Well I received centramatic's by UPS today.
installing them was easy.
Both my boys pulled wheels off for me.
they came with spacers for the front if needed.
They fit fine so I didn't use them.
I'll post pics of tires and mileage. And try to post pics at different miles . And see if they help them last any longer.
Been getting 60 k out of them for last three sets.

 

Two of the newest tires on front have 1500 miles now

 

Two at 26k miles now

 

 

 

I've heard about these balancers before.....Often wondered how they worked.....Have no idea about their cost but think they would pay for themselves after 2-3 sets of tires.....

 

How close were they to the caliper?

Would they fit a 16" stock wheel OK?

Is the bead/track that holds the fluid and bearings in the middle of the disc or offset to one side?

Did you notice a difference at all right away when driving at highway speeds?

 

$200 for set of 4.
i figure at $12 per tire Ballance every 10 k miles in 50 k or less miles they will pay for self.
They do have an offset to one side.
Instructions say it doesn't matter witch way u mount them.
If mounted offset towards motor and they or close to brakes they supply a spacer . About 1/8" thick . To help provide room.
Even with it I was afraid it would contact caliper.
So installed them offset out towards tire.
I would think stick 16" rims would be fine.
I actually have 16" rims on mine. And there's plenty of room.
On the rear I mounted them offset towards truck.
There was more than enough room between them and caliper.
I'm not sure how there sealed . Looks like pleasure fit.
I did see some kind of clear sealent on them.
I took it for a drive and it could have been my mind saying u just spent $200 . And it drives better.
But before my rear tires with 26 k miles had started to get that mud grip hop .
And it did seem to tame that down.
I'll post better results tomorrow after my morning commute to work.
I did bring tire pressure up from 60 psi to about 70.
I know it will be more firm ride . But it does steer better at that psi.
Here's hoping for the best.

 

Maybe a better pic of offset . Or cup on the centramatic plate.

 

Well after morning drive to work I can say I'm surprised.
my rear tires had started to feel like the mud grip lugs we're wearing at different rates . One high one low. And it causes a kind of bounce or hop.
This has usually happened around 50 k miles.
There at 26k. And can't see uneven wear.
It must have been an out of balance issue.
Because after centramatic it is totally corrected .
I did leave old stick on balance weights in place.
Idk if it would be better to remove them . Or have tires re ballanced.
Centramatic says it doesn't matter. But as far as prolonging tire life I wander if it would make any difference.
Going from 60 psi to 70 psi does make it easier on slower driving steering.
I've always ran 55psi because of comfortable ride.
Idk if this will decrease tire life.
And as far as low speed noise from balancers. I can't hear anything.
But I've stood beside a noisy welding machine most of my life. And don't hear so we'll anymore.
The centramatic video shows larger ***** in clear tube for visual.
Holding them it sounds more like a bunch of small metal shot.
Hope all this help someone else.
I'd be glad to answer anything I could.

 

 

By comparison, the Balance Masters did not have an "offset or cup on the plate".
The plates are flat all the way out to the wrap of the circumferential tube holding the balancing media.
This is for both the 1999-04 Ford Super Duty / Excursion single rear wheel application as well as the 1999-06 GM Sierra / Silverado / Suburban / YukonXL 3/4 ton single rear wheel application.

In the latter case, this is what they look like, as far as clearance to the brake caliper is concerned:










Balance Masters did not ship any spacers in the Ford set, nor did they ship spacers the GM set.
Balance Masters have no offset stamped in the plate to accommodate the caliper bracket.
Balance Masters did not refund any of the purchase price when their product didn't fit.
Application in the photos above is 100% OEM bone stock factory brakes, calipers, rotors, wheels, and tires.

Centramatics fit and clear the caliper, even without spacers.
Centramatic ships spacers anyway.
Centramatic replaces product that doesn't work.
Centramatic pays the shipping for the replacement product to boot.
Centramatics are galvanized, not painted.

 

Good to hear about there service.
if I'd tirned mine offset in they would have hit like the other brand. Even with spacers installed.
Glad there is option to turn outward.
I may as well remove all stick on weights. And have a clean mind about it and not worry if I should have.

 

Thanks for the pics! I've considered Centramatics but I have aftermarket SSBC V8 front calipers which gave me pause. This looks like it will work.

 

Just so that it is clear to future readers, in the photos of the black painted balancers I posted above, the orientation of that other brand WAS with the balancing media ring turned OUTBOARD, not inboard, and yet they still rubbed against the calipers. The flat disc itself has no indentation, but the ring around the perimeter was definitely oriented outboard.

It was quite a shock to find them rubbing as shipped, and even more stunning to hear the owner of Balance Masters to dismiss the problem, especially given that friction from rubbing combined with metal expansion from the heat of braking will not take long to wear through the metal of the ring, releasing heated toxic fumes while rooster tailing liquid and atomized mercury into the environment. And not just the environment in general, but into the specific local environment where the owner of the vehicle lives. On his/her own driveway, where his/her children and grandchildren play. Mercury is a poison whose deleterious effects on the human body, even in minuscule amounts, are so well known and proven, that it has been systematically banned from use in commercial products that consumers come in contact with. Hence the disregard that Chris Gamble demonstrated for this hazard is perplexing.