Anyone ever use.....

[Uncle Fester]

Has anyone ever used a ballancing ring set up like the ones offered by Centramatic? ( http://www.centramatic.com/index.html ) Their 300-series
ballancers are sized to fit various 15-17 rims and they offer sizes clear up to Big Rig size.... I found these doing a boredom search and thought they where interesting...never have to reballance after trail running or airing down and back up again. Not too bad priced either at 199.00 for a set of four. Any thoughts?

 

[xtrmjoe]

Yes I have them and I love them. I got them a long time ago befeore people were using golf balls and the pellets(that I knew of anyway). They work well and make the ride for my dd/wknd wheeler much more enjoyable. I worked balancing tires in college and would reballance them every other week due to the vibs. Once I left that job hated the vibs and bought the centramatics. The price is a little steep if the golfballs and pellets work as well, dont have any expierence with them so dont know. They balance the entire rotating assembly not just the tire, and if rocks mud snow stuck in tread/rim they will compensate for that as well up to a point. As far as the claim of more mileage out of the tires, I am not sure have changed tire sizes each time I have changed tires(bigger or course) and different brands. Though I dont notice as much cupping when I rotate them.

 

[sled_dog]

A buddy of mine just installed them on his 1998 Dodge 2500. He realized he didn't have wheel weights on any of the tires(just bought it) and had a set of those that he bought for his previous truck. Through them on, said it made a night and day difference.

 

[4xcrazy]

They have been around for some time now, started out with the use on big rigs, especially with the dual drive axles, since technically you cannot balance duals, this is where these things come in, then designed for steer axles, which is really nice.

I called them a few years ago when they were still fairly new to the markey, and they had not yet made them for 3/4 and 1 ton trucks then, not too long after they did have them though. I would really like to get me some, but sw that they were like $150 per pair or so.

heard from other drivers out on the road that had them, most loved them, some had issues with them, but still did not hate them.

I guess some of the first designed units were made of a material that eventually wore out somewhat, and would clump up inside the ring, making the balanec actually worse, but i heard that that problem has since been fixed.

 

[blazinzuk]

I talked to them quite a bit cause I have seen them on motor homes and a couple of semis, they said they are really only good up to about a 35 on the 15" rim size, said a 16.5 rim or 17 rim they would work up to 37s but, they told me a light 37 not like a bogger (guys exact words). But for those tire sizes he garunteed me I would be satisified, you wanna know what he suggested for bigger tires, putting bbs in the tires

 

[smalltruckbigcid]

Centramatics work great on semi's but you really should balance the wheel first. Then put the centramatics on.
George

 

[Uncle Fester]

I talked to them quite a bit cause I have seen them on motor homes and a couple of semis, they said they are really only good up to about a 35 on the 15" rim size, said a 16.5 rim or 17 rim they would work up to 37s but, they told me a light 37 not like a bogger (guys exact words). But for those tire sizes he garunteed me I would be satisified, you wanna know what he suggested for bigger tires, putting bbs in the tires

Okay...BUT BBs in the tires? That is a new one on me...but what the hell? The tires I have on my truck right now ballanced up real nice (33x12.50x15) but who knows what will happen when I go to the 35's....true? Due to my short wife(4'8") and kids, I will not be going over a 2" lift or bigger than 35" tires (with some trimmin) on my suburban. Besides for the wheelin we do, that should work fine...if not 4" will have to be the max lift.