Balancing Wheels

JayJay said:
I think that when he’s talking about tossing a bag of beads in that he’s referring to modern tubeless tires…
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Y-Blockhead said:
I think Bill was talking about tubeless tires.
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Thank You Gentlemen,

Sorry for any confusion, yes when I referred to "throwing in a bag of beads" I meant in Tubeless Tires while installing new tires on the rims. I have an older Snap-On non-contact tire machine here & always used stick on weights until I read about the balance beads a long time ago.

God Bless
Bill
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ar-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/
 
If you put the balancing beads in because you’re out of balance, and you don’t notice a difference, then you probably don’t have the correct amount of beads for the tire size. I’ve been using them for years, maybe 30,000 miles with at least two sets of tires, and they work great. Also no inner tube chaffing ect. They can be a ***** to put in though!
I used to do the balancer thing, but because it balances tire mounted to drum, it changes if the wheel is moved. I have no “headlight shaking” like before I started using them.
Most of the cars in my two clubs, use them.
 
Using balancing beads when used properly you will find that they balance quite well especially as the tires wear they continually rebalance the tire properly whereas a static weight you would technically need to rebalance the tire as they wear slightly out of balance over time and use.
 
Chuck Sea/Tac said:
If you put the balancing beads in because you’re out of balance, and you don’t notice a difference, then you probably don’t have the correct amount of beads for the tire size. I’ve been using them for years, maybe 30,000 miles with at least two sets of tires, and they work great. Also no inner tube chaffing ect. They can be a ***** to put in though!
I used to do the balancer thing, but because it balances tire mounted to drum, it changes if the wheel is moved. I have no “headlight shaking” like before I started using them.
Most of the cars in my two clubs, use them.
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How does one determine what the "correct amount" is? The beads I just ordered have 4 ounces per package. Put 4 ounces in each tire and hope for the best?
 
If you want your rims to be perfect, try and get in touch with Wheel Repair Service in Auburn MA. They specialize with tube tires and wire rims for high end cars but will work on Fords. They will straighten out any lateral and radial runout and balance them. I believe I got a quote from them for $1500. Turnaround time is about six weeks during peak season.

If you have them straighten the spoke to solve runout a new coat of paint is in order and they will provide at additional cost.
 
I have beads in all the tires on Tessie.
When I installed them I used a SMALL funnel along with a Dremel tool held against the funnel to vibrate the BEADS .
 
Hmmmm. Is it really a wheel balance problem? I have my wheels speed balanced on the car and use the adhesive weights without any problems...I touch the weights up with a dab of wheel colored paint.


I suspect that many of the issues are simply the natural performance characteristics of extremely narrow tires on less than optimal road surfaces driven at speeds that were never intended when the cars were designed. My biggest challenge is the grooves worn into my favorite country roads by tractors and heavy trucks.
 
In the back of my memory is a circular tube that was filled with pellets that was attached to wheels to balance them. It would work the same as the pellets that are inserted into the tubes but external. Is this a faulty memory or does anyone else remember this?
 
nkaminar said:
In the back of my memory is a circular tube that was filled with pellets that was attached to wheels to balance them. It would work the same as the pellets that are inserted into the tubes but external. Is this a faulty memory or does anyone else remember this?
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For big trucks or in my case a 1 ton dually...They are called "Centramatics" & they work GREAT!

I have had a set since the mid 90's & transfered them from my square body dually stake body truck to my current diesel dually. They have almost 2 million miles on them. Funny side note...You can hear them until 21 MPH, at that speed going up they find their "spot"

I nev er saw them available for cars though.

God Bless
Bill
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ar-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/
 
Bill's Auto Works said:
They are called "Centramatics" & they work GREAT!

Funny side note...You can hear them until 21 MPH, at that speed going up they find their "spot"
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I have a set on my Harley Ultra Limited, they work phenomenally well. A metal plate with a metal tube filled with oil and ball bearings. They are permanent and balancing the entire wheel/tire. Over 250,000 miles using the same set on 2 different bikes. Extended tire life by 20%.

Have never heard them, except when I took them out of the box.

Now if somebody could make something like that for the model A, that would be terrific.
 
Above the critical speed the light side of the wheel revolves at the larger radius and the pellets, ball bearings, whatever, move to that location to balance the wheel. For the Model A with normal springs and shocks and tires, the critical speed is about 20 mph.
 
Will the weight of the beads alter the contact patch of the tire by distorting the tread where the beads are concentrated at high speeds?
 
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