wheel balance

[bob]

Hello I have a 2007 with aluminum wheels they do not have a outside lip to attach wheel weight too so you would onley be able to static bal that means all weight on inside of wheel or use tape weights any thoughts on this thank you

[LonnieB]

Bob, I replied to your PM but you may not have gotten it. Anyway, this is what we do. On the wheels without an outer lip we use the weights with the adhesive back on them. We install them on the inside of the wheel, inboard and outboard if needed. We then lightly tap on the weights with the weight hammer to insure adhesion and conformity with wheel. After they are stuck, and formed to the wheel, we put a strip of quality duct tape over them for a little extra holding power. The duct tape may eventually come off but by that time the weights are stuck tight. We haven't had any fall off yet, and the wheels balance very well. The weights and duct tape aren't usually visible as they are on the inside of the wheel.

[Wrenchtraveller]

I got my aluminum wheels balanced and they attached the weights to the lip on the backside of the wheels. The first tire place I went to balanced my Montana's rim using the hub centric method on the dynamic machine. This is for rims like my truck that get their fit on the hub. All rims that are centred on the hub with bevel shaped wheel nuts need to be lug centred. I learned this on this forum and went back to another tire shop and had that rim and the other three rims balanced correctly. They all needed balancing but the one rim that had been balanced using the wrong method was really galloping on the tire machine.

[Montana Sky]

The weights on my wheels were also placed on the backside like Don's were. I took mine to a commerical tire shop and they did it for me. I cannot tell you which method was used in balancing, but everything seems to be wearing very well.

[tpbuck1]

After years of experiencing problems with wheel weights being thrown off, corrosion to rims where the weights attached to the wheels and needing to re-balance the wheels on my cars and trucks every time I rotated the tires, I went with a product which is inside the tire. It's called Dyna Beads sold by Innovative Balancing. They are tiny ceramic beads that are inside the tire and basically re-balance the tire every time it starts rolling. I've used them for over 2 years in all of my vehicles (3 cars, 2 trucks and Montana) and IMHO they solved all of the problems I have ever had with external wheel weights and keeping the wheels balanced.
Here is their website - http://www.innovativebalancing.com/
BTW, I installed them on my Montana's wheels when I changed out the rubber valve stems with metal valve stems.

[LonnieB]

Tim, it's kinda hard to imagine, but those little beads really DO work. I used to use a product called Equal, pretty much the same thing, the only problem I ever had with it was when I got flats repaired, and no matter which tire tech you tell, they always managed to dump it. I think it was only a couple of bucks per packet, but cost wasn't the point, failure to respect customer request was the point. One more reason we now have a tire store. We sell a product now, called Centramatic. It is small steel beads inside a circular steel tube attached to a round dished disc that goes on the hub before the wheel goes on. A lot of the big trucks use them even when they have the tires spin balanced with conventional weights. They seem to keep the tires in balance, and in a few cases even straighten out wear patterns created by out of balance tires, if they haven't ran too long. They make them for some light trucks also but I've never sold any, and consequently haven't priced them. I'm sure they are expensive though, $220.00 for a set of 2 on the big trucks.

[Ozz]

Cool, just shows a guy, there's always something new you learn every day. Hadn't heard of that before.

[LonnieB]

Here's a website for Centramatic. It may offer some information that interests you.

www.centramatic.com

[bigmurf]

Just priced set from Centramatic today to fit mind (16" 6 lug wheels) $199.00 for set of 4 plus shipping. I have BalanceMasters on the truck but they don't have a set for the trailer.