Reasons to NOT get a M916?

[M920]

Well, needless to say, there isn't a lot of info on SS about the 916 or 920.
But I got off my lazy butt and looked on tpub and found more then I could read (and I DID read a lot!)

It would seem the length and turning radius of the 920 is not really that much worse then the 916.
Add to that the fact that the 920's sell for less (at least the ones I was just low bidding on did.)
I like the magazine article about Soni's and the statement of using the lift axle more for holding the spare tires! LOVE that idea!

Soni, if the 16r20s would have ran smooth, would that have been your better choice?

Seems that for how I would use it, I could live with the taller tires and higher 5th wheel.
I never thought of swapping the top plate before, but I already have a complete other 5th that should work, and still work with the ramps.

And using the 920 to add a sleeper to register the truck as an RV would solve a lot of other $ issues for normal use. Something more to think about I guess.

Man, with the price of those trucks that just sold, I came very close to pulling the trigger on making the high bid!
But with the added distance to travel to get one (be it either driving back or having it hauled.) I couldn't swing that part right now.
Shame too, those were some NICE trucks that just sold!

Now, if some nice ones come up in ND or SD, I think that might swing me into getting one ASAP!

Btw, I LIKE the 915a1. But the lack of all the extra goodies is a real downer for me.
If I only wanted a straight hauling truck, that would be the way to go.

Hammer,

yeah I would have loved to keep the 16.00R20s, they looked awesome! After swaping back to the 46" tall tires it made the truck look sort of like a shopping cart for about a week, until I finally got used to the "barbie" wheels again.... LOL
At the time I had not tried "Equal" yet and that's what i run in all my tires now. So it might work fine with the 16.00R20s and Equal....I just have never tried it so far....

Soni

 

[Josh]

Well Hammer, If ya buy one across the country and want a spare driver Im down!

 

[Hammer]

That would probably be a LOT of equal!
But, if it would allow the use of 16's to run smoothly, I think that would be a great solution.

Josh, I don't know man. Seems you can almost get stuck on wet grass.......
And now you want to drive a 30k rig?

 

[srodocker]

hahahahahah you'll come back with bald tires! dont forget about a turbo swap mid way...

 

[tatra813]

what is the equal? powder in the tires?

 

[Hammer]

what is the equal? powder in the tires?

IMI - EQUAL

From their site.

EQUAL is a dry polymer that can be injected into tires directly through the valve stem. Once inside the tire cavity, the EQUAL granules are forced across the tread width and around the circumference of the tire, responding to force variations caused by non-uniformities within the tire, the road and even the load. EQUAL repositions as the load and speed change to maintain a vibration-free, stable footprint.

 

[StreetbikeDepot]

Equal is a balancing powder, I've used it before in my crawler tires but I have since went back to golf balls.....cheaper, easier to get when I need them, and works real well.

I may try the Centramatic balancers on my 915, I have heard great reveiws on them.

http://www.centramatic.com/Home.aspx


Check out their demo video.....

http://www.centramatic.com/Page.aspx?page=Demo

 

[M920]

That would probably be a LOT of equal!
But, if it would allow the use of 16's to run smoothly, I think that would be a great solution.

Josh, I don't know man. Seems you can almost get stuck on wet grass.......
And now you want to drive a 30k rig?

Hammer,

you're right, probably two to three bags a tire! That stuff is pretty awsome though.....in my 920 tires at almost 80 Mph you can not feel the slightest vibration from the tires. Before I used the Equal I spent $30.00 a tire to get them balanced dynamicaly and they would still shake a little above abour 55 Mph.....So it just might work. I'm using 2 bags per tire on the 445/65R22.5s so I would think 3 bags might be about right......Has anybody ever tried that in the 16.00R20s?

Soni

 

[Hammer]

Hammer,

you're right, probably two to three bags a tire! That stuff is pretty awsome though.....in my 920 tires at almost 80 Mph you can not feel the slightest vibration from the tires. Before I used the Equal I spent $30.00 a tire to get them balanced dynamicaly and they would still shake a little above abour 55 Mph.....So it just might work. I'm using 2 bags per tire on the 445/65R22.5s so I would think 3 bags might be about right......Has anybody ever tried that in the 16.00R20s?

Soni

I just checked their site, and they say to use 20 oz on the 16r20 tires.
Which is two B size bags.
For your tires they call for a B and C bag, which is 18 oz.

So, not much more per tire then you are currently running.
How bad were your tires with no balancing at all though? I would venture to say that would be the best comparison.

 

[eldgenb]

Hey Hammer, I am going to pull the trigger here in the next week or two and heading back east, do you think we could put two on a trailer to have hauled back or at least roadtrip back together in case one of us breaks down?
Eldgen
509-270-1998

 

[Hammer]

It's the recovery part that I cannot really afford right now!
Unless someone buys my 818 or my bobbed deuce ASAP. Then I will be good to go.
PM sent

 

[Albin]

Equal is a balancing powder, I've used it before in my crawler tires but I have since went back to golf balls.....cheaper, easier to get when I need them, and works real well.

I may try the Centramatic balancers on my 915, I have heard great reveiws on them.

Centramatic


Check out their demo video.....

Centramatic

Centramatics work and work very well, I have them on my '06 PSD F-350 SRW.

However, having said that, I wouldn't have spent the $200 on them had I known how well antifreeze works as a tire/wheel dynamic balancer. I use antifreeze in my Toyota 4runner rock crawler/expedition vehicle and in my 10k lb. car hauler trailer; it works extremely well in my Toy: 70 miles an hour down the highway with 35-12.50 BFG Mud Terrain tires, filled with mud or not.

Other very common and very cheap dynamic balancers include but are not limited to:

- antifreeze
- golf balls (appear to popular with the OTR crowd)
- BB's (Walmart)
- Airsoft beads (ditto)
- ceramic, steel or SS ball bearings (McMaster--Carr, Grainger et al)

I used the BB's on my '98 Dodge Ram with it's 35" tires and the Eagle Allow wheels that used to lose their wheel weights about once a month, paying $12 every time that happened got old fast. I put about 6 oz. of BB's in each tire and never balanced them again, they were perfect.

For light and medium size tires, I use this chart for the amount of dynamic balancer medium to use; I don't see a chart for heavy tires. Application2

Good luck.

Al

 

[Hammer]

From that pdf,
"As a rule of thumb, the
amount of Counteract Balancing Beads required per tire is based on one ounce per thirteen pounds of tire."
The 16's are about 350 lbs each.
Calculate that out to 27 oz. (26.923)

 

[Medic5050]

...Other very common and very cheap dynamic balancers include but are not limited to:

- antifreeze
- golf balls (appear to popular with the OTR crowd)
- BB's (Walmart)
- Airsoft beads (ditto)
- ceramic, steel or SS ball bearings (McMaster--Carr, Grainger et al)

I used the BB's on my '98 Dodge Ram with it's 35" tires and the Eagle Allow wheels that used to lose their wheel weights about once a month, paying $12 every time that happened got old fast. I put about 6 oz. of BB's in each tire and never balanced them again, they were perfect.

For light and medium size tires, I use this chart for the amount of dynamic balancer medium to use; I don't see a chart for heavy tires. Application2

Good luck.

Al

So, I get the idea, I think. You just add the appropriate amount medium in each wheel (I'm guessing breaking the bead). When the wheel starts to spin, said medium is thrown to the outside of the tire, therefore using centrifugal force to balance any imperfections in the wheel / tire combo?

 

[Albin]

Medic, correct. Several of the "balancing media" sites will explain it better than I can, and some have videos, but they all pretty much work the same.

Dynamic balancers work better than static balancers (i.e. lead wheel weights) IMO, primarily due to the fact that the DBs can change with changing tire and road conditions while static balancers cannot. Furthermore, since DBs work out near the edge of the tire, you don't require as much weight. And lastly, DBs correct both tire, wheel and all of the rotating mass, not just the tire and wheel.

What DBs won't do is correct a bad or out of round tire or bent wheel. These things require replacement, not weights to correct.

Most of the media require you to break the bead, which can a pretty big job in and of itself. Antifreeze doesn't however. Just support the vehicle (so you don't rest the vehicle directly on the flattened tire), remove the schrader valve, put a 1/4" IS tube on the valve stem and the other end in the antifreeze container, lift the vehicle and the tire will suck the AF into the tire. Replace the schrader valve and air the tire, done. Works pretty good.

Good luck.

Al

 

[Medic5050]

So, the next time I get new tires on my TrailBlazer (in about 3 months) I would be better served to do the antifreeze? I know that all the previous times I have gotten tires, it's taken three trips to the tire shop before they were balanced correctly.

Alos, when I'm looking at the vehicle chart, are the 1/2 ton and 1+ ton columns for vehicle size / weight?

Thanks for all the info.

 

[Josh]

Hey Ed if ya buy one out in Kansas, I bet my cousin would let ya park it at his house until ya could pick it up.

 

[Hammer]

Thanks Josh. Always something to keep in mind.
Especially since NONE of these are any where NEAR close to me!

Mike, dynamic balancing is great because it changes with and to the conditions.
A static balance (lead weights,) is only 'accurate' for a short period of time, and do not take into account the rest of the rotating assembly down there.

Of all the generic forms, I think the heavier air soft pellets is probably one of the best things to use. Inert in nature, silent (hey, 1-2 lbs of BBs or golf balls make an odd sound when you come to a stop! lol )
I have BBs in one vehicle, but haven't driven it enough to give a good shakedown. Off road only at this point.

Man, there sure are some TEMPTING m915A1s right now!
I would WIN a 920 now if I could afford to get it. But alas, timing is not right. Sure hope I can get the extra cash soon. I will not go broke for a truck. (but it is awfully tempting )

 

[Old Lincoln County Iron]

Those 915A1's are sure tempting! I want one so bad I can taste it. I wish
there were some closer to me than the ones at auction now. There are afew
915s with the cat tranny out here but they look rough, and I think the allison
tranny would fit my needs better.

 

[eldgenb]

Hey Hammer, I pulled the trigger today, 2200 mile road trip in the planning, you can come over and help me mod it so you can familiarize yourself with it.