Balancing beads
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Tuned
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 321
Likes: 4
Balancing beads
i had my tires rotated today, and instead of balancing them with weights, they used balancing beads. Never heard of that. On my way home it shook a bit, but then it went away.
Im wondering if I need to go back and have weights put on instead? Is the bead process better or worse than weights?
2017 F450 19.5 Continentals. Completely stock.
Im wondering if I need to go back and have weights put on instead? Is the bead process better or worse than weights?
2017 F450 19.5 Continentals. Completely stock.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 902
Likes: 51
From: Clark, WY
i had my tires rotated today, and instead of balancing them with weights, they used balancing beads. Never heard of that. On my way home it shook a bit, but then it went away.
Im wondering if I need to go back and have weights put on instead? Is the bead process better or worse than weights?
Im wondering if I need to go back and have weights put on instead? Is the bead process better or worse than weights?
Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 169
Likes: 7
I had never heard of them until this post, so looked up how they work. I can't see any advantage to the beads if your tires can be balanced the "traditional" way. Almost sounds like a lazy way to do things. I think I'd take them back and have them balanced with weights.
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,745
Likes: 72
From: West Virginia
In theory, the beads re-balance the tire every time you drive it, whereas weights stay in the same location as the tire wears, so you end up with a tire in "perfect" balance every time you drive. The reality falls somewhat short of the ideal for the most part.
As you noticed, the tires were pretty badly out of balance until you got rolling good and they settled out. Every time you stop your vehicle (think traffic lights) it has to re-balance itself.
As you noticed, the tires were pretty badly out of balance until you got rolling good and they settled out. Every time you stop your vehicle (think traffic lights) it has to re-balance itself.
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
From: North Central Mo
We use them all the time at my shop. They make the tires last longer. It was probably the bags breaking is why it shook then stopped. It will actively balance down to 10 miles per hour once the bags break open.
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,745
Likes: 72
From: West Virginia
Which, as I understand it, means the tires are effectively out of balance until the vehicle gets up to 10 mph.
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
From: North Central Mo
well that may be but u will never notice it. We have seen some tires that improved in mileage greatly with the beads. To me they are well worth it. We even use them in motorcycles with great success. The problem is with convential balance as the tires wear the balance can change and unless u have ur tire rebalance regularly then u are driving on unbalance tires. the beads rebalance everytime you take off.
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More Turbo
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 741
Likes: 233
From: S. Indiana
I have used "beads" in the past on other light trucks I have owned, and was very happy with the performance. A friend of mine in the tire business relayed to me, (he sold and installed my beads after I inquired) that he doesn't recommend them not because they don't work, but because it loses a source of shop revenue for him. (future tire balancing revenues) FWIW
Last edited by jbrnigan; Mar 30, 2018 at 01:38 PM. Reason: spelling
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 415
Likes: 1
I’ve used them and they are great. Now, to be truthful, I added them to already balanced tires as I had a slight shimmy at 70+ mph that completely when away after the beads were installed. It does take a couple of minutes to go fully smooth but they are butter smooth after that. If you do standard weights for initial balance, you don’t have to add the full amount of beads to each tire and adding wheel weights have the advantage of addressing cross imbalance because they can be placed in inside and outside of rim. If it were me, I’d have then dynamically balanced using weights and then add 8-10oz of beads in each tire and you'll be very happy.
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
From: North Central Mo
Yeah i have lost a lot of money cause of the bead just on the ambulance fleet I maintaine. rotate and balance was every 8000 miles now we rotate like every 30000 miles. So you wont convince me to not use them . now I know 19.5 takes 8 oz of the beads I use and 6 for the 16 on my truck and 2 in a motor cycle. if u put to many you can cause problems to.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 3,529
Likes: 390
From: SEVA
Lord, I hate those beads. I mount/balance motorcycle tires for coworkers and friends, and those are a huge mess when you remove a tire. After replacing the beads on a friends BMW and using stick-on tape weights, he commented that the ride is much smoother. I got into doing tires because I was extremely disappointed with the service from local bike shops. It takes a bit of time to do it right, and most shops don't take that time. Me? I can afford to properly balance a wheel since I'm not out to make a profit. FWIW, I've only mounted/balance 60 tire so far.
Freshman User
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
Lord, I hate those beads. I mount/balance motorcycle tires for coworkers and friends, and those are a huge mess when you remove a tire. After replacing the beads on a friends BMW and using stick-on tape weights, he commented that the ride is much smoother. I got into doing tires because I was extremely disappointed with the service from local bike shops. It takes a bit of time to do it right, and most shops don't take that time. Me? I can afford to properly balance a wheel since I'm not out to make a profit. FWIW, I've only mounted/balance 60 tire so far.