Tire/Wheel balancing question........

[Master Yoda]

....first, just want to say that I'm set up on the factory 35" BFG/TA's on 17" Method Standards. Had the tires balanced/rotated @ 5,000 miles ago and all seemed well, just minor vibrations I'd expect with the heavy tires. So then yesterday I rotated them myself, front to rear/rear to front, no crossing over of tires, and torqued the lugs to 150 ft/lbs, double check the air....good to go. I drive the truck today and at interstate speed the vibration through the steering wheel is very annoying from 65 - 75 mph. It's even somewhat noticeable at lower speeds, but not really shaking. Is it standard procedure with these T/A's to have to balance them so frequently? Today I asked a local tire dealer that we've done a lot of past business with about their road force balancer and if it would make a difference versus standard spin balancing, and they advised against it saying I'd just be wasting my money trying to smooth it out completely. Beginning to think I've got a tire out of round or there's something else going on that I may need to look at. Any advice fellow members?

Master Yoda

 

[pat'sRAPTOR]

Well if they take the time and do it right and not just kinda get it in balance then you'd be good to go! But saying its not worth it is ******** to me! Unless the tires are way off when they were made which is highly highly doubtful then They Should be able I get it smooth

 

[BIRDMAN]

First why didn't you rotate them per the manual, cross fronts to rear and rears straight forward. Secondly road force balancing is not snake oil and definitely works better than conventional balancing.

 

[hosseface]

You need to find someone GOOD at balancing tires. When you have a wheel that requires a stick on wheel weight to balance it properly, 99% of your average jacklegs cant make it happen.

IF they can, they dont clean the wheel properly and then the weight flys off.

I would recommend finding someone that is FOR SURE they can balance with stick on weights.

 

[Master Yoda]

First why didn't you rotate them per the manual, cross fronts to rear and rears straight forward. Secondly road force balancing is not snake oil and definitely works better than conventional balancing.

Bird, I started to do it that way and asked a friend that's been running the BFG's on 150's/250's for years. He typically gets 50 - 60K out of them and just does front to rear. That's a quick fix with the floor jack tomorrow. Just seems that all the shaking is coming from the front. Hosse/Pat, you're probably right in that last time they didn't take time balancing or clean the wheels for the sticker weights. I did take a look at the weights and it's hard for me to tell now if I lost any with the gravel dust I stir up on a daily basis. Could very well have slung some off when they were on the rear and just didn't notice vibration back there......until I moved them up front.

I'll talk to some other shops in the area that hopefully can convince me that they have more confidence in their road force equipment. I've read way more pro's about it here to not have them balanced on that machine.

Thanks for the feedback guys.

 

[BIRDMAN]

Anyone who posts in a negative way in regards to road force balancing is just too cheap to have it done right and may feel compelled to justify their decision on a forum. If you truly understand how and why the road force machine does what it does you will understand why it is far superior than free wheel balancing. There just isn't a debate.

 

[Master Yoda]

Anyone who posts in a negative way in regards to road force balancing is just too cheap to have it done right and may feel compelled to justify their decision on a forum. If you truly understand how and why the road force machine does what it does you will understand why it is far superior than free wheel balancing. There just isn't a debate.

My bad, Bird. Didn't mean for it to sound like I was knocking the road force, never intended for it to be read that way by other members. Just looking for some advice from you guys that may have had experience with it after what the local shop told me today. I didn't bother to ask the cost was, and frankly I'll will spend whatever it takes to have it done right. Several others have these balancers within an hour's drive, I just need to call and try to figure out who's willing to step up.

 

[BIRDMAN]

My bad, Bird. Didn't mean for it to sound like I was knocking the road force, never intended for it to be read that way by other members. Just looking for some advice from you guys that may have had experience with it after what the local shop told me today. I didn't bother to ask the cost was, and frankly I'll will spend whatever it takes to have it done right. Several others have these balancers within an hour's drive, I just need to call and try to figure out who's willing to step up.

I wasn't referencing you at all, just making a point actively before someone comes along and says otherwise. I have had twice my wheels and tires balanced on a regular balancing machine and then road force balanced. each time the road force reduced the balancing weight by about 50% and I have never had any vibrations or hopping. The only issue is sometimes the tech's are lazy and don't want to do what the machine tells them. It does take more time because sometimes they have to break the top bead and turn the tire on the rim to find the right force matching. If they don't listen to the machine it is like **** on a bull.

 

[bstoner59]

Throw some beads in the tires and call it a day! I did it with my Generals on my last truck and it worked awesome! I believe it's 8 oz for each tire and each bag cost around $12. I went to a semi truck tire center and bought the beads they use for the semi trucks and RV's. the only downside was beads getting caught in the valve stem when I was airing my tires down. I kept a few extra valve stems and replaced them if that ever happened.

 

[Master Yoda]

Raptor's at the shop now getting all 4 corners road force balanced. Seems the Ford Dealer I've bought an SUV and Taurus from had a machine and trained technician.