Balance Beads? (Page 1/3)
blackrams OCT 08, 10:21 AM
Just curious if anyone uses balance beads in their tires?

I'm not a fan of stick on weights.

Rams
hyperv6 OCT 08, 10:55 AM
Don't. You want to do it right have the wheels balanced and do the tape weights on the back side.

You do not want get into this mess with the beads, It is just a way to balance at home to a degree. Road force balancing is he way to go.

The new balancers can put the weight in the right spots on the inner side of the wheels. Just make sure they are clean and the tape weights will stick.
Vintage-Nut OCT 08, 11:47 AM
I have never heard "Balance Beads" until you posted it to learn the pros and cons....

PS - I have Clip-On Wheel Weights on my GT
IF a tire shop uses Adhesive Wheel Weights; CHECK each weight at home and if were installed on a very clean surface. {Some shops are 'lazy'}
If adhesive wheel weights are used; after checking the installation, I use aluminum tape over the stick-on weights.

------------------
Original Owner of a Silver '88 GT
Under 'Production Refurbishment' @ 136k Miles

[This message has been edited by Vintage-Nut (edited 10-08-2025).]

87GT3800SC5SPD OCT 08, 12:32 PM
I am posting this link as an explanation of the different ways to balance tires.

https://tirecrunch.com/types-of-wheel-balancing/

Balance beads are a popular option to balance motorcycle, truck and large RV tires. I use balance beads in my motorhome tires and they work very well. It is important to use the right amount of beads that are recommended by the bead manufacturer, for the size tire that is being balanced.

I have not used balance beads in my cars, but have experienced more than a few tire places that are not as precise at applying wheel weights, as todays equipment is at telling the operator where to place the weight. A good operator is required for all types of wheel balancing.

When I started driving, bubble balancers were state of the art.
82-T/A [At Work] OCT 08, 01:23 PM

quote
Originally posted by Vintage-Nut:

I have never heard "Balance Beads" until you posted it to learn the pros and cons....

PS - I have Clip-On Wheel Weights on my GT
IF a tire shop uses Adhesive Wheel Weights; CHECK each weight at home and if were installed on a very clean surface. {Some shops are 'lazy'}
If adhesive wheel weights are used; after checking the installation, I use aluminum tape over the stick-on weights.




I just got new tires, and the shop was lazy. Didn't even clean the wheels where the stick on weights went. I had to come back a week later because they'd literally flown off.
blackrams OCT 08, 02:51 PM

quote
Originally posted by 87GT3800SC5SPD:

I am posting this link as an explanation of the different ways to balance tires.

https://tirecrunch.com/types-of-wheel-balancing/

Balance beads are a popular option to balance motorcycle, truck and large RV tires. I use balance beads in my motorhome tires and they work very well. It is important to use the right amount of beads that are recommended by the bead manufacturer, for the size tire that is being balanced.

I have not used balance beads in my cars, but have experienced more than a few tire places that are not as precise at applying wheel weights, as todays equipment is at telling the operator where to place the weight. A good operator is required for all types of wheel balancing.

When I started driving, bubble balancers were state of the art.



I have used balance beads in all my motorcycles (front and rear) and on my 3500 Ram Dually (both ends). Have not tried them on my passenger cars (Solstice) but considering it.
The Beads work very well on the vehicles I have used them. As I said, I'm not a fan of stick on weights.

Rams

[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 10-08-2025).]

hyperv6 OCT 08, 07:40 PM
Bikes and ATV tires are not that sensitive same for large trucks. But cars and performance cars are very sensitive.

If this was the way to go the MFGs would be all over it as it is cheaper and easier but it is not better.
blackrams OCT 09, 04:51 PM

quote
Originally posted by hyperv6:

Bikes and ATV tires are not that sensitive same for large trucks. But cars and performance cars are very sensitive.

If this was the way to go the MFGs would be all over it as it is cheaper and easier but it is not better.



You may have a valid point about the MFGs. I suspect the many customers would not like to hear the beads while accelerating and decelerating when they are rolling around free. Not convince about the sensitivity issue but, we may find out.

Rams
Patrick OCT 09, 07:48 PM

quote
Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]:

I just got new tires, and the shop was lazy. Didn't even clean the wheels where the stick on weights went. I had to come back a week later because they'd literally flown off.



It's been a few years now... but the last time I had my wheels/tires balanced, I was able to stand nearby and observe the process. As the "technician" (using the term loosely) was balancing the second wheel, I watched as the weights fell off the first wheel that had just been done. I was not impressed.
82-T/A [At Work] OCT 10, 08:16 AM

quote
Originally posted by Patrick:

It's been a few years now... but the last time I had my wheels/tires balanced, I was able to stand nearby and observe the process. As the "technician" (using the term loosely) was balancing the second wheel, I watched as the weights fell off the first wheel that had just been done. I was not impressed.




Yeah, I'm not happy at all.

This is honestly like one of the last things that I actually pay for and that I don't do myself. I hate that I've become like this, but I do almost everything myself. Even at work... my employees have to write 30+ page papers, and I end up writing them for them because it comes out looking like **** most times when they write it, the grammar is just awful, the use of tense and third / first person constantly changes ... the mixed-use of British and American English, it just drives me nuts. These are PhDs. The way I write posts on Pennock's should not be used for comparison on my paper writing style (haha).

It's possible I'm the dumbass here... but like, I can't pay for almost any service without getting total **** service. My wife is pissed because her nice car shakes at high speed, because even after I've asked them to balance the tires, it's still not ****ing done right. When we brought the car in, the wheels were balanced perfectly... but two of the TPMS sensors had failed, so we asked them to change them all out and balance all the wheels while changing the front two. It's just one thing after another. ****...