Community Forums

chuck49 · 07-28-2013, 11:05 AM

Just my experience. Left Denton TX this last Thursday heading West out I-20 for Odessa to visit DW's Mom. Seemed like a little thumping in the front end. Tires are about 2 years old and fronts were balanced at that time. Tried to get them spin balanced but ended up just having them bubble balanced. Thought maybe needed to have them balanced again. While in Odessa went to a big tire dealer (they do autos and big trucks) to get the front balanced. They asked did I want them spin balanced or the "powder" put in. Asked them about the powder was told it was great, if I wasn't happy with it they would refund my money or take it out and spin balance them if I was still in the area. Did the powder. Drove them about 200 miles, they rode worse than before. Stopped to check the air and one valve core hung up and would not seal. Sitting in a parking lot with a front tire going down and can't stop it. Called Coach Net they had a tire guy there in about 15 minutes. They broke down the tires and removed the powder. Couldn't get them spin balanced there so drove from Roswell to Albuquerque with no powder or weights. It rode better without the powder then before. Spent the night in Albuquerque and found Commercial Tire at exit 149 only five minutes from the Flying J. They did the spin balance and all is good. I did a search here and found that folks are about 50/50 on liking the powder or not. I guess put me in the group that says why bother. Spin balance works. Just another day on the road. Safe travels to all.

roknjohn · 07-28-2013, 12:14 PM

From what I've read, folks seem to like Dyna beads. I don't know from personal experience, just what I've read on here. I believe for bigger tires, there is a larger size dyna bead that doesn't require you to change the valve stem core.

I thought that the powder required different cores. Maybe I'm mistaken. Sorry to hear of your troubles.

djbmsu · 07-29-2013, 06:35 PM

I have never heard of powder since inside of tires can have moisture but the beads are proven to work just fine. Spin of course is excellent.

smlranger · 07-29-2013, 06:50 PM

There are several balancing 'powders'. The most common is Equal. Google it and you will find it is not uncommon.

I had a set of Goodyear G670's and a set of Hankook AH-12's balanced with Equal powder. All ran smooth as silk. And yes, a special valve core with a screen must be installed or the tire valve may clog and leak. It sounds like they used something like Equal but failed to put the right valve cores in.

According to friend who has been selling tires for years, Equal is good stuff. However, in cases where a tire does not seem to balance with Equal, it may be due to an issue with the entire wheel assembly. In those cases, he recommends spin balancing on the coach which factors in any issues with a brake assembly, etc.

chuck49 · 07-29-2013, 07:50 PM

I took the coach to a big truck alignment place to have the fronts spin balanced while on the coach. His machine would not work on a unit with disk brakes. The calipers where in the way. Commercial Tire in Albuquerque did the spin balance off the coach.
I guess just put me in the group that isn't interested in the powder or beads or anything else inside my tires. I think you are right about the special valve cores not being installed though. That seems pretty obvious, however, the coach rode better after the powder was removed and there were no weights on the wheels. I've also read where it is recommended to slightly change your driving habits when using the powder, and maybe the beads. Don't know. Not sure if any of that is correct. In any event I will stick with spin balance from now on. I would like to find a shop that can spin balance them while on the coach. That is obviously the best way to go IMHO. I wonder if Inland Truck Parts does that? Don't think they do tires so maybe not. They have a location very close to me. Nice folks, just serviced my Trans.

dmason · 07-30-2013, 03:36 PM

Going to try the EQUAL tomorrow on my new Michelins (FMCA Advantage Program). In Frederick MD not much choice between the two available tire companies with one doing the bubble balance and one doing the EQUAL. He's the only tire shop on the Advantage Program. There's a "filtered valve core" and something called a BLOCK-ADE element that is used to stop moisture from entering the tire. The tire guy said using my own air compressor would also greatly reduce the moisture you get from a normal truck stop air station. Dynabeads is also a great choice. But go gotta with what's available.

vsheetz · 07-30-2013, 04:19 PM

Equal here. Used and recommended bye helium dealer who installed via the FMCA program.

vsheetz · 07-30-2013, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vsheetz

Equal here. Used and recommended bye helium dealer who installed via the FMCA program.

By the dealer... Darn autocorrect.

Stan.Birch · 07-30-2013, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuck49

I did a search here and found that folks are about 50/50 on liking the powder or not. I guess put me in the group that says why bother. Spin balance works. Just another day on the road. Safe travels to all.

Powder (Equal) may not be a good idea. My local tire guy who replaced all the tires on my motorhome with Hankooks, used Dyna Beads, which happen to be absolutley wonderful on my 19" tires.

The problem with Equal powder, seems to be that it absorbs moisture and then cakes up into clumps to the point of being more of a problem than a solution.

lukas · 07-30-2013, 08:19 PM

Been down the road with Equal, it formed a glob in a section of several of my tires. The coach road pretty much like it was constantly crossing a railroad track. I troubled with a leaky valve stem for a long period of time because the person who installed the powder must have come up short on the ones with screens. Spin balance can be expensive over the life of a coach so I went with centramatic wheel balancers for a perfect fix. My experience with Equal powder was troublesome maybe because as soon as it gets damp enough it will form a lump in the bottom of the tire at that time. If you are lucky enough to strike a seam in the road to break it up well you might get lucky... I got my balancers from Ken's tire in Winnsboro TX... Good Luck

Mr_D · 07-30-2013, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lukas

Spin balance can be expensive over the life of a coach

Why? I've only done a spin balance on the fronts and never had to have it redone, but then I only buy Michelins.

lukas · 07-30-2013, 08:48 PM

I have only bought Michelin also but have recently installed my second set of tires, How many tires does it take to make a set, I had a friend who required 12 tires to get a set of six that did not require half pound of weight. A tire dealer told me once that he could balance a cardboard box but it would not ride very good. So all in all it all depends on a personal preference. Most truckers you talk with will only consider balancers. Good luck

Dr4Film · 07-30-2013, 09:02 PM

I have had Dyna Beads in all six coach tires and four trailer tires for over 3 years now without any balancing problems or valve stem problems. That's also over 33,000 miles on the road.

I carry a spare bag just in case I have a blowout and lose all of the beads.

Equal Balancing Powder is the worst stuff you can put into your tires.

Tire Balancing Products

I won't use anything except Dyna Beads. Plus they can be moved from old tires to the new tires.

Dr4Film ----- Richard

Logthumper · 07-31-2013, 07:45 AM

I got tired of wheel balance problems. Two years ago I purchased a set of Centramatic Wheel Balancers. Removed both front wheels, removed all the lead wheel weights, slipped the Centramatics over the wheel studs and replaced the wheels. Wow, what a difference – a smooth ride. Two weeks ago I replaced those 2, 7 year old tires with new Michelins. Did not have the wheels balanced but left the Centramatics on – per the advice of the major truck tire shop which did the work. Again, smooth as silk.

While at the tire shop a fellow RVer on the road stopped in with tire problems with his new 6 tires he purchased a several hundred miles back. That shop installed some type of stuff inside the tire. Since then a 2nd shop removed that stuff and installed their stuff inside the tire. Now he was at this major tire shop to have that stuff removed????

My Centramatics work great without any stuff inside the tires.