Wheel balancing
Thread Starter
Retired tech
Joined: Jul 2025
Posts: 16
Likes: 1
From: Missouri
Wheel balancing
Has anyone used dynamic bead balancing on their tires. Or fleet of heavy trucks used them effectively, and I've used them in my motorcycle wheels successfully. I'm thinking they might be a viable option to using tape weights to balance the wheels.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2023
Posts: 2,937
Likes: 1,690
From: North Coast
For a street driven car with low profile tires I would stick to the real thing and have them balanced on a computer balancer. Road force is best.
Beads may be fine for a semi or fleet trucks that are pretty harsh riding to start with but spend the money and do it right.
We do racing tires at work and the road force and stick on weight work fine. Just make sure the wheel is clean and you can have them all on the inside of the wheel.
You can cheap out on a Chevette but not a Corvette.
Beads may be fine for a semi or fleet trucks that are pretty harsh riding to start with but spend the money and do it right.
We do racing tires at work and the road force and stick on weight work fine. Just make sure the wheel is clean and you can have them all on the inside of the wheel.
You can cheap out on a Chevette but not a Corvette.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,402
Likes: 394
From: Virginia
St. Jude Donor '18
Almost as bad as a political conversation: balancing beads vs. not.
1) Many feel the are not good for tires with internal TPMS. I tend to agree.
2) Have your wheels/tires by a competent shop & tech familiar with what we run, WITH a road force balancer. Cone centric with no wheel face contact for balancing is important, of if they they have the wheel stud hole balance attachment, that's good too. ALSO, be sure they are willing to break the beads and turn a tire before applying excessive weights. This will cost a bit more, but worth it.
3) Believe it or not, I like using dealerships for mounting and balancing. They understand demanding customers, and can't blame balance issues on other components. I have used Ford Quick Lane before, and a friend works for a Honda dealer, and does my stuff on the side after hours.
4) IF all of the above doesn't provide the ride you need, then, try the beads.
1) Many feel the are not good for tires with internal TPMS. I tend to agree.
2) Have your wheels/tires by a competent shop & tech familiar with what we run, WITH a road force balancer. Cone centric with no wheel face contact for balancing is important, of if they they have the wheel stud hole balance attachment, that's good too. ALSO, be sure they are willing to break the beads and turn a tire before applying excessive weights. This will cost a bit more, but worth it.
3) Believe it or not, I like using dealerships for mounting and balancing. They understand demanding customers, and can't blame balance issues on other components. I have used Ford Quick Lane before, and a friend works for a Honda dealer, and does my stuff on the side after hours.
4) IF all of the above doesn't provide the ride you need, then, try the beads.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2023
Posts: 2,937
Likes: 1,690
From: North Coast
The beads are a cheap and easy way to get a tire better than not balanced. Too many people want to cheap out and not spend the money to balance a tire. I get it as it is expensive anymore. But the tire and car will pay the price in the long run.
If you look at most tires in racing and extreme use they are not using beads. In fact some shops hate the beads much like fix a flat as it is a mess to clean up.
Buy a good quality tire and it road force balanced and make sure the wheels are clean so the weight sticks.
Most quality tires and wheels do not need much weight. You get into large and cheap tires on crappy wheels I like Monster Mudders on steel wheels and they can take pounds of weight. But a good wheel and quality tire will only take a few ounces if mounted correctly.
If you look at most tires in racing and extreme use they are not using beads. In fact some shops hate the beads much like fix a flat as it is a mess to clean up.
Buy a good quality tire and it road force balanced and make sure the wheels are clean so the weight sticks.
Most quality tires and wheels do not need much weight. You get into large and cheap tires on crappy wheels I like Monster Mudders on steel wheels and they can take pounds of weight. But a good wheel and quality tire will only take a few ounces if mounted correctly.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 118
Likes: 18
From: MO.
Issue is with corvette tires or even most tires today 20'2,22's are the low profile and wide tread. if they are tall and skinny ,"motorcycle, C1's ,older truck tires with deeper sidewalls, etc, they would work but the low profile tires are too wide and need a lateral balance to properly work.
https://www.innovativebalancing.com/news.htm
https://www.innovativebalancing.com/news.htm
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 1,033
Likes: 893
From: Nappytown MD
Interesting conversation. When I was researching them for my Drag tires (track use, not daily), I came across this video which I found really interesting. This guy uses them in a street car/normal tire and mounts a gopro inside the tire so you can see how they work as the tire speeds up. He starts driving around the 4:30 mark in the video. At first I was thinking how the camera would throw off the balance inside like that? Anyway, not arguing for their use, just thought this video was interesting. But for track tires, yeah, this is my go to.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2023
Posts: 2,937
Likes: 1,690
From: North Coast
Interesting conversation. When I was researching them for my Drag tires (track use, not daily), I came across this video which I found really interesting. This guy uses them in a street car/normal tire and mounts a gopro inside the tire so you can see how they work as the tire speeds up. He starts driving around the 4:30 mark in the video. At first I was thinking how the camera would throw off the balance inside like that? Anyway, not arguing for their use, just thought this video was interesting. But for track tires, yeah, this is my go to.
GoPro Inside a Car Tire (With Balance Beads)
GoPro Inside a Car Tire (With Balance Beads)
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