Installing Centramatic Balancers

[aliner]

Question on installing centramatic balancers on a 2005 Safari with 15 wheels. Are they mounted with the beaded ring facing out or in?

Thanks

Lynn

[85 Sovereign]

It may vary depending on your specific wheels, whether they are original or aftermarket and on their specific off-set and backspacing.

Generally, you would mount them with the bead ring facing inward so it is over the brake hub and the flat side is toward the wheel. As long as they fit without being bent by the wheel, they're fine. If they fit the other way, they'll still work the same, just make sure you're consistent on each wheel. I have them on my truck (will put them on the trailer after I replace the axles) and they make a big difference!

[aliner]

Thank you for your response! I have the original hubs, I've seen them mounted both ways but wasn't sure which way worked best.

[switz]

The Centramatic wheel balancer model for Airstreams with a 15" six lug nut wheel is:

200-221 Special

The model number for five lug nut wheels like the 14" on our 23D and some older Airstreams is:

200-221

The set of four cost $199.00 plus around $20 in shipping. Sales tax is not collected in Texas.

Their phone number is :

1-800-523-8473

[btowntincan]

Good timing, I just got mine and am getting ready to install. Thanks for the info.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by aliner

Thank you for your response! I have the original hubs, I've seen them mounted both ways but wasn't sure which way worked best.

It does not make any difference which way you mount them.

The most important thing to observe is the back surface of the wheel. It MUST NOT in any way bend the balancer.

Most all steel wheels are OK, but many mags have a convex backside, which would damage the balancer.

Andy

[moosetags]

Bead ring facing in.

Brian

[switz]

If you are staying with the five bolt lug nut pattern of the stock 10" drum brakes on the 23' models, then the standard Centramatic model "200-221" will work ($199.00 plus about $20 in UPS charges with no sales tax out of Texas). We purchased the SenDel T03-56545T wheels and the stock stainless steel center cap fitted just fine.

While the wheels are off, you might inquire about the cost of upgrading to self adjusting brakes (replace the backing plate assembly).

We checked the wheel bearings after driving the 23D just under 2,000 miles from the dealership (it was trucked from the factory to the dealer as was probably your unit) to the modification center and discovered that lack of sufficient grease had already scored one set of wheel bearings and the others were low on grease and had to be repacked. I installed a Timken bearing set to replace the damaged bearing.

We are replacing all four bearing sets when the upgraded self adjusting brakes are installed in May.

Four each of Timken Set #4 ($7.70) and Set #17 ($8.80) wheel bearings
Four Timken 441151 ($2.98) bearing seal (suggest a couple of spares just in case)
Ordered from Amazon for 10” brake drum and axles

[Caffeinated]

There is a video at the Centramatics web site that shows how to check to make sure your Centramatics, wheels, and hubs all match.

Mike

[gsmithii]

Has anyone checked with Airstream or Dexter about the zero offset specification on the Nev-R-Lube bearings?

Specifics would be whether there is an engineering tolerance (ie., "zero equals .001-.004" or some such) that would allow installation of the Centramatics balancer on drums with these bearings.

[Hans627]

This might be a stupid question (but someone once told me the only stupid question was the one unasked). Am I correct in would assuming that if Centramatics are installed there is no need to have the wheels balanced when new tires are mounted?

Another question, $200 plus shipping is rather expensive (not debating the merits of having your wheels balanced). Are there any other options on the market other than the traditional lead weights?

Thanks for indulging me!

[Ted S.]

Originally Posted by aliner

Question on installing centramatic balancers on a 2005 Safari with 15 wheels. Are they mounted with the beaded ring facing out or in?

Thanks

Lynn

I was told by Centramatics it does not matter. Either way will work. Mine did not fit facing outward, so I reversed it. No problems.

[Ted S.]

Originally Posted by moosetags

Bead ring facing in.

Brian

Same thing I did.

[switz]

The tires still need to be properly spin balanced. The Centramatic wheel balancers have a full time job trying to balance the Chinese casting brake drums.

I even have them on my Classic's disc brake conversion as well as the Ram 2500HD tow vehicle.

[RLS]

Originally Posted by Hans627

This might be a stupid question (but someone once told me the only stupid question was the one unasked). Am I correct in would assuming that if Centramatics are installed there is no need to have the wheels balanced when new tires are mounted?

Another question, $200 plus shipping is rather expensive (not debating the merits of having your wheels balanced). Are there any other options on the market other than the traditional lead weights?

Thanks for indulging me!

We are using the DynaBeads. Have used them for the past 6 yrs. They seam to be working since there is no movement of anything inside the trailer when on the road and the tires also look great.
I would still have the tires balanced no matter what is used.

[dkottum]

Originally Posted by gsmithii

Has anyone checked with Airstream or Dexter about the zero offset specification on the Nev-R-Lube bearings?

Specifics would be whether there is an engineering tolerance (ie., "zero equals .001-.004" or some such) that would allow installation of the Centramatics balancer on drums with these bearings.

Some time ago a Dexter rep was quoted in WBCCI magazine (I think that's where it was) that nothing should be installed to change the zero wheel offset requirement of the Nev-R-Lube bearings. That has kept from considering the Centramatics; we want no increased risk of bearing failure. We see no balance problems with our 16" Michelin tires, so I'm not convinced we need to spend the money on them.

Since then there has been much experience with these balancers on our Airstreams. Is anyone aware of a Nev-R-Lube bearing failure, and if so were Centrmatics installed?

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by dkottum

Some time ago a Dexter rep was quoted in WBCCI magazine (I think that's where it was) that nothing should be installed to change the zero wheel offset requirement of the Nev-R-Lube bearings. That has kept from considering the Centramatics; we want no increased risk of bearing failure. We see no balance problems with our 16" Michelin tires, so I'm not convinced we need to spend the money on them.

Since then there has been much experience with these balancers on our Airstreams. Is anyone aware of a Nev-R-Lube bearing failure, and if so were Centrmatics installed?

Dexter makes a great axle.

But some of their Ole Timers LOVE TO spread a bunch of HOGWASH.

They say no shocks, yet they install brackets for the Airstream factory. The added shocks, ADD TO the vertical movement control of the trailer.

If 1/16 of an inch off set by using Centramatics, would ruin the bearings then the NEV-R-LUBE must be junk, OR, more hogwash.

Dexter also says if you weld a shock bracket on a torsion arm, that you would void the warranty. A VERY ACCURATE test was made, and indeed, the temperature on the square shaft rose by 16 degrees F. I reported that to them that if that rise in temperature would destroy the rubber rods, then DEXTER MUST also publish that you must not EVER have a torsion axle in the state of Arizona during the summer, because that temperature rise would be far greater than 16 degrees. They bashfully admitted that they were "WRONG".

Also, the NEV-R-LUBE setup sucks a persons thinking that they can forget about the running gear for 100,000 miles. Gosh, information all over town says to take the drums off every 10,000 miles to inspect the brakes and grease the bearings. So, is it implied that you do not need to remove the drums for inspection ?? I really don't think that's a good idea. Then if you must take the drums off, then why not take care of the bearings as well. It would be very difficult to believe that with the NEV-R-LUBE system that a bearing failure would never happen. I don't really think that's a very good thing to assume.

Modern technology is great, but sometimes it's hogwash, if not also a "selling point".

Oh yes, IF a failure with the NEV-R-LUBE happened, you become stranded, since no one stocks parts, for a system that sounds great, on paper.

Andy

[Caffeinated]

Well, since I have never lube axles and Centramatics, I ll post if there is a problem with them. It does seem to me that anecdotal evidence supports the use of the Centramatics. I know, that although my wheels were balanced, after traveling for a few hours the cushions from our dinette and sofa would be thrown on the floor. Once the snap in cushion fell out of the door when I opened the trailer. And we have had a broken cup in a cupboard after travel. After installing the Centramatics, and a short freeway trip, everything was in place when we arrived, and our coffee cups were still hanging from there cup hooks. A first for the Airstream.

Mike

[dkottum]

All late model 25' and up Airstreams have Nev-R-Lube bearings. They may be putting them on some smaller models now. There is a schedule for inspection of the runout of the bearings in the Airstream Owners Manual.

We don't follow the manual perfectly, instead we often travel near Jackson Center so we schedule a stop every couple of years to inspect wheel bearings, brakes, check tire balance and rotate them. They are our preferred service center, fairly convenient for us and good work.

We watch for indications of rough ride in our Airstream, drawers or doors open, loose screws or hinges, things bouncing around or falling off. None of it has ever happened. She keeps a box of Kleenex on a small shelf near the front, it stays there unless we travel on the roughest of road surface, that's our low-tech rough ride indicator.

Maybe there is a reason we should have Centramatics, we haven't seen it yet. At least a reason to override the zero offset requirement from the axle manufacturer.

It would be good to know if any forum members have had Nev-R-Lube failures, and if any of those had Centramatics installed. Is it true no one stocks replacement Nev-R-Lube bearings? Would this be because of a very low failure rate?

[Airstreamer67]

I had a set of Centramatics but had one or two fail on me. The little beads in the rims stopped moving. Maybe they lost the oil or something. So I lost 200 bucks on that experience.

Now I use DynaBeads. They are a lot cheaper, and when I change tires, I cut the sidewalls and retreve the beads and use them for the new tires. DynaBeads actually have the advantage of traveling farther from the hub than the Centamatics can. Thus, they can balance better for any given weight. Plus, the amount of beads can be increased if more balancing is needed to compensate for something in the wheel or hub.