Suggestions on Large Tire Balancing...???

I'm about to make the leap to large Super Singles and would like to hear peoples experiences and suggestions pretaining to "Balancing" their tires (or attempting to do so).
I have recently heard about adding "Golf Balls"...."Lead Shot"...."Goopy Products like Slime".....and I just read about "Equal Tire Balancer". Running tubeless I would like to be able to make "Plug Repairs" as necessary, so don't want something that might interfere with that. I'm also in Colorado at high altitude so I'm not interested in any liquids that would freeze. So Gents..... what works....what doesn't. I'll be running 14.50's and
15.5 Michelins.
Thanks
TiredIron

I'm also going to have 10-12 decent 9.00X20's on rims to offer in the South Denver Area (Parker/Frank Town).

I'm suspect of the lead shot type systems......I've heard pro and con, and, for the money, I'd be more likely, as I do, to use a bubble balancer.....with a little technique, you can balance tires quite well.
Just my though.......
good luck,
Henry

My Truck tire dealer spun balanced my 9x20's for $20.00 each when I have them installed. No problems so far!
Mike

I use equal in my 36" Iroks cause they don't balance well on a machine, From the folks i've talked to the big rigs are running the equal media with no problems and i've been running it for a little over 3 yrs now and no problems its not exspensive but can be hard to find ( big rig shop have it ). In the deuce ( it has 46"s ) they are not balanced yet cause the split rims and tubes. But when I get the right rims equals going in them. The bigger the tire the more the media, it comes in different size bags, just drop them in mount the tire and drive down the road. After awhile the bags break open and spread the stuff around where it needs to be. Great product you can try the new valve core filters to but I have never used them and never had a problem just make sure the tires are clean inside before you throw the bags in. Good luck, Captain

Alredneck:
did you run the tires before putting the equal in?
I'm wondering how much difference it made?
How much does it cost for your tires?
It's a neat concept, I'm just wondering how it works?
Thanks,
Henry

tires

I would like to be able to make "Plug Repairs" as necessary

Click to expand...

I don't think "Plug Repairs" for a 8 ply or more tire is the same deal as "Plug Repairs" on a normal car or truck tire. There is a TM on how to plug tires. Any large truck repair outfiit will be able to balance them on the truck. Good luck, Wayne

I use ceramic balancing beads in all of my tires, even the 53" xzl's on my Deuce. You can go to Dyna beads and order them for about $200 per vehicle or you can go to Ceroglass and order a 50lb bucket of the same media for about $150 and have enough to balance dozens of sets of tires. You just pour them in through the valve stem in the correct proportion for the size of tire, install a filtered valve core re-air tire and presto....balanced tires forever!! Or at least until you have to change them. I have run this stuff in dozens of big tires and it works great, no wheel or tire damage, doesn't get affected with moisture, doesn't were out. Heck, you can even take it out of a old set of tires and put it into a new set.

I wonder if it works in pickup tires? anyone know?
Henry

Howdy fellas, the equal if I remember is about $40 for four tires. In the Iroks I run 8oz's per tire. When you order just tell them your tire size and rim size and they will tell you how much to use. You can also get it done similar to what Cameo was talking about through the valve core with the tires never having to come off the truck which is a attractive option if mounted already. The filter cores are a bit more money and its up to you if you use them, like I said earlier its recommended but I have had no problems with mine without them. ( Supposedly the powder may and can get stuck in regular cores ) Cameo I have heard a lot of interesting things about the beads but have no real exprience and never knew anybody that has put them in their truck. They may be a viable option as well 50lbs for $150 ain't have bad considering the number of tires some of us go through ( about 5 set 36" or larger in the last 3+ yrs ). One reason I didn't put the media in my deuce tires ( 395/85r20s ) is I was worried about to much friction with the tube being in there. But once relieved of these split rims they will be balanced with some type of media. Hope this helps fellas, Captain

You can also use Airsoft BBs. They will last forever and not crumble or corrode and are real cheap. Just don't use the crap ones from Walmart. If they have a seam on them, don't buy them, they are made of cheap plastic that can break or crumble in time. Get the real deal. 1500 .20 gram Airsoft BBs run less than $15, so even the good ones are not expensive. Here's a post over on Pirate that explains how many to use on what tires:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=516446&highlight=airsoft+BB's+balance

BEWARE, that IS a link to Pirate4X4. Chances are, you will find some language that offends you if you are sensitive to that sort of thing. The main info is in the first post, and the language there is ok for the most part.

One quick note if you look on the charts like they talk in that above thread, I have found its best to round up, my 36s are not in the equal chart so we used 38-39 range which put us at 8oz. The more the better. Captain

Curious,
What kind of problems are you guys having, that indicates the tires need to be balanced?
None are balanced on our 2 Deuces with 900-20's, or the M813 with 1400R20's. I don't notice any shimmy or vibration like I have in a car with unbalanced tires.
Eric
CBVET

I've used slime in my 16x20's , 2 years later I have a slow leak in one ( 2 piece rims , rim leak not tire ) . Plus as a bonus it seals when you get a nail or something in them ! I didn't balance any of them just slime , maybe I'm lucky !

55Cameo said:

I use ceramic balancing beads in all of my tires, even the 53" xzl's on my Deuce. You can go to Dyna beads and order them for about $200 per vehicle or you can go to Ceroglass and order a 50lb bucket of the same media for about $150 and have enough to balance dozens of sets of tires. You just pour them in through the valve stem in the correct proportion for the size of tire, install a filtered valve core re-air tire and presto....balanced tires forever!! Or at least until you have to change them. I have run this stuff in dozens of big tires and it works great, no wheel or tire damage, doesn't get affected with moisture, doesn't were out. Heck, you can even take it out of a old set of tires and put it into a new set.

Click to expand...

If you don't mind, which product code did you get? They have a boatload of different types. I think I need a bucket of them

QUOTE""" Curious,
What kind of problems are you guys having, that indicates the tires need to be balanced?
None are balanced on our 2 Deuces with 900-20's, or the M813 with 1400R20's. I don't notice any shimmy or vibration like I have in a car with unbalanced tires.



And U never will, the military never balanced one of these because they dont have to, These are tactical vehicles , and the trucks-are more than tough enough to handle the big tires just the way they are, civy smooth rides are built to the least of all specs they can get away with, and any thing not perfect makes em ride terrible, not true at all with our trucks.

interesting

i work for a goodyear comerical tire shop called wingfoot. i wouldn't use lead weights. i've seen a good smooth steer tire want 12 ounces on one side to balance. we use something called counter act in a lot of tires. their little glass beads. i've put them in everything from a 14 inch wheel to a 24.5 in super single. works great. and you can use them with tubes and split rims.

is it possible to use some sort of bead with a tube tire?

55Cameo said:

I use ceramic balancing beads in all of my tires, even the 53" xzl's on my Deuce. You can go to Dyna beads and order them for about $200 per vehicle or you can go to Ceroglass and order a 50lb bucket of the same media for about $150 and have enough to balance dozens of sets of tires. You just pour them in through the valve stem in the correct proportion for the size of tire, install a filtered valve core re-air tire and presto....balanced tires forever!! Or at least until you have to change them. I have run this stuff in dozens of big tires and it works great, no wheel or tire damage, doesn't get affected with moisture, doesn't were out. Heck, you can even take it out of a old set of tires and put it into a new set.

Click to expand...

Which beads are they from CeroGlass's website?

here is the website for what we use at our shop. http://counteractbalancing.com there is a size chart to. you can also use it with tubes.