Balance beads?

Superglide

New member
Just dropped it back off so we'll see what happens. The guy was surprised that I'm having an issue, but will look into it further. This is the first time I'm dealing with these beads, and I'm not impressed one bit. I mentioned to the shop that I researched these when I had a few minutes, and from what I seen they should've used 8oz's. He said they used 6.5 at the recommendation of the cooper representative. They have 3 different balancers, so they run all of them to see if there's any discrepancies. I should've just waited till I was ready for 37's, lol!
 

tiecka533

New member
Recently switched over to slabs mounted myself, i have 28,000 miles on my trail grapplers still drives like a cady. No balancing what so ever,going to need some new rubber soon . Looking at cooper just dont want to deal with balancing issue's. How do the coopers balance out ( i run 37/12.50/17 trail grapps) ?

Sent from my SM-J700T using WAYALIFE mobile app
 

Superglide

New member
Had 37/12.50/17 goodyear mtr before my nittos worst tire ever could not balance it ?

Sent from my SM-J700T using WAYALIFE mobile app

Had the mtr's before, that's why I switched to the coopers. I had to have them balanced at every rotation. I just stopped at the shop and told them to put the sticky weights on, I've seen all I needed to of the beads.
 

jesse3638

Hooked
Okay, so I am sorry that I have some physics background and remember some of it.

The LAST thing you would want in a balanced rotation system is anything moving within that system. Also, these "beads" would simple roll to the furthest point away from the center axis due to rotation inertia and thereby INCREASE the imbalance of the system.

The only people I see stating that balance beads work are the sales people. What an effin joke!!

All I can picture is the washing machine when the clothes all go to one side during the spin cycle and it comes marching out of the laundry room all by it's self...haha. My local America's Tire balanced mine on beadlocks no questions asked.
 

Studfam24

New member
I've done both. My 37's on machete beadlocks were only 4 oz out on the worst one. 5oz of beads in each will be just fine if you want to go that way. Never had a problem.
But I went with stick on weights this time even though I didn't really need them.


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
 

RSQCON

Member
I recently used beads on my pickup truck. I am running 35x12.5x17 E load range Toyos. The beads I used were from CounterAct Balancing. Initially the tires felt great but as time went on I developed a significant vibration at any speed above 65mph. I eventually took my truck to have the tires balanced with traditional weights at Discount Tire. I had them vacuum all the beads out and what we discovered is they were clumped together and moist to the touch. Only thing I can figure is I always change tire pressure depending on when I tow and use a Viair 12v compressor so no air dryer. After they were balanced by Discount Tire the vibration is gone. I was using the appropriate amount of product as recommended by CounterAct.
 

QuicksilverJK

Caught the Bug
It is something that has been used in heavy duty applications for many years, so has liquid balancing. My experience with it is it works ok at best. I have a hard time explaining it, but my understanding is that they naturally "fall" away from the heavy spot. because they are always moving they constantly adjust for wheel/tire conditions (paving truck get a lot of asphalt build up in and on there wheels)
Depending on what they are made of clumping with moisture can be a real problem. I was discussing this with a friend today and the best I can say is I doubt that they can achieve perfect balance, but rather constantly change to be "close enough" getting them balanced with weights sticky or otherwise will always provide the best results, but one good hit on a rock, or a tire slipping on the bead will cause that perfect balance to be off. There is a descent demo video of a similar device on YouTube but I am not sure that I can post the link without violating forum rules.


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
 

Draconianwinter

New member
The idea behind balancing beads is pretty much the same behind the centrimatic balancers. Used to have them on a different truck I had a while back they actually did seem to work for that, I never had balancing issues. The problem I have with just dumping beads into a tire is that when air down and them air up you get moisture in the tire. So you get clumping like started previously and well I just don't want anything inside my tires. I will say this though the balance rings do work for large truck tires but never tried them on smaller tires. Not sure if they make them to fit newer jeeps, and they are pricey.

Sent from my SM-N920V using WAYALIFE mobile app
 

QuicksilverJK

Caught the Bug
I'm gonna go out on a limb and day that the Centramatic beads for large truck tires is a cost thing. Imagine paying someone to balance all 18 tires every month. Ouch!


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app

While this is true, the majority of heavy truck tires are replaced on site wherever the truck is instead of at a tire shop. Therefore balancing (aside from maybe a bubble balance) would be impossible.

Not related to the subject but I always get a kick seeing a good tire tech not even remove the wheel from the truck to save him time pulling and installing 10 lug nuts.


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
 

Draconianwinter

New member
I'm gonna go out on a limb and day that the Centramatic beads for large truck tires is a cost thing. Imagine paying someone to balance all 18 tires every month. Ouch!


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
They do make then for older jeeps a well as other applications. My expertise was on a truck I owned. Would try them on my jeep but not sure how well they would hold up to mud and such being named in between then and the wheel. Also to me these are like wheel spacers on a large truck you have a hell of allot more torque on the lug nuts than a jeep.

Sent from my SM-N920V using WAYALIFE mobile app
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
The problem I have with just dumping beads into a tire is that when air down and them air up you get moisture in the tire. So you get clumping like started previously and well I just don't want anything inside my tires.

This ^^^

While beads might work on a big rig, I have never seen them work well or for long on a Jeep and it is of my opinion that this is the reason.
 

Nick Unlimited

New member
I've had beads in for three weeks now and am removing them tomorrow! They didn't help at all and cause a bad wobble at certain speeds. Finally found a shop that will balance 40s on bead lock wheels.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
Top Bottom