Tire balancing beads with or without wheel weights

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spk2000

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I have been reading reviews about tire balancing beads. Most do it without wheel weights. I bought some retreads from Treadwright called Guard Dogs that look pretty good. I want to try the beads but based on what I am reading I think doing a regular balance job then adding the beads through the stem. My Montero has 265/70 R16. Would like to hear if anyone has put the beads in and left the weight on their tires.
Thanks
 
Beads are good for tall, skinny tires where if they clump up side to side, they won't throw off your dynamic balance. The tires on your Montero are only about 30" tall and about 10.5" wide. Not sure that you're going to see much benefit (and may actually be detrimental), but go for it and let us know.

It won't hurt anything to run the beads and weights. I'd run them without the beads for a while to see if the beads actually make a difference.
 
I thought the beads were only for motorcycle tires, as they are skinnier that car tires. I did'nt know you could use them in passenger vehicle tires.
 
I didn't use beads, I used 5mm plastic bb's in new 195-70-14 tires. No weights. Works ok for a beater with loose suspension. You can feel the balance come in at around 40-45mph. Capriracer thinks they will damage the inside of the tires. Time will tell. I will soon be getting new tires for the minivan. I'll use regular balancing at a tire shop so I can get the lifetime rotate & balance.
 
You won't be able to put in anything through the valve stem. Adding beads / BBs will have to happen without the bead seated.

I don't see a point in static balancing and adding beads / BBs after. In face, I think that will cause a lot more problems that either alone will.

Had a set of treadwrights on the Cherokee for 4 summers 2011,12,13,14. I think after about 4 off road trips I lost the weights. They rode nice without the weights ... Never had to balance them much.

My current set of tires is a bit bigger and has a more agressive tread ... a lot more rubber. I balanced them with BBs and they seem to work great up until about 75. To be honest, I probably shouldn't be driving my Jeep 75.

The BBs work nice. The only time they get annoying is if I change speed without time for them to redistribute. Luckily there's enough bumps in the roads or plenty of rumble strips to help!
 
My experience with TR tires (3 sets so far, 285/70R17 or 33") is that they balance fine with regular weights. I looked at BB's and beads as well, and determined that they weren't worth the trouble.
 
Good point Miller88. I would probably do BB's in a hardcore off-road rig, but mine is a pavement-pounder 99.4% of the time.
 
Originally Posted By: spasm3
I thought the beads were only for motorcycle tires, as they are skinnier that car tires. I did'nt know you could use them in passenger vehicle tires.


I have seen many heavy truck tires (including the 11R22.5's on my Genesis) balanced with beads. Works fine.
 
I tried them once, they are much better on heavy tall skinny tires.

on car tires they are almost worthless compared to a regular weight balance.
 
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: spasm3
I thought the beads were only for motorcycle tires, as they are skinnier that car tires. I did'nt know you could use them in passenger vehicle tires.


I have seen many heavy truck tires (including the 11R22.5's on my Genesis) balanced with beads. Works fine.


Tall, skinny tire like a motorcycle.
 
Originally Posted By: cpayne5
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: spasm3
I thought the beads were only for motorcycle tires, as they are skinnier that car tires. I did'nt know you could use them in passenger vehicle tires.


I have seen many heavy truck tires (including the 11R22.5's on my Genesis) balanced with beads. Works fine.


Tall, skinny tire like a motorcycle.


Did you really just call a 10" wide tire "skinny"?
 
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: cpayne5
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: spasm3
I thought the beads were only for motorcycle tires, as they are skinnier that car tires. I did'nt know you could use them in passenger vehicle tires.


I have seen many heavy truck tires (including the 11R22.5's on my Genesis) balanced with beads. Works fine.


Tall, skinny tire like a motorcycle.


Did you really just call a 10" wide tire "skinny"?


what motorcycle has a 10" wide tire? no one called a 10" wide tire skinny that I saw?
 
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Reread the posts you just quoted.


Indeed I guess you could interpret it that way.

btw welcome back to posting from merely prowling
smile.gif


but technically speaking an 11r22.5 is a 90%? aspect ratio IIRC... that's similar to many motorcycle tires.
 
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: cpayne5
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: spasm3
I thought the beads were only for motorcycle tires, as they are skinnier that car tires. I did'nt know you could use them in passenger vehicle tires.


I have seen many heavy truck tires (including the 11R22.5's on my Genesis) balanced with beads. Works fine.


Tall, skinny tire like a motorcycle.


Did you really just call a 10" wide tire "skinny"?


Yes. Just like a 7' guy who weighs 225 is skinny. Width relative to height.
smile.gif


The beads work on tires with a high height to width ratio.
 
Originally Posted By: Miller88
A lot of people run them on wide mud tires and they seem to work great!


Again, height to width ratio. Tall, skinny tires is where they work best. Where they are less likely to upset the dynamic balance.
 
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