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The ultimate balance is from a road force balance machine, typically found at dealers and some tire centers. These machines account for the overlap and low spots built in during tire and rim manufacturing. Might be overkill for a trailer.
Your trailer goes as fast as the tow vehicle. They both deserve the same kind of balance. IMO, the best you can get. Vibration is a killer. Not just bearings....
2018 Dodge 3500 6.7 Cummins w Aisin and 9 cup holders
Not to brag or anything about my finances, but my bank calls me about every day to tell me my balance is OUTSTANDING!
Your trailer goes as fast as the tow vehicle. They both deserve the same kind of balance. IMO, the best you can get. Vibration is a killer. Not just bearings....
Scott,
The dynamics of a trailer wheel being being so heavily loaded is the reasoning behind manufacturers not balancing them at all. Can't agree with that where I had my trailer wheels/tire balanced since to your point, vibration would still translate to the bearings, axles and so on.
The Road Force Balance is the best if one feels its needed.
The ultimate balance is from a road force balance machine, typically found at dealers and some tire centers. These machines account for the overlap and low spots built in during tire and rim manufacturing. Might be overkill for a trailer.
Jim
If you can make them do it, a decade ago when I worked with Hunter tire balancers, they had match mounting software. You measured the roadforce runout for each tire, and each rim runout. Then it would calculate which tire would be best on which wheel.
The tire guys absolutely hated the extra steps,
We have the “bookends” of tire balancing with a bubble balance at one end and match mounted tires and rims at the other! Dynamic balancing is somewhere in the middle. Modern dynamic (spin) balancers are pretty much idiot proof. All the operator has to do is attach the calculated weight at the indicated location(s). Most tire shops will throw in a dynamic balance for very little extra when installing new tires.
We have the “bookends” of tire balancing with a bubble balance at one end and match mounted tires and rims at the other! Dynamic balancing is somewhere in the middle. Modern dynamic (spin) balancers are pretty much idiot proof. All the operator has to do is attach the calculated weight at the indicated location(s). Most tire shops will throw in a dynamic balance for very little extra when installing new tires.
Rob
Agree Rob. Road Force will sometimes correct a sensitive system to vibration where other methods will not. I had a set of Pirelli Scorpion tires installed on the wife's car and it would shake from 76-80mph. I returned...they re-balanced the tires again and the same result. Last time I had them balanced at a place out of state where I had them list the before and after balance where the tires took very little weight from scratch. Went back to get my money back and they were confused because their machine was calibrated each week. I'm uncertain what the issue was with their machine but it was a mess.
Wheel balance machines are almost idiot proof now days, but if one piece of information is not put in the machine properly (I.E. rim diameter, width, offset, etc) or if the tech hits the wrong spot with the measuring tool, then the balance will be off. There is most likely an allowable tolerance for the vibration and since most of those machines are not spinning a tire at the equivalent of say 80 mph, the harmonic vibrations will not show up. Wheel balance machines should use a stepped approach to max RPM in an effort to catch the harmonics of various speed vibrations that occur, however this would slow down the process in an already "NOW" society.
Joseph
Tow Vehicle: 2024 GMC K3500 Denali Ultimate Diesel
Coach: 303RLS Delivered March 5, 2021
South of Houston Texas
Should also keep in mind that most trailer wheels are lug centric, not hub centric. This means that a different type of mechanism is needed to balance the tire/wheel than sliding it onto the shaft of the balancer machine. Makes a difference.
Bob P.
2018 F-350 CCLB 4X4 Dually
2020 337RLS
VIN last 8 L3326309
Should also keep in mind that most trailer wheels are lug centric, not hub centric. This means that a different type of mechanism is needed to balance the tire/wheel than sliding it onto the shaft of the balancer machine. Makes a difference.
While this is true . . . I think you will be hard pressed to find any tire changing facility that still has a lug centric adapter for their balancer. This is certainly less important with machined aluminum wheels where the lug pattern and centre pilot hole are more likely to be concentric than in the days of stamped steel wheels.
Not too much with today's machined alloy wheels. I don't think?
2018 Dodge 3500 6.7 Cummins w Aisin and 9 cup holders
Not to brag or anything about my finances, but my bank calls me about every day to tell me my balance is OUTSTANDING!
Wheel balance machines are almost idiot proof now days, but if one piece of information is not put in the machine properly (I.E. rim diameter, width, offset, etc) or if the tech hits the wrong spot with the measuring tool, then the balance will be off. There is most likely an allowable tolerance for the vibration and since most of those machines are not spinning a tire at the equivalent of say 80 mph, the harmonic vibrations will not show up. Wheel balance machines should use a stepped approach to max RPM in an effort to catch the harmonics of various speed vibrations that occur, however this would slow down the process in an already "NOW" society.
Joseph,
The issue with my dealers machine was most likely the calibration since the tires were balanced twice. I have no idea what the process is in doing this but in Michigan, folks run at an average of 80mph (I cruise at no more than 80) so balance must be right. The dealer in Ohio got it right. There is also first and second harmonics where even at less than 80mph on the machine, the second harmonic would not be hit at 80 mph so a properly calibrated machine and a proper balance should result in a smooth rotating assembly.
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