Well, since I can't seem to find anything definitive regarding which product works better, or if they are basically the same save of the low-speed noise component (I know the internal media is different), I went ahead and ordered up a set of Centramatics to test. I have a 2022 F450 with about 600 miles on the clock, OEM tires, and an annoying vibration at speed that seems to come and go randomly. I ordered Balance Masters and Tru-Balance sleeves before the truck even arrived but the vibration persists with those installed.

The issue obviously is the 19.5" wheel/tire combo but I would like to not go down the path of swapping wheels/tires for 20-22". I also have read that the Continentals take a few thousand miles to break in, which I guess I will see but doesn't necessarily compute in my mind.

With that said, the balance masters seem to leave a vibration above 50-60 mph that is completely random. There are times when the truck is as smooth as can be, and then randomly it starts vibrating again. I would say the vibration is more persistent than not, and it isn't so much shaking but the passenger seat headrest is definitely moving quite a bit. I may put a bottle of water in the cup holder to do video of a back-to-back test when I swap to Centramatics. I am not sure how to quantify any of this, the current vibration, or any perceived difference once I try the Centramatics, but haven't seen anyone do a comparison, only posts about "this is what I bought and they are great."

To the person who likes to post on every Balance Master post with your tirade about how yours rubbed, and their customer service was horrible, please just don't. I called them direct when I ordered, customer service was good, and the product fit without any issue or modifications. What I want is something that determines if one product functions better than the other. I doubt I'll be able to return either product, so one will be available for sale after I am done if anyone is interested. If I find the Centramatics to be the same as the Balance Masters, I'll put the Balance Masters back on due to no noise.

I welcome any productive comments, questions, or requests to document anything a particular way so I don't have some placebo effect when I change.

 

I have a 2022 F450. I experienced an annoying vibration at highway speeds. I ordered Centramatics and removed the wheel weights and I can say it is totally gone. It is smooth as glass now. I don't have any feedback on balance masters, just Centramatics. I only have 3300 miles on my truck and I put the Centramatics on before I hit 1000.

 

Thanks, I would have thought Balance Masters would have done the same for me. Guess I'll see if the Centramatics improve the ride quality at interstate speeds.

 

I had a similar vibration about 74 mph and it did not go away completely when installing the Centramatics and removing the stock weights. I went as far as ordering a second set for the rear duals and now run two Centramatics on the rears back to back. The vibration remained even after doing that albeit it was less. Next I added the Tru-Balance sleeves and while they did improve the situation, I still have a slight vibration at above 74 mph. I do agree that the more miles I have on the tires the better it seems to get. I am about 5000 miles.

I am tired of throwing money at the vibration and am happy where I am at this point. It is not gone but it is much better.

 

@fleming23

One data point that you can contribute to the comparison is to weigh the two different brands of balancing discs, as you will have a sample of each for the exact same vehicle application.

As ​​​@Brantel demonstrated by doubling up on balancing discs between the duals, having more balancing media mass that can be centrifugally distributed as counter ballast resulted in slightly less vibration.

So if one brand of balancing disc has a greater quantity of balancing media mass to centrifugally distribute, it may follow that more counteractive force is available to counter ballast imbalances in the rotating assembly.

Since force equals mass times acceleration, and a rock stuck between the tread blocks of a tire accelerates around the axle's rotational center faster than say, one of the lug nuts by comparison for every revolution, then another way that counter active ballasting force can be increased is by distance. The further away the balancing media is distributed from the centerline, the faster it rotates, and therefore the more counteractive force it can exert.

This is why putting ballast media within the tire itself is so effective at dynamically balancing wheels and tires. When the tire itself is the enclosed tubular ring that holds the balancing media, the distributed distance of the media away from the axle centerline is increased, as the media is flung up against the inside lining of the tire.

But therein lies the problem... sandblasting the inner lining of the tire, sand blasting the drop center of the wheel... leading to potential corrosion and clumping concerns due to condensation that is always present within the air of the tire.

Hence, these balancing discs are a compromise between getting the dynamically distributed balancing media as far away from center as possible, while still preserving the sanctity of the tire and wheel.

The disc that is largest in diameter (without colliding with OEM components), and that has the most amount of moving media mass, is likely to have the greatest amount of counter active ballasting force.

 

Great points. I'll be sure to provide that info.

 

Good info, following thread.

 

I have a 21 F450 and purchased the Balance Masters. I'm currently at 7,300 miles with the factory Conti Hybrid HD3 and my truck is smooth at all speeds. No cupping, feathering or odd wear on the tires. I love my Balance Masters. I would think that if you tried them your experience with the Centramatics would be no different since they are engineered on the same principle. Have you eliminated the possibility of a defective tire or a driveshaft/driveline issue? Good luck on finding a solution..

 

I just took delivery of my new 22 F-450 yesterday. Centramatic is on my list of upgrades, I'm interested in hearing your comparisons and outcome and could also be interested in purchasing the extra set you have.

 

Okay, finally had spare moment to get out to the shop and spend some time tinkering on the truck. I want to preface this post by stating that I am not an engineer, and anything posted below could certainly have an alternate explanation that completely refutes anything I post. If I can post anything else to help others, let me know.

So, as mentioned in my original post I installed Balance Masters on my truck due to the internal media being silent while purportedly having the same effect as the Centramatics. Still having a bit of a vibration at 60+ mph, I decided to order the Centramatics to compare as no where online could I locate a thread (ford truck or otherwise) comparing the two with real world data.

Front Balance Master weight and diameter.

That is 2 pounds 15.8 ounces, call it 3 pounds basically.

Roughly 14.5" diameter.


Now for the Centramatics.
That is 3 pounds 9.8 ounces, a notable increase in mass


Roughly 13.5" diameter, so about 1" smaller overall OD


Centramatic stacked on top of Balance Master for visual comparison.


Rear Balance Master
4 pounds, 8 ounces (4.5 pounds)

Roughly 19.75.


Rear centramatic
7 pounds, 6.5 ounces (that is roughly 3 pounds more mass).



Close to the same 19.75" diameter.


Whether there is any impact at all, the centramatics feel substantially "beefier" than the Balance Masters in my hand. The outer ring is much larger but that could be just a function of the type of media inside and the necessary/required size for the mercury/beads to move around efficiently. The front centramatic and balance master are quite similar both in size and weight with the Centramatic being the heavier of the two. Where this mass is located is something I cannot say with any certainty, although it would seem based on construction that much of the weight is around the other edge. Same goes for the rear, although the mass difference on the rear is quite noticeable at 3 pounds each. This you immediately notice when you handle the Centramatic and then lift the Balance Master. Does this translate into a better ability to balance the load, I truly have no idea, but given the two I would gravitate toward the heavier disc.

We did test drive the truck up to 80 mph on the interstate....ultimately I cannot say for sure if the Centramatics did a better job than the Balance Masters. The ride wasn't bad per say, but my wireless camera for my trailer (which sits in the center cubby above the screen on the dash) did still bounce around quite a bit at about 75 mph. I would not recommend someone who has Balance Masters to swap to Centramatics, the change was not significant enough to notice. If I had seen this data previously, I might have purchased centramatics originally based on the rear disk mass which in my mind gives it the potential to provide a better dynamic balance.

As far as sound goes, inside the truck with the windows up I could not hear anything with the Centramatics. When I rolled the window down, below about 25-30 mph the whooshing sound many describe, to me, sounded almost like an air leak from a tire. It certainly isn't loud enough to cause me to immediately swap them back off, but the Balance Masters were completely silent, which is a plus.

This was far from a technical analysis, and I don't really know how to quantitively determine if one works better.... but do have an idea I may give some more thought. I have a tire balancing machine in my shop but haven't given enough though to how I would rig up an experiment to see if one ring can provide a better balance than the other. This would be the ultimate test, but to do this correctly I think I would need a lug nut adapter so the balancing ring is exactly matched up to the wheel. My current machine uses a center post with a center hole clamp and is not really well suited for commercial wheels/tires. If I can figure out a way to use the balancer correctly with a wheel and ring, I'll update this thread with very accurate data that could truly put the question of which one is better to rest.

 

Additional post - I saw this Ares indexable prybar set posted elsewhere on this forum in regards to removing the incredibly tough rear center caps. Here is a quick video showing just how easy the tool is to use, even one-handed while filming. I did move from one hole to the next as you can easily tell that some of the slots provide better leverage. Anyway, 30 seconds from start to finish, most of that being set up while recording. I threw one of the prybars in my swing case in the truck (or under the seat would easily work too) so that I have one with me in the event I ever need to change a tire on the side of the road.

Edit - the amazon link now apparently only includes a single prybar whereas it previously was a 3 piece set. Still, highly recommend an indexable prybar just like the one linked below.

 

Thanks for the writeup. Is that tool the 8 inch, it looks longer in the video.

 

It came with an 8” 12” and 16”. This was either the 12 or 16”, I honestly don’t remember but either is sufficient. The 8” is possibly too short unless you just use it as a hook to yank the cap off.

 

Sir,

I see that you stated you added Tru-Balance sleeves to your F450. Can you please provide the Tru-Balance sleeve numbers you selected for your truck. I would like to add them to my truck also.

Thank You.
Walter

 

Thanks for the updates! I will subscribe to this thread. I just posted a thread on Centramatics vs Ride-On Tire Sealant/Balancer vs Dyna-Beads.

I also would like to make my tires last longer and plan to do one of these when my trucks arrives.

@fleming23 - could you bolt the centramatic/balance master to your wheel and then mount on the balancing machine using the centering cone?

Thanks everyone! Roger