I have always had a hard time keeping the tires balanced on my 77 F250. I am on the road a lot and finding decent tire stores is nearly impossible. You all know the scenario, you drive in and tell them you want your tires balanced. They spot the out of state plates. They get it on the rack, get the tires off, discover you brakes, shocks, bearings tie rods, etc. are shot and you are desperately in need of an alignment.

The last time was in Yuma. The right front tire was cupping. They insisted that the wheels couldn’t be balanced because the front end was out of alignment. I tried to tell them that cupping was a sign of bad shocks or balance problems. I showed them that one of the wheel weights was loose and you could move it all the way around the rim. They kept insisting that it was an alignment problem. I gave up went home and rotated the tires front to back.

Out of frustration I called Balance Masters and bought a complete set of these things. They promised that I could send them back if not satisfied. I pulled all of the wheel weights off of the rims and mounted the Balance Masters. I took the thing out on the highway and took it all the way up to ninety. I couldn’t believe it, for the first time in thirty years of driving this truck there was not one vibration at any speed. 5,000 miles later, it is still smooth and I don’t ever have to worry about getting my tires balanced again.

I was very skeptical thinking this was just another gadget, but these things do work. I just thought I would share this with everybody just in case some else out there is having the same problem.

 

I used to run some Hoosiers that I couldn't keep balanced, but it was only those tires that did that. However, I see they have them for driveshafts. I'll have to measure mine to see if it'll fit. The price of the balance master is around the same as what I was charged for to 'balance' it last year, which they obviously did wrong.

 

I have had tire balancing problems for year. I would get them balanced and within 5000 miles they would start bouncing. I installed the best gas shocks I could buy. I tried different brands of tires. I took the truck to a local alignment shop that specialized in twin I beams. I finally realized that the weights wouldn't stay tight on those steel rims. I was destined to take it in every 5k and have the tires rotated and balanced. The last ten years or so has brought a new breed of tire stores. They all have the same mantra. They get you in there and start pressuring you for massive unnecessary repairs. I just got sick and tired of it. So these Balance Masters were an ideal solution for me. They are working so well that I am considering the drive shaft ones as well.

 

I got the Driveshaft Balance Master unit 2 weeks ago. They work as advertised as it did reduce vibration, but did not eliminate it. They only claim to reduce it. It was a little expensive to pay $80 for a clamp and a rubber tube with mercury in it, but it was worth a try. I need to move it to the front of the driveshaft to see if that helps more than near the back.

 

Sorry to hear that it didn't take it completely out. But it is interesting to see that it did help. Have you ever read the older procedures for balancing a drive shaft on a vehicle? It is pretty interesting.

 

No, I've not seen that but I'm interested.

I took it to a place that only deals with driveshafts and axles thinking that they would be the experts in balancing, but it must be still out of balance because it didn't shimmy like that before I removed the driveshaft. I think it must have had a bad weld from the factory as the rear part of the driveshaft twisted off the tube when I back it up. I didn't even give it much gas. Thank goodness I wasn't out on the road when it happened. They rewelded it and balance it.

I asked them the importance of lining up the rear bolt holes to the same way it came off and they told me that with a proper balance, it won't matter. However I've had it bolted in all 4 ways without any difference.

 

These guys are full of it. The proper alignment of the yokes is important. I am sending a part of the home driveline balancing procedure. It is too large and I don't want to post all of it here but I could email it if you want the entire procedure.

 

Although I am going on my 3000 mile trip in a few hours so I won't change anything, I'd like to see the whole procedure. Can I post my email here? I'll try

guefy AT yahoo DOT com

 

I have it in the mail shortly.

 

Got it. Thanks. I'll take a better look at it when I get back home in a week and a half. I did a 600 mile run today. Farther than I expected to get. At 65 to 75 mph I don't notice a problem with the driveshaft. It's just seems mostly to be when it's unloaded around 60 mph. Right now I'm running loaded and it seems better. Must be the angle.

 

I put a set of centramatic balancers on my 01 F250 a couple of years ago. Automatic wheel balancers on heavy duty trucks are one of the greatest things ever created. The manufacturers should consider making them standard equipment because they would surely make the tires, shocks and other suspension components last a lot longer just due to the fact that the tire/wheel assembly stays perfectly balanced. They do work. They will be on every heavy duty truck that I'll ever own from now on.

 

Glad to see some one else is impressed with them. My eldest son is a skeptic. He has borrowed my truck from time to time and knows how it bounced around at different speeds. We went for drive the last time he came out. I had him drive it over to Mojave and back, About 45 miles of freeway, and he couldn't believe it. He is now upset because they don't make them for passenger cars.

Greenego is right about the components. Years ago they use to spin balance the tires right on the vehicle. This compensated for out of balance rotors, drums, etc. But now days the tires only are balanced. This makes for a pretty crappy balance on most vehicles. Especially after a few years of wear.