Balancing golf balls...

[gumpy]

Well, I thought I better post this.

I've been extolling the virtues of using golf balls in tires for dynamic balancing. I've seen it done. My brother ran them in his Kenworth front tires and swore by them. We pulled them out after 50K miles and inspected the casings. There was no damage. The balls were somewhat misshappen due to the heat causing the plastic casing to warp, but he put them back in and continued running them until he sold the truck.

I have Centrimatics on my rear axle, but they don't make one that fits the rims I'm using on my steer axle. I have been intending to put golf balls in for some time, so, before our trip began a few weeks ago, I finally took the time to put 6 golf balls in each of my front tires. I had never balanced them since new, and they had ridden great for 30K miles, but hey, I figured they couldn't possibly be completely balanced, and it might help extend the life of the tires. When I pulled them, I found that one tire was already slightly cupped, so I was even happier I had decided to install the "dynamic golf balls" before the trip.

So I put them in and put the tires back on the bus, and we packed for the trip. We closed up the house, said goodbye to the cats and neighbors, and started out in the afternoon on our journey.  3 miles down the road, I got on the main highway and hit 50 mph, and thought the bus was going to shake apart!  The steering wheel was literally jumping in my hands. I played with the speed for about a mile, but it was apparent this was not going to fly for 1100 miles!

We turned around and came home and I spent the next hour or two removing the golf balls from my front tires, and we continued on our trip, sans dynamic balancing in the front tires. I had them balanced at a shop along the way, and was surprised that the tire that had started cupping required very little weight, but the one that was showing no signs of wear took several ounces. I'm thinking I may need to have them redone locally, and maybe spun while on the bus.

I may experiment with the golf balls again. Maybe try 3 instead of 6. Maybe try some BBs or something smaller than golf balls. I don't quite get it, but I sure didn't have the same results my brother did.

craig

[RTS/Daytona]

Hi

This stuff worked real well in all my previous M/Hs

http://www.counteractbalancing.com/

Pete RTS/Daytona

[H3Jim]

Thanks for the heads up, I'm very interested in hearing your results.  I have been planning on adding golf balls at my next tire change, you may have saved me.

Keep us posted.

[FloridaCliff]

Craig,

Like Jim, I was also planning on trying this.

I am really curious why it works for some and not others?

My coach tires seem to ride pretty good, but I am thinking about on vehicle balancing also, to smooth it out as much as possible.

What is the going rate for that service?

Cliff

[brojcol]

I used the same kind of stuff as the counteractbalance described above.  It was called Equal, but worked the same way.  The stuff worked great, but I do recommend putting it in with the tire off the rim, unless you want to spend three hours at the tire shop while they try to blow it in after the fact, only to get disgusted with the lines clogging and take the wheel off anyway...

Mechanic just threw a bag into the tires and re-mounted them.

My 2 cents worth.

[Ncbob]

Being that I've been an avid golfer for most of 25 years, and believe me I've dispensed more than enough anger at both golf balls AND clubs...but for the life of me I couldn't possibly be so angry with a golf ball that I would want to subject it 450-500 RPM's for thousands of miles....with the exception of one..... 

Now, there are a few folks I've played with, through the years who have never learned to count past 6 (although they seemed to be able to make enough money to own large homes and Lincoln or Cadillac cars) and have no compunctions about taking MY money home with THEM at the end of a game and I've heard of folks like them being strapped to wagon wheels on the prarie schooners that settled the western United States.

But if I were to nominate a golf ball to serve an eternity in Hell on Wheels, knowing full well that the golfers among us are going to jump on me like white on rice, it would be Pinnacle. 

If there was ever an invention of the Devil himself for the amateur golfer, it would be a Pinnacle golf ball. Those I could gladly sentence to rolling around in someone's tires for the next million miles.

Awaiting the flack......

Bob

[Bosshosssport96]

The next time aroud try putting 8 golf balls in the tires,it takes 12 to 14 ounces for these big tires of ours.Your short about 3.0 ounces.Starting with used tires is a gamble due to the wear issue already.Their have been those that have  put golf balls in their used tires,and have been quite happy with them,if fact they have trued the tire from the cupping signs,others have been not so lucky.The next time you put tires on the ole girl,install the golf balls then. HTH...Frank

[Denny]

I recently bought all new Michelin XZE heavy rated tries for my 04.  They cost about $450 each.  I paid $20 each to have all six of them spin ballenced.  It seems like money well spent for tires that are that expensive. I did the same with my last set and also rotated them every 20,000 k. and got over 80,000 miles on that set.  Maby it is just me but it seems like false economy  experimenting with golf balls

[TomC]

What I've learned from 1.3 million miles of truck driving.  First-use the best drums you can-like Centrifuse, Steelite, etc since they dynamically balance them.  Then like others, have ALL tires spun balanced before mounting on the bus.  I used Centrimatics on the front, and they worked well.  Tried on the back, didn't seem to make any difference.  But whatever you do, spin balance the new tires before mounting.  The best it to have them spun balanced on the bus, but there aren't too many that still do that.  Forget the powder, it can clump and is just not that effective.  Golf balls-my tire man says NO-because of possible interior damage to the tire-which they have seen happen.  Good Luck, TomC

[Bosshosssport96]

Danny,golf balls in the tires are not something new,been around for decades.When a person buys tires and has them balance,don't believe for a moment that the balance is the first and last,because its not,and if you don't have balance hubs,then your whole assembly is not balance to begin with.My 4106 as well as my 4501 didn't come with balance hubs,even tho they are available.Pot holes,curbs and such will lose you a weight or too,not to mention the normal wear and tear of a tire will constitute the need for a rebalance.All tires should be balanced,not just the fronts,even tho you may not feel anything,it doesn't mean that the tire is balance,and will wear for not doing so.Dyna beads,packs,golf balls and other balancing media all do the same,and that is to disperse and balance the wheel,tire and hub assembly.If available in your aera,put nitrogen in your tires,a whole lot less water in nitrogen,maintains desired pressure a lot longer.If a person should use the packs,use Nitrogen,the water in air clumps the balancing medium.Best part about golf balls( used ) is that for the most part they are free for the asking at a golf course,hard to beat free.To each their own tho.....Frank.

[phil4501]

I, too, just bought brand new Michelin XZE tires. I fully intended to install golf balls when I had them mounted. Well, one of my customers saw the tires in the shop and left me a tire bar to use for a day. I didn't really think I could mount them, but I did.I thought I had some golf balls laying around but could not find them so I mounted the tires with nothing. Now I am scared to drive on the new tires because they are not balanced. I don't want to cup my new babies. I also intend to take a serious look at the front end before these beauties go on the coach.

Tomorrow I have about a 120 mile drive to do in the Scenicruiser. I will be driving on my same old crappy tires I always do while my brand new Michelin XZE's sit in the shop,(the wife wouldn't let them stay in the house) and look pretty. Boy am I gonna look stupid if I have tire trouble.

I would like to hear more about balanced drums and on vehicle balancing if anybody would care to expand on these subjects.

[Devin & Amy]

Hi all,

ok so I am waayy over my head in this post. What would I have for hubs on a 1980 MC9? I have one front tire cupping the other is good. I have no balance issues at any speed. I am going to buy a set of steer tires this fall so I will get them spin balanced, but how do I find a shop that will spin them on the bus?

If you have to add fancy hubs after the fact, what are the costs?

Sorry for the ignorance, but enquiring minds want to know.

Devin

[TomC]

Phil- PUT THE NEW TIRES ON!!! You're not going to cup out the tires in 100, 200 or even 1,000 miles.  It is much better than risking driving on the old tires!  Good Luck, TomC

[Barn Owl]

How does this type of balancing work?

[Happycampersrus]

Just about any large truck garage will have the means to balance the wheel assembly. On the spin balancing, call around to the local shops and ask. My small town that I live in has 2 places that can spin balance. It would also be worth a small trip to another city to have this done. I have asked our tire man about balancing and he says that the golf balls work, but you are better off with the beads as they run to the area they are needed easier.

Dale