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Balancing tires


aknavy

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I just had new tires put on my new to me truck - singled 2001 Volvo 660.  I also had Centramatics put on steer and drive axle.  Driving home, there was a slight "wobbly" vibration around 45-50mph.  Tire shop balanced the steer tires, but not the drive.  Should I have the drive axle tires balanced?

2001 VNL 660

2018 DRV Fullhouse JX450

2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

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Not a believer in those Centramatics, unlike some folks.  Did your shop spin the tires while they were on the truck?  There's more rotating mass on the steer axle than just the wheel/tire combination which is why a balancing on the truck is essential...IMHO. 

2012 F350 KR CC DRW w/ some stuff
2019 Arctic Fox 32-5M
Cindy and Tom, Kasey and Maggie (our Newfie and Berner)
Oh...I forgot the five kids.

 

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New tires take a while to "break in". Actually several heat and cooling cycles to make them whole. Depending on your style of "Drive" tire, they sometimes take longer if you have a tire with lugs for more traction. If you have put steer tires on the rear, you may not notice. 

If the tire shop "tossed" a couple bags of balancing beads, it does take a bit for the bags to break open and start actually doing their thing. I also didn't like the Centramatics and took them off. 

 

Rod

White 2000/2010Volvo VNL 770 with 7' Drom box with opposing doors,  JOST slider hitch. 600 HP Cummins Signature 18 Speed three pedal auto shift.

1999 Isuzu VehiCross retired to a sticks and bricks garage. Brought out of storage the summer of 2022

2022 Jeep Wrangler Sport S Two door hard top.

2007 Honda GL 1800

2013 Space Craft Mfg S420 Custom built Toyhauler

The Gold Volvo is still running and being emptied in July. 

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19 minutes ago, aknavy said:

I just had new tires put on my new to me truck - singled 2001 Volvo 660.  I also had Centramatics put on steer and drive axle.  Driving home, there was a slight "wobbly" vibration around 45-50mph.  Tire shop balanced the steer tires, but not the drive.  Should I have the drive axle tires balanced?

Usually not necessary.  Are your wheels hub centric or lug centric?  If lug centric sometimes the lugs will not be centered in the hub and can cause mild to severe vibration.  I found out the hard way after getting king pin bushings replaced and truck nearly shook apart at 45mph.  Shop checked all their work and denied responsibility.  They said tires.  Drove to tire shop.  They pulled both steers to rebalance and check trueness.  I happened to look at hub on drivers side saw lug was to edge of hole, recentered it and shimmy completely disappeared.  I now have stud centering lug nuts on both steers that center the hub.  Just happened to have read a post on this site over 10 years ago that mentioned looking for that as a possible source of a shimmy.

Edited by SuiteSuccess

2006 Volvo 780 "Hoss" Volvo D12, 465hp, 1650 ft/lbs tq., ultrashift

Bed Build by "JW Morgan's Custom Welding"

2017 DRV 39DBRS3

2013 Smart Passion Coupe "Itty Bitty"

 

"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first!"

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1 hour ago, SuiteSuccess said:

Usually not necessary.  Are your wheels hub centric or lug centric?  If lug centric sometimes the lugs will not be centered in the hub and can cause mild to severe vibration.  I found out the hard way after getting king pin bushings replaced and truck nearly shook apart at 45mph.  Shop checked all their work and denied responsibility.  They said tires.  Drove to tire shop.  They pulled both steers to rebalance and check trueness.  I happened to look at hub on drivers side saw lug was to edge of hole, recentered it and shimmy completely disappeared.  I now have stud centering lug nuts on both steers that center the hub.  Just happened to have read a post on this site over 10 years ago that mentioned looking for that as a possible source of a shimmy.

I'll have to look and see.  Not sure off hand.

2001 VNL 660

2018 DRV Fullhouse JX450

2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

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   I second what Suitesuccess said, about the centering lug nuts. They worked for me. I now do not worry about balancing the steer tires. I only put two nuts on each wheel, 180 deg. from each other.

  I am looking at getting Centramatic, these are the first negative commits' I have heard about them.

    Safe travel and stay warm in Texas.

Edited by dlcarsonak




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Glyn (KL0PG) & Diane Carson
2002 I-H 4400 Papa's Dream (Mama's Nightmare)
2015 Space Craft V400
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email: dlcarsonak@hotmail.com

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1 hour ago, hone eagle said:

my centramatics 'wobble' every spring after a long idle period ,takes 20-30 kms before things smooth out.

Like a out of round tire ,maybe give em some time.

I'll give it a longer evaluation period before making any changes.  That, and check the lugnuts.

 

 

2001 VNL 660

2018 DRV Fullhouse JX450

2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

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4 hours ago, dlcarsonak said:

   I second what Suitesuccess said, about the centering lug nuts. They worked for me. I now do not worry about balancing the steer tires. I only put two nuts on each wheel, 180 deg. from each other.

  I am looking at getting Centramatic, these are the first negative commits' I have heard about them.

    Safe travel and stay warm in Texas.

I have Centramatics, but when you first drive the truck, it seems as though the flat spots in the tires need to round out then the balancing settles in.

2006 Volvo VNL 780, " Arvey"  Volvo D12, 465hp, 1650 ft/lbs tq., ultrashift

2003 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

2010 Forest River Coachman Freedom Express 280RLS

Jackalopee

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I do not want to hijack this thread but I have a question inline with it.  

I am still getting my truck serviced and ready for an upcoming trip. 

The dealer replaced my font shocks, they appeared original and had 400k on them.  The truck rode very soft and felt "loose"

Now with the new shocks and about 250 miles total on them I feel like I have more front end vibration that changes with speed so I am assuming it is balance issue.  The steer tires are in good shape. 

I am going to have them balanced and rotated next week.  The tire shop recommend beads vs weights.  Should I do weights or beads?  Cost is about the same.

 

2014 Volvo 630. 2016 Fuzion 325T, RZR 900 Trail 
675ah AGM, MSH 3012 inverter, 960w Solar.  (2016 Chevy 3500 DRW, backup)

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22 minutes ago, Nwcid said:

I do not want to hijack this thread but I have a question inline with it.  

I am still getting my truck serviced and ready for an upcoming trip. 

The dealer replaced my font shocks, they appeared original and had 400k on them.  The truck rode very soft and felt "loose"

Now with the new shocks and about 250 miles total on them I feel like I have more front end vibration that changes with speed so I am assuming it is balance issue.  The steer tires are in good shape. 

I am going to have them balanced and rotated next week.  The tire shop recommend beads vs weights.  Should I do weights or beads?  Cost is about the same.

 

Do you intend to run tire pressure monitors?  If you do then I would get weights which is what I did (I also have centramatics).  TST (Truck System Technology) which are the monitors I use said definitely do not use liquid or powder and also advised beads will eventually fracture and break off tiny pieces that could affect the monitors.  I think that is probably after many more miles than we usually drive but was what I was told.  Some people swear by beads.

Edited by SuiteSuccess

2006 Volvo 780 "Hoss" Volvo D12, 465hp, 1650 ft/lbs tq., ultrashift

Bed Build by "JW Morgan's Custom Welding"

2017 DRV 39DBRS3

2013 Smart Passion Coupe "Itty Bitty"

 

"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first!"

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31 minutes ago, SuiteSuccess said:

Do you intend to run tire pressure monitors?  If you do then I would get weights which is what I did (I also have centramatics).  TST (Truck System Technology) which are the monitors I use said definitely do not use liquid or powder and also advised beads will eventually fracture and break off tiny pieces that could affect the monitors.  I think that is probably after many more miles than we usually drive but was what I was told.  Some people swear by beads.

I know the reasons for monitors, but it is not something in budget right now or high on my list. 

2014 Volvo 630. 2016 Fuzion 325T, RZR 900 Trail 
675ah AGM, MSH 3012 inverter, 960w Solar.  (2016 Chevy 3500 DRW, backup)

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58 minutes ago, Nwcid said:

I know the reasons for monitors, but it is not something in budget right now or high on my list. 

Understand.  Can tell you it saved me blowing a tire and many thousands of $$ when I lost a disk brake caliper on my trailer.  Temp shot up, alarm sounded.  I pulled off immediately, hub temp was 180*.  If I had kept driving would have blown the tire and pretty sure had a fire.  Again, please don’t take this wrong, but would try to at least budget for trailer asap.  For reference, 20% of trailer fires arise from tires or wheels.  Truck probably not an immediate need.  Again just a suggestion.

Edited by SuiteSuccess

2006 Volvo 780 "Hoss" Volvo D12, 465hp, 1650 ft/lbs tq., ultrashift

Bed Build by "JW Morgan's Custom Welding"

2017 DRV 39DBRS3

2013 Smart Passion Coupe "Itty Bitty"

 

"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first!"

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One thing not mentioned here on tires. Truck tires have a tapered bead. Sometimes, when you install the tire, it does not push out evenly around the rim. If your tire has a raised ridge just outside the rim you can see the difference. After some time on the road, they will settle into the right spot. Higher pressure in the tire will help them seat properly, especially if you run lower pressures for reduced load most of the time.

My little truck has 19.5 tires on it, also taper beads. The rims are cold galvanized coated. It is not a smooth surface. On those I have to air them to max pressure (120 psi) for a couple weeks to get the tires to seat on the beads right.

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8 hours ago, Parrformance said:

If your heart can take it, there are shops that will true(shave) a tire as well.

Hard to watch the expensive tire rubber flying of the tread.

Unless you are driving 8 hours a day, most of us will never wear a set of tires out and would never miss the rubber that's shaved off to make it round. I'm not saying it will do any good to shave them, but the loss of rubber is the least of the worries. 

Rod

White 2000/2010Volvo VNL 770 with 7' Drom box with opposing doors,  JOST slider hitch. 600 HP Cummins Signature 18 Speed three pedal auto shift.

1999 Isuzu VehiCross retired to a sticks and bricks garage. Brought out of storage the summer of 2022

2022 Jeep Wrangler Sport S Two door hard top.

2007 Honda GL 1800

2013 Space Craft Mfg S420 Custom built Toyhauler

The Gold Volvo is still running and being emptied in July. 

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