Towing and Hauling / RV Discuss towing and hauling here. Share your tips and tricks. RV and camping discussion welcome.

Do you have your trailer wheels balanced?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 03-13-2005, 06:33 PM
  #1  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
Maccandy's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Northern CA
Posts: 259
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Do you have your trailer wheels balanced?

Why don't they balance trailer wheels? When I get new tires I always have them balanced. Am I wasting my time and money?
Old 03-13-2005, 07:37 PM
  #2  
J&L
Registered User
 
J&L's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 246
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
my 12000 lb 5er tires/wheels were balanced . Balanced tires/wheels are easier on the trailer suspension and things inside and tires last longer. JIM
Old 03-13-2005, 09:35 PM
  #3  
Registered User
 
Buckshotmckee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: God's Country (Castle Rock, Co)
Posts: 1,489
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Balancing trailer tires is not a waste of time or money. Technically speaking, they say trailers do not have a suspension system, hence the reason for trailer tires because of the load and mainly the BOUNCING that trailers do. So balancing trailer tires, in turn, are going to keep the tires contacting the road better, thus, increasing the longevity of your tires.
Old 03-13-2005, 11:12 PM
  #4  
Registered User
 
KATOOM's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: The "real" Northern CA
Posts: 4,179
Received 142 Likes on 108 Posts
I agree. I also have my trailer tires balanced. I figure it helps the tires last longer since out of balance tires run hotter and I know what it feels like to ride in a vehicle with bad balanced tires. So why does my trailer or anything I have in or on it have to go through the same?
Old 03-14-2005, 04:42 PM
  #5  
Muted User
 
Dorkweed's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: "The Peoples Republic of Illinois".....behind enemy lines
Posts: 323
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I just replaced the tires on my work trailer about 2 months ago. They were 4.5 years old and the original tires when I bought the trailer new. Just guesstimating here, but they probably had close to 100k miles on them. They were balanced also. Spend the extra $$ and do it. You'll be better off in the long run.
Old 03-14-2005, 09:17 PM
  #6  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
Maccandy's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Northern CA
Posts: 259
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks for the input. I always have balanced my tires on my trailers but the trailers never seem to come with them that way. The tire guy was surprised that I wanted them balanced. He said they don't need it. Just shows you need to think things out for your self. (and have friends on DTR) Thanks again.
Old 03-24-2005, 05:45 PM
  #7  
Registered User
 
cfoye's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Sacramento
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I've got tire balance beads in my boat trailer. Same system that semi's use for the big rigs.

Chris

Trending Topics

Old 03-24-2005, 06:01 PM
  #8  
Registered User
 
cattlepuller's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Peace River, Alberta
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Well we don't balance ours. It pulls fine, tires last just fine. I don't see the need but I guess it would depend on the trailer. Probably some RV's it might work well to have them balanced. But flat decks and stock trailers I don't think it would make any difference.
Old 03-24-2005, 06:55 PM
  #9  
Banned
 
Sam Strano's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Brookville, PA
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Absolutely.... I see a BIG difference in wear if I don't. They cup and wear a lot more quickly.

After all, they are tires, and they go round like the truck's tires. A slight imbalance is not biggie, you'll never feel it. But a big imbalance will cause tires to wear badly and makes a lot more vibration in the trailer, it's cargo and the things like the wiring too. And you could acually get a vibe in the truck if it's bad enough.

Balance them, they go around in circles like any other tire does..... MHO
Old 03-24-2005, 09:11 PM
  #10  
Registered User
 
AaronT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Alberta
Posts: 605
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Balancing also helps the wheel bearings to last longer.
Old 03-26-2005, 09:25 PM
  #11  
Banned
 
jimk's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 267
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally posted by cattlepuller
Well we don't balance ours. It pulls fine, tires last just fine. I don't see the need but I guess it would depend on the trailer. Probably some RV's it might work well to have them balanced. But flat decks and stock trailers I don't think it would make any difference.
I will most certainly catch some grief on this but I have heard of using golf ***** in truck wheels. The fellow has a yard full of Dozers and trucks, ect. He has been doing that for a long time, in his trucks. I dont balance my trailer tires but I may try the golf ***** in the trailer the next time I have the wheels off. good luck Jimk
Old 03-28-2005, 09:12 AM
  #12  
Registered User
 
Eskimo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Central PA
Posts: 839
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The golf ***** don't work as well as smaller media like beads or Brass BB's from my experience.

A water/anti-freeze mix works well also, and helps cool the tire a little bit.

Off-road guys like me have been trying every method known to man to get out of round bias-ply Interco tires to run round enough to drive past 25mph..
Old 07-12-2005, 08:22 AM
  #13  
Registered User
 
Dave88LX's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Pasadena, MD
Posts: 851
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Golf *****?
Old 07-12-2005, 03:28 PM
  #14  
Registered User
 
2500Ram's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Colorado Springs
Posts: 1,008
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally posted by Dave88LX
Golf *****?
yup golf *****.

On most tires larger then say a 37" tire the shop will mount the tire but the machines can not balance the tire because of the large size. golf *****, bb's, baby powder just about everything has been tried by the off-road group. I used to be one of them until I bought my camper and had to sell my Bronco to buy my Ram. I know you don't like Ferds here but that Bronco was the best off-road rig I've ever driven.

Bill.
Old 07-12-2005, 03:33 PM
  #15  
Registered User
 
Dave88LX's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Pasadena, MD
Posts: 851
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally posted by 2500Ram
yup golf *****.

On most tires larger then say a 37" tire the shop will mount the tire but the machines can not balance the tire because of the large size. golf *****, bb's, baby powder just about everything has been tried by the off-road group. I used to be one of them until I bought my camper and had to sell my Bronco to buy my Ram. I know you don't like Ferds here but that Bronco was the best off-road rig I've ever driven.

Bill.
Weird, never heard of it. So has anything been proven that the stuff actually works?

Oh, and for the record I personally love Fords...just couldn't find one with a Cummins in it.

As for the Bronco, I believe you! It's an ugly xxeditxx but it should work very well! '79 model.



Quick Reply: Do you have your trailer wheels balanced?



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:29 PM.