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Old 02-22-2010, 12:16 AM   #21
ols1932
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by exav8tr


The lesson here, is Never buy tires from an RV dealer! They are just out to bilk us RVers.......
I don't think I would go that far. Probably the main reason they are higher priced from RV dealers is that RV dealers are not in the tire business. It's kind of like buying tires for a Ford, GM or Dodge pickup. You'll get them a whole lot cheaper at a tire dealer than you will at one of the truck dealers. Reason? Truck dealers are not in the tire business. At least that's what I've found.

Orv
 
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Old 02-22-2010, 07:05 AM   #22
sreigle
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quote:Originally posted by Emmel

Steve, at the rally this year, didn't the guy from Tireco say the newer rims were hub/bolt concentric? They used to be way off, but the safety people made the wheel manufacturers use more stringent calibrations. The aluminum wheels are machined and not stamped like the steel ones. In the aircraft industry, they have to be within .0015 concentric and the auto should be somewhere around .005. You can check each hole in relation to the hub with a set of verniers.
Sound like too much trouble, balance them by the lugs.
Steve, I either didn't hear that, don't remember it, or didn't go to that particular seminar! It could have been any of those. I hope that's correct about them also being hub centric now. Sure would make things easier.

Did they say anything about need for balancing at that seminar?
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Old 02-22-2010, 12:59 PM   #23
ratfink11
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Spoke with dealer again today and he said he could not put a lead weight on the stock wheel. He said he would check if they had stick on weights. Not crazy about stick on`s, but I was looking at pictures of my 3400 and I do not not see how a lead weight could go on a stock wheel. Had a hybrid trailer for 6 years and went all over the east coast with time bomb Goodyear Marathons without balance weights and never had a problem. I know I am comparing apples to oranges!
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Old 02-22-2010, 02:01 PM   #24
bigmurf
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These will take care of the problem. http://www.centramatic.com/Home.aspx
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Old 02-22-2010, 02:30 PM   #25
richfaa
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"Spoke with dealer again today and he said he could not put a lead weight on the stock wheel." What kind of a stock wheel is that???We have lead weights on our 06 3400 stock wheels..
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Old 02-22-2010, 02:41 PM   #26
Clemson1881
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The new alloy wheels have no track for mounting weights. A very poor design in my opinion.
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Old 02-23-2010, 05:33 AM   #27
DonandJudy_12
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Had stick on weights on our Monty once- They stayed in place but the weights were all on the inside of the rim- I think it would take more lead to balance a wheel assembly that way- I can't verify the effectiveness of that system but I will not have it again( just personal preference)- Good luck and remember inquiring minds want to know- Don
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Old 02-23-2010, 01:43 PM   #28
sreigle
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Just had a new tire and new rim mounted the other day. When I arrived home to install the wheel I noticed it has stick on weights on the inside of the rim. I could swear, but would have to go out in the rain to verify, that the other wheels all have the clip on weights on the bead. Ours are the alloy rims. Since we had to buy a new rim maybe it's different, though, in that respect.
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Old 02-24-2010, 01:09 PM   #29
Clemson1881
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I am going to ask about my wheels. I want to have them balanced, but I don't see how a weight could be clipped to these rims.
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Old 02-25-2010, 02:29 AM   #30
ols1932
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I didn't know they made something like stick-on weights. I thought they all clipped on. That's the way ours are attached. It would seem to me that if they were just stuck on that the force of the wheels turning at 50-55 mph would cause them to fly off.

Orv
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Old 02-25-2010, 03:13 AM   #31
mail2us
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I'm certainly no tire guru but believe the weights can be put on the inside of the rim as I believe it has a lip??

Our 2008 3400 are balanced that way. I kinda believe the stick ons could go away, but maybe not??
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Old 02-25-2010, 04:00 AM   #32
bwney
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We have 2 year old Michelin ribs on our 3400RL. Had a slow leak in one, and took it to Discount Tire for repair. Leak was from rubber valve stem (OEM). They installed a steel stem and balanced tire for about $15. I took the other tires off one at a time and also had a steel valve stem and balance. May not be needed, but it can't hurt. They used stick-on weights. 2 were more than a little- bit out of balance.
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Old 02-25-2010, 05:58 AM   #33
LonnieB
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ratfink11,

Definately have them balanced, it is just as important as balancing your car or truck tires.

Some tire dealers have the mindset that trailer tires don't need balanced because there is nobody riding in the trailer to feel the vibration, and the occupants of the tow vehicle will never feel it unless it is extremely bad. What they (and many trailer owners) don't take into consideration, is the damage that out of balance tires can cause to the trailer and it's contents.

As others have already posted, there are many methods available when it comes to balancing tires. Light truck and passenger wheels are built to pretty close tolerances, as are most alloy trailer wheels. These wheels can usually be balanced by the hub-centric method, meaning the pilot (hub) hole is used to center the wheel and tire assembly on the balance machine. The stamped steel (and occasionally the alloy) trailer wheels aren't always true enough to use the hub-centric method though. In that situation the lug-centric method is the only way to get the assembly balanced, using a conventional spin balance machine. An adapter is used on the machine that has lug studs which protrude through the lug holes in the wheel, then the wheel is held in place by lug nuts. This method is absolutely the best way to balance most wheels, but it is considerably more time consuming so most tire shops (including mine) use the hub-centric method on everything they can.

As to adhesive backed (stick-on) weights? Some of the new alloy wheels (even on passenger, and light trucks) have nothing to hold a conventional clip on weight in place. The centrifugal force of the wheel spinning will send the weight flying off in some unknown direction right away. The only way to balance these type wheels with lead weights, is to use the adhesive backed ones. They are stuck to the inside of the wheel as far inboard, and as far outboard as the wheel will allow. The centrifugal force actually helps this type of weight to stay in place, and the adhesive used is extremely sticky.

Now to the issue of Equal. The stuff is effective and does no damage to the inside of the tire. The problems arise when you have a flat repaired and the tire tech takes his handy dandy blow nozzle and blows all of your pretty powder into the atmosphere so he can buff and patch the tire. Chances are he won't have the packets of Equal (not many do) to replace what he has sent into the air for his co-workers to inhale.

Quote:
quote:By bigmurf

These will take care of the problem. http://www.centramatic.com/Home.aspx
CENTRAMATIC - I like these. I sell lots of them, mostly to big trucks and occasionally a motor home. They are basically a thin steel dish with a hollow ring around the outside, which holds many small metal balls (about half the size of a BB), and some oil to keep everything functioning properly. The dish, which has holes in it for the lug studs, goes on the hub before the wheel. When the wheel is mounted it holds the Centramatic balancer in place. These balancers have a five year unconditional warranty and Centramatic stands behind it.
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Old 03-07-2010, 04:56 AM   #34
ratfink11
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Got my 3400 back after installing the G-614`s. They were sent out by dealer for balancing before installation. Some rims (stock) had quite a few lead stick on weights. Glad I had them balanced! Now my only problem is the ground thawed up and I almost got stuck trying to get back in my spot on our property to store it. Had no other choice and had to take it back to dealer to have them hold on to it until ground dries up! Had to pay for 1 months storage, but he said leave it here until your ready for how ever long it takes.
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