallas to see about lug-centric balancing. A couple of "service managers" didn't know the term, and the others weren't interested in servicing a travel trailer.

I had the wheel/tire combo on mine Road Force balanced (as I have done the past eight years), and then mounted them atop the Centramatics. Seems foolproof enough for now.

Next travel trailer will get lug-centric balancing if I can find it. Centramatics, of course.

[Becky B.]

I got my Centramatics yesterday. My son, who wasn't a believer in these things, insisted he put one on his pick-up & test it out. He put the weight from his tire on the complete opposite side than it was when balanced just for the ultimate test. Today he went on the expressway to work with it on (the rear wheel). I called him once he was well on his way....said the ride was smooth as silk. I have his blessings to put them on the trailer now (he thought maybe I was being taken!). I tried to convince him that people on this forum have tried them & said they work well, but he only believes what he sees!

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

I've been Googling for double deep discounts for Centramatics without success. A couple of sites for large trucks that have pretty good discounts don't sell the smaller ones. The Centramatic company has them for $199, not sure about shipping. It's strange no online discount store has these (at least in the first 100 hits of 18,800). Lots of reviews though, all positive.

Gene

Hi, I want a set too, but can Andy actually beat the $199.00 price that Centramatics said was their already discounted price?

[Silverhobby]

With Andy stocking the Centramatics specifically for 15" tires, a large purchase can make a difference in price.

[Gene]

Glad to hear that Andy is going to beat the list price. With we retired people seeing our dividends being cut and assets disappearing, discounts are very important. This is an item with such (almost) universal praise, that it seems a lot of them can be sold at a good discount and more money is to be made that way for the vendor while supporting all of us.

Gene

[LI Pets]

Just get the Dynabeads they are about $20 for 4 wheels same theory, been using them for 3 years.

[wb13798]

centramatics
just received a set for my pu . wrong, if you own a chevrolet tv you will have to go to somethinmg else. ups is going to pick the shipment up today.
the brake caliper sticks into the space the centramatice need to occupy by 1/4 of an inch . i was ticked i screwed up a balancer in the process. the rim flexed the balancer into the caliper and i punched a hole into it. impact wrench cant see a thing.
it looked like it would work didnt plan on the rim helping me out.
if you have a ford talk to jerry at centramatics when you order a set for your tv. seems that the fords have the room to install the balancers. but not all fords.
camping world sold centramatice a few years past for $189.00 to get the big discount you have to order 50 sets minimum.

[Airstreamer67]

I tried to get Centramatics for my trailer a few years ago, but the ones they sent didn't fit.

So, I bought Dynabeads, with excellent results.

Some claim that Dynabeads are the best solution to solving any inbalance conditions because the beads ride several inches farther out along the centrifugal path inside the far edges of the tire, unlike the Centramatics, which ride closer to the axles along the wheel rims. Also, if you find that your wheel and tire combination are way way off, more beads can be added. They are used by a lot of 18-wheelers, etc.

For about $20, I can afford to change them out with the tires every five or six years and come out ahead. Actually, if you wanted to take the trouble to recover them when changing tires, they could be used again. They're impervious to water, and are just about indestructable.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by wb13798

centramatics
just received a set for my pu . wrong, if you own a chevrolet tv you will have to go to somethinmg else. ups is going to pick the shipment up today.
the brake caliper sticks into the space the centramatice need to occupy by 1/4 of an inch . i was ticked i screwed up a balancer in the process. the rim flexed the balancer into the caliper and i punched a hole into it. impact wrench cant see a thing.
it looked like it would work didnt plan on the rim helping me out.
if you have a ford talk to jerry at centramatics when you order a set for your tv. seems that the fords have the room to install the balancers. but not all fords.
camping world sold centramatice a few years past for $189.00 to get the big discount you have to order 50 sets minimum.

Was told by the factory when I called about a set for the Burb, they are not available at this time.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

Glad to hear that Andy is going to beat the list price. With we retired people seeing our dividends being cut and assets disappearing, discounts are very important. This is an item with such (almost) universal praise, that it seems a lot of them can be sold at a good discount and more money is to be made that way for the vendor while supporting all of us.

Gene

This is the best that we can offer on the Centramatic balancers at this time.

See the vendors section.

Most importantly, we have received some of them in, finally.

Andy

[Gene]

Andy, ordered them today from Inland. You price beats everyone else. Thank you. Can't wait to have them.

Gene

[Chief]

Received my Centramatics from Inland RV this week, and installed them this afternoon.

It gave me an opportunity to carefully inspect our Marathons, before our 5k trip next month. Tires all appear to be in good shape, wearing uniformly, and no apparent signs of belt failure......ran my hands around and across all the threads. The most interesting thing I discovered is that both rear tires had been balanced at the factory, but the front two had no weights. Any idea of why only the rears would be balanced?

Will try and road test the Centramatics next weekend. I'm wondering just how much noise those little balancing bb's are going to make at low campground speeds.......I can just imagine the other campers chasing me down to tell me something is wrong with the running gear.

Chief

[eubank]

I certainly second standard wheel-only balancing combined with centramatics. We ordered ours (from the factory) about a year ago, and I think they did help. I'm really glad that Andy is now carrying the centramatics. It'll make ordering for other folks a lot simpler.

Lynn

[Gene]

When we got ours, I couldn't figure out which way they they faced, so I called Centramatics. They said, "either way". The instructions say you don't need to balance the wheels if you use them, but can.

Gene