Do you balance or not balance trailer wheels & tires?
#2760268
04/05/20 08:43 AM
04/05/20 08:43 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,526 N.E. OHIO, USA
A12
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N.E. OHIO, USA
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I have our boat stored in our (farmer) neighbor's pole barn and he asked if I could move it so he could get his plow and roller out. He told me that two of the trailer's tires were flat, which I knew, and in bad shape which I also knew. The trailer tires on the left/port side were old recaps and I've been wanting to replace since I got the boat so I ordered four new trailer 6-ply rating trailer specific new tires. Attempted to break the bead of one of them with no luck so I had to resign to having a tire dealer locally change them. Called a dealer in town and they wanted $25 each which included balancing and new valve stems. Didn't want to spend a hundred bucks to change four trailer tires so I was about to head off and find a cheap tire bead breaker for $59 and give that a try, I have changed many a car and truck tire by hand even with small 8" motorcycle tire levers if I could break the beads. Before I set off for the bead breaker I thought that I would call one more place and a good guy Nate at the tire place in the next town said he would change the trailer tires for $10 each which total was cheaper than the bead breaker and the longer drive over and back from the store that had the breaker for $59. Now this is what I have a question about, Nate said the $10 included R&R of the tires and NEW valve stems but they never balance trailer tires and they don't need to be balanced The wheels on the trailer are alloy wheels not steel and they had balance weights on two of the four? We're going to tow the boat this year to a public boat launch this year instead of the local Lake Erie marina that we had a dock so now there will be about 15 to 20 miles of 55 MPH highway driving on a 70 MPH speed limit road, What do you think will I have a problem with not having the tires balanced ?? Can I tell from the truck if the trailer tires are out of balance? If we go boating this year it may only add up to 200 to 400 towing miles so even if all of the trailer tires are out of balance would it damage the tires badly? Thanks In Advance (TIA).
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Re: Do you balance or not balance trailer wheels & tires?
[Re: GoodysGotaCuda]
#2760275
04/05/20 08:55 AM
04/05/20 08:55 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,295 Land of 10,000 Lakes
44D6PAKCUDA
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,295
Land of 10,000 Lakes
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You should balance every tire.The purpose of balancing a tire is to offset the "heavy" spot in the wheel/tire combo once mounted.If not balanced,everytime that "heavy" spot comes around,I believe it scuffs the road a little more,causing cupping that you sometimes see.I am not sure if they are still doing it,but a few years ago,wheel manufactures would drill the valve stem hole where the low spot was in the wheel (hard to do now with mostly alloy wheels)and the paint mark or later,a sticker,was place on a tire where the high spot was.Match the two up and get a lot better ride and balance.
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Re: Do you balance or not balance trailer wheels & tires?
[Re: A12]
#2760306
04/05/20 10:14 AM
04/05/20 10:14 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 12,187 Benton, IL.
DaveRS23
Special needs idiot
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Special needs idiot
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 12,187
Benton, IL.
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70MPH with that kind of load and you wonder if the tires should be balanced?
I wouldn't dream of not balancing ANY tire that hits hiway speeds.
Master, again and still
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Re: Do you balance or not balance trailer wheels & tires?
[Re: AeroMonte]
#2760314
04/05/20 10:44 AM
04/05/20 10:44 AM
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Superfreak
Unregistered
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Superfreak
Unregistered
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Don't be cheap! Spend the lousy $100 and get it done right. Not worth all the fuss of running around or wasting time shopping for this or that to do it yourself.
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Re: Do you balance or not balance trailer wheels & tires?
[Re: topside]
#2760328
04/05/20 11:16 AM
04/05/20 11:16 AM
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972 Romeo MI
MR_P_BODY
Master
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Master
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Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
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That boat looks like a SeaRay which I also own.. they are a heavier boat... when it comes to tires on any of my trailers I never cheap out.. a hundred bucks is cheap.. just think what can happen if you blow a tire.. and dont run 70 MPH.. I run 55-60 on the E-way.. so what if it takes 10 minutes more to get there
Last edited by MR_P_BODY; 04/05/20 11:19 AM.
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Re: Do you balance or not balance trailer wheels & tires?
[Re: Michael]
#2760422
04/05/20 03:51 PM
04/05/20 03:51 PM
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 16,500 On the run…
BloFish
I Live Here
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I Live Here
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On the run…
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Better safe than sorry right?
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‘65 A100 ‘69 ‘Cuda ‘73 Vega GT ‘06 Mega Cab ‘14 Mercedes SLK
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Re: Do you balance or not balance trailer wheels & tires?
[Re: MR_P_BODY]
#2760435
04/05/20 04:36 PM
04/05/20 04:36 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,526 N.E. OHIO, USA
A12
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N.E. OHIO, USA
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That boat looks like a SeaRay which I also own.. they are a heavier boat... when it comes to tires on any of my trailers I never cheap out.. a hundred bucks is cheap.. just think what can happen if you blow a tire.. and dont run 70 MPH.. I run 55-60 on the E-way.. so what if it takes 10 minutes more to get there Yes it's a Sea Ray 225 now with a new 5.7 liter motor. I had to move the boat/trailer and needed at least one new tire as it came apart. With the size I needed 215/75-14 there were limited choices so I went with trailer specific 6-ply rating tires and thought I would change them myself but ran into a time crunch as it was supposed to rain again the next day. I have been wanting to get a basic bubble balancer as I've used them in the past with pretty acceptable results so I think I'll do that with $60 I save just getting them changed and not balanced. As you stated I know that I will be towing at the 55-60 speeds as you said for safety reasons and my '85 E350 van has a 4.10 rear (Dana) and a 6.9 liter diesel and is humming up in rpm there anyway Now do you guys think a bubble balancer will be good enough for "ballpark" balancing 60 mph towing speed trailer tires?
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Re: Do you balance or not balance trailer wheels & tires?
[Re: A12]
#2760445
04/05/20 05:01 PM
04/05/20 05:01 PM
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 21,453 It's a dry heat
gtx6970
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Now do you guys think a bubble balancer will be good enough for "ballpark" balancing 60 mph towing speed trailer tires?
Yes, I used one for years with no complaints
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Re: Do you balance or not balance trailer wheels & tires?
[Re: gtx6970]
#2760743
04/06/20 12:58 PM
04/06/20 12:58 PM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,419 Kalispell Mt.
HotRodDave
I Live Here
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I Live Here
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Kalispell Mt.
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The reason some guys tell you not to balance trailer tires is because if you can't feel it then it must not be a big deal, the problem is the flex where the truck/trailer meet is going to eliminate a lot of that feel. Do it right, balance em. Bad balance on an empty or light weight trailer can really wear the tires bad.
bubble balance is fine for a narrow low speed tire like a trailer, it is just as good as a static balance with a fancy electronical balancer. Now if you have wide wheels and drive at very high speeds (like a dodge viper wheel) a good dynamic balance job can help smooth things out even more.
I am not causing global warming, I am just trying to hold off a impending Ice Age!
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Re: Do you balance or not balance trailer wheels & tires?
[Re: A12]
#2760768
04/06/20 02:29 PM
04/06/20 02:29 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,668 South Dakota
hotairballoonpilot
master
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master
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Posts: 5,668
South Dakota
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My dad been a mechanic since 65. Changed thousands of tires over the years. He bought a new set of wheels and tires for his 18 foot car trailer. It always had a jerk pull to it and bounced a lot. Still did that with the new tires and wheels. For a whim he pulled all 4 of and took them in to the dealership and balanced them. The trailer is a 1994 and been pulled behind lots of different trucks. He put them back on and pulled the trailer empty and then with a load on it. Both times it was like the trailer was not even behind the truck. No jerking,bouncing or anything. I am going to have to get my balloon 5'x8' enclosed trailer done now just to see if it helps.
corey
Contact Me about AMD Prices
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Re: Do you balance or not balance trailer wheels & tires?
[Re: hotairballoonpilot]
#2760772
04/06/20 02:44 PM
04/06/20 02:44 PM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 21,835 Kirkland, Washington
Pacnorthcuda
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My dad been a mechanic since 65. Changed thousands of tires over the years. He bought a new set of wheels and tires for his 18 foot car trailer. It always had a jerk pull to it and bounced a lot. Still did that with the new tires and wheels. For a whim he pulled all 4 of and took them in to the dealership and balanced them. The trailer is a 1994 and been pulled behind lots of different trucks. He put them back on and pulled the trailer empty and then with a load on it. Both times it was like the trailer was not even behind the truck. No jerking,bouncing or anything. I am going to have to get my balloon 5'x8' enclosed trailer done now just to see if it helps.
corey There is critical missing info from your fathers experience.....how much weight did he have to add to balance the tires/wheels? If a wheel takes an ounce or less it was probably doing ok as is. If one takes much more then yeah......that was a big problem. Until you balance, you really don’t know.
Last edited by Pacnorthcuda; 04/06/20 02:45 PM.
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Re: Do you balance or not balance trailer wheels & tires?
[Re: gtx6970]
#2760781
04/06/20 03:12 PM
04/06/20 03:12 PM
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 43,237 Bend,OR USA
Cab_Burge
I Win
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I Win
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 43,237
Bend,OR USA
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Now do you guys think a bubble balancer will be good enough for "ballpark" balancing 60 mph towing speed trailer tires?
Yes, I used one for years with no complaints I have a old (mid to late 1950s ) mechanical all manual labor tire machine and a old bubble balancer that I use to mount and balance all my tires I can on them The 13.5x32x15 inch rear slicks on my S/P car where done on them, 150.+ MPH so far with no issues, same thing on the 4 new tires I bought and installed on my 24 Ft. Pace enclosed car trailer with Maxxis brand 225x75x15 E rated (2865 Lbs. each) tires. I can't remember, probably over 20, how many 15 inch trailer tires I've had self destruct on my car trailers that had a lot of tread left on them I now hate 15 inch trailer tires I've weighed them to make sure that there not over loaded, the most weigt I've seen in my current Pace car trailer was 8650 Lbs.total on both axles, it did add around 300 lbs. on to the truck rear axle but it also moved 150 lbs. off the front axle to the rear the truck weighs right at 7650 Lbs. with me in it with a 1/2 tank of fuel. I'm now planning on replacing all four tires on my car trailer every four years now, no matter how many miles or how much tread is left on them
Last edited by Cab_Burge; 04/06/20 03:13 PM.
Mr.Cab Racing and winning with Mopars since 1964. (Old F--t, Huh)
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