balancing tires with ball bearings?

[yorkgulch2]

I know this has already been discussed in posts but I can't find it with a search. My 2 piece tubless wheels are coming in and I plan to use 20-22oz of 1/4 inch ball bearings loose in each tire to balance them. Is there a heat or wear problem with steel? I noticed the balancing material for sale is ceramic or glass beads designed to fit down the air valve. I don't need that as my wheels are not assembled yet. The tires are 395/85r20 goodyears.
Craig

 

[M1075]

Where did you come up with 20-22 oz? I have heard of several items used in tires to balance, but never seen anything definitive re: quantity for that big of tire. I used a few golf balls in mine and haven't had any problems, but I run offroad mostly.

 

[eminn57360]

balancing tires with ball bearings

I would check out Inovative balancing and look at their research I belive either on their site or somewhere else I read that those larger steel bearings could damage the inside of the tire, I use the inovative balancing media on my pinzgauer, Super Swamper TSL Radials 265/85r16's, each tire required 8oz of media and took about 5 min to install thru the valve stem, no wobble at any speed up to 60mph, my tires are very heave 83lbs a tire without the rim, the have a tire selection page on the site if it's not listed call them and tell them your tires make and model and the can find the manufactured weight, unless you already know it, they will then calculate the proper number of ounces needed to balance your tires, you'll also need their filtered valve cores and sealed caps, but all I can say is they work great, almost 10,000 miles so far.

 

[yorkgulch2]

I went to a web page that sells ceramic beads for semi tires. They had the michelin 395/85r20 listed and recomended for 24 or 25 oz. I believe the goodyears are about 40 to 50 lb lighter and thought that 20-22 oz would be a good guess. If you are a little heavy they just spread out. I will try to find the web page. They were pricy but fit down the air valve. I can get ball bearings for less than golf balls and figured they had more mass in less space.

 

[acetomatoco]

I just use air in my MV tires.. ACE

 

[amanco]

Now this is what this site is all about. I have never hears of such a product and I'm sold. I am familiar with a fluid damper for an engine crank and all big shot racers use that. Plus these beads add a ton of miles to the tire life as well as make them bearable at any road speed. The Innovative Balancing web site has quite a bit of info on it and charts for tire application/beads needed. Cost is cheap and way more reliable over the life of the tire than weights. A lot better than having three pounds of weights hanging on your rims just waiting to fly off at any given moment and totally self adjusting to any conditions (mud, tire wear etc..). How can you go wrong?

 

[yorkgulch2]

Here is the chart page at innovative http://www.innovativebalancing.com/BigTirechart.htm
There is another supplier that has similar stuff but not the military tire sizes on the chart

 

[yorkgulch2]

It's early and I'm waiting for the coffee to perk so there is probably something very wrong with this idea. Is there any reason I could not use antifreeze (undiluted to avoid separation) To balance the tires? It is stable over a relatively large temperature range and I probably won't run it much below -40. It must be compatible with the rubber in the tires as it is with the rubber in the cooling system? I have more antifreeze than ball bearings and it would be quieter at low speeds. The wheels are supposed to arrive today finally!

 

[devilman96]

It will prolly work fine as long as you get enough in there, a thicker fluid would work better. How ever if you get a flat its going to come off the bead and fast as the liquid will act as lube.

 

[yorkgulch2]

I didn't think of the lube effect. I am supposed to be getting military bead locks with the wheels. do you think that will keep them from coming off? Does any one have a better choice of inexpensive fluids that won't freeze or evaporate to use?

 

[jrosbo]

Fluids

I used to put windshield washer solvent in small tractor tires to add weight. Won't freeze, easy to clean up in case of a blow out, as well as less harmfull on the environment in case of a spill during a blowout. Won't evaporate in a sealed tire full of air. Won't eat the paint on the rims or anything else you may get it on due to a blowout. I have had it in a Cub Cadet garden tractor now for almost 12 years and a Kubota 40 hp tractor for 7 years without any problems. I also put it in my troybuilt tiller for extra weight at the wheels. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[devilman96]

RE: Fluids

Your gonna need a few gallons to balance a bead lock!!!

 

[yorkgulch2]

RE: Fluids

Thanks, A gallon is aroud 7 pounds. I haven't decided whether to go with ww fluid or antifreeze. I might look at the nontoxic antifreeze also. Do you know how much the bead lock moves around? It is not a run flat just a bead lock.

 

[sermis]

RE: Fluids

With the tubless you will be better off with balance. I have 15.5's on split ring with heavy flaps. I had one turned on a spin balancer and needed about 34oz to balance. I added about 2 quarts of 50/50 antifreeze. iIt did help but might need more as I am still getting viberations. I had a tube split in the seam on the front. From the heat of the tire and spinning of the wheel there was very little liquid left

 

[yorkgulch2]

RE: Fluids

Thats about 3.75 pounds! I wonder if a higher % of antifreeze will give less evaporation. Where did it go? Was that out of the tire that split? I got the rims. They look good on the outside but are pitted seriously on the bead. They have been powder coated but not enough to fill the pits. Any ideas what I can fill the pits with that won't cause more problems. It is not a cosmetic issue. I just don't want to have to take them apart to fix leaks. I can't sand them down far enough to smooth them out. Pics tomorrow.

 

[sermis]

RE: Fluids

When the tube split the tire went flat really, really fast and bead came unseated. I guess the fluid came out then. I was running at least 55-60 or faster and it was a wild ride. The tire was warm, not hot. The lugs on the outside edges got eaten buy the road. I am sure it took me 1//8 to 1/4 mile to get it stopped. Yes I know better but had the throttle lock on. I know there was less than 1/2 cup left in the tube and tire.
I was wondering if adding another couple of quarts per tire would help.

 

[yorkgulch2]

RE: Fluids

Sermis,
So the tube split was probably not related to the antifreeze in the tube?? Were those widened rims? I think I will try the antifreeze since I am running beadlocks unless I hear some other bad things in the next day. Or I hear of a better liquid option.

 

[sermis]

RE: Fluids

Tube split was either trash in the tire or streched tube. I had to dis mount and re-mount that one and did not take it all the way apart. Short cut cost in the long run. I am running 12.00 20 radial tubes and they streched out a lot. My rims are widened to 10". I have run antifeeze in tractor tires for years and never had any problems with the tube or tires. I have about 700 miles with the liquid in them now.

 

[OPCOM]

RE: Fluids

I like the centramatic method, Looks like there is one for the military 6-lug wheel - www.centramatic.com It is a tube with ball bearings in it mounted to a disk that fits on the wheel. There is a nice video that shows how it works.

 

[yorkgulch2]

RE: Fluids

The centramatics would eliminate the lube issue. The closer to the center the more weight you need to make it balance though. They do have the right size.