tire/ wheel balancing beads?

[pybyr]

Anyone here have any experience with the "wheel balancing beads" that one can put in a tire/ wheel and that supposedly will self-balance it as you drive?

They're sold under a name "dynabeads" and I have heard good things, and also have heard of people having success with putting a bunch of Airsoft pellets in a wheel.

I don't want to spark dbates on theory by those who haven't tried them and don't think that they could work based on analyses of abstract concepts -- I want to hear from people who have tried, or know of someone who did try, and reports on whether they did or did not yield useful real world results.

Thanks

 

[gorrie16]

I put new tires on my 600RR myself this summer and used the beads in the front and rear tires to save money on balancing. I've brought the bike up to 95mph without any issues in terms of out of balance wheels so I'd say they work. Dynabeads says they should not be used on low profile wide tires though because of the lateral balancing issues that a good dynamic balancing would correct for. I also had a friend who used them on his Dodge 2500 with 35x12.5 mud grapplers without any additional balancing and they worked really well for him.

 

[wetwood]

Yesterday I was at the tire shop talking to a former coworker who has a lifted 200? something Chevy 4wd with 18" wheels. It was the first time he used balancing beads in his mud tires and had been running them for awhile. Said they work so well he will never have a Wheel/tire balanced with lead again. When he has new tires put on his car he will have them balanced with beads. That was the first time I'd ever heard of such a thing but he was sure impressed.

 

[ROBERT F]

They have their place, and yes they work well. But I would recommend not using them with inside the tire pressure monitering systems. be sure to use the valve cores with the filters in them, to aviod slow leaks after checking or adding air. And never use anything not designed to be in a tire. including airsoft pellets. unless you like sudden and forcefull failure of your tires at highway speeds! (the pellets would abraid the inner linner of the tire and cause tire damage. the sudden and forcefull failure was just to catch your attention, but it could happen.)

 

[gorrie16]

They have their place, and yes they work well. But I would recommend not using them with inside the tire pressure monitering systems. be sure to use the valve cores with the filters in them, to aviod slow leaks after checking or adding air. And never use anything not designed to be in a tire. including airsoft pellets. unless you like sudden and forcefull failure of your tires at highway speeds! (the pellets would abraid the inner linner of the tire and cause tire damage. the sudden and forcefull failure was just to catch your attention, but it could happen.)

They really shouldn't affect a TPMS as it essentially the same as a traditional valve stem except there is the pressure sensor attached to it. Also when using the beads make sure when checking tire pressure or adding air just have the valve stem at the top (in the 12 o'clock position) to prevent the beads from clogging the stem. I would also agree with not using airsoft pellets or anything else not designed for inside tire use. The inside of a tire will condensate and other materials can stick together in turn throwing off the balancing.

 

[JustWood]

I use a product called Equal in the steer tires of my commercial trucks. It's a very fine granular product.. Works well. Been using it for 20 years no problems.

 

[ROBERT F]

the equal, vibra gone, dyna beads, or most all the other types of "drop in" balancing products leave a fine layer of debris in a tire. and while yes, tpms sensors are for the most part atached to what would appear to be a normal type of valve stem, the sensor part of the "sensor" is exposed to the air chamber of the tire via a pretty small hole. and believe me when I tell you that it do not take much to plug one of them sensor ports right up. then you gots a sensor that reads a incorrect pressure. See it all the time. Whilst I am on the topic of sensors. make sure that all sensors wear a sealing valve cap, preferably of the plastic variety. If you must use metal cause thats the type of person that you be, then use aluminum. NEVER brass or chrome plated brass. Galvanic corrosion (electrolisis) can develop, and fuse the cap onto the stem. GM/Ford?subaru snap in stems exluded( they are made of brass, should only be sealed with plastic---thats why they look funny, only a special plastic cap covers properly) If by chance you choose not to heed my fair warnings, then I just might be seeing you when you come in for that pricey service.