New tires installed with balancing beads instead of weights

[Coolbaldguy]

Just a word of warning, when using balancing beads. Wear eye protection when removing valve cores. The beads can blow out of the stem at enough force to cause eye damage. Also the beads become charged with static electricity while moving and stick to the tire surface even in the 10:00 - 2:00 position. If the tires get filled with air that is wet, it will cause the beads to clump after the RV sits for more than a couple of weeks. The clumping beads will self balance again after several miles of use, but might feel like unbalanced tires for the first few miles. I used them in my DQ320 and was happy with them, but had a couple of valve stem issues that were resolved with a quick blast of air into the tire. I believe my next coach will have Centramatic balancers instead of beads.

[EdandShelley]

Originally Posted by rollscanardly

Another vote for Centramatic balancers...not much that can go wrong.


Rich

Agree... had to review the beads from my front tires when we installed the retro bands.

[Invisibleman]

x2 on Centrematics. The only issue I had is I had to gently grind (enlarge) the center opening around the hub in order to get them on. But seems like a no brainer compared to internal tire beads.

[n1acguy]

Originally Posted by Coolbaldguy

Just a word of warning, when using balancing beads. Wear eye protection when removing valve cores. The beads can blow out of the stem at enough force to cause eye damage. Also the beads become charged with static electricity while moving and stick to the tire surface even in the 10:00 - 2:00 position. If the tires get filled with air that is wet, it will cause the beads to clump after the RV sits for more than a couple of weeks. The clumping beads will self balance again after several miles of use, but might feel like unbalanced tires for the first few miles. I used them in my DQ320 and was happy with them, but had a couple of valve stem issues that were resolved with a quick blast of air into the tire. I believe my next coach will have Centramatic balancers instead of beads.

That made me envision tire techs shooting at each other from across the shop.

[n1acguy]

Originally Posted by wmtire

Do you know if the tire shop used the speciality filtered cores with the balancing beads?

Most of the time the beads will cone with these special valve cores.

https://www.amazon.com/TyreBeads-Tir.../dp/B00LTCL0H0

Are they using beads because they don't have a balancing machine large enough?

[EdandShelley]

Originally Posted by n1acguy

Are they using beads because they don't have a balancing machine large enough?

No... beads are just a dynamic option for handling the balance needs as the tire wears or if a weight is lost.