Tire balancing beads

[Dirtman]

Rather simple question. I've herd guys use beads for larger or hard to balance tires. Would they also be acceptable for spares that may seldom or never get used if driven reasonably for short distances? Looking to be cheap but not unsafe. I'm putting new spares on all 6 of my vehicles and mounting them myself but I don't own a balancer. So, throw the appropriate beads in or just spend the money to have a tire place do it? Again, when I get a flat I fix it, the spare is to get home or a tire shop.

 

[adsm08]

I've never had much luck with them.

Getting tires balanced usually isn't that expensive. A few years ago I was selling some wheels and tires I had, mounted them myself with a pair of pry bars took them down to the local service station, got all 4 balanced for $25.

 

[Dirtman]

My best price was 20 each mounted. I just need to know people again... the people i know now are just useless for cheap car repair. But my folks can get you cheap (deleted).

 

[adsm08]

Yeah, I know the right people. Most of the time I am the right people, but I a friend of mine lives in an apartment off his dad's shop. When his dad gets stumped by a car, or needs to borrow a special tool that I have I go help, in return I get to mount an balance tires at the shop, it's a nice arrangement.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Last year I bought an old Coats tire changer and an old Snapon balancer for C$500. I have to change a bearing on the balancer but once done, comparing bead balancing is going to be one of my first experiments.

 

[Dirtman]

I definitely wanna see your results. I've considered buying a tire machine and balancer over the years but they would end up in a dirty corner of my hoarder nest covered in old welders and bridgeport parts...

 

[Uncle Gump]

I would think for as much time as a Spare would be on the ground... it would be worth a shot... depending on the cost of course.

I did look at those awhile back... and it seems the reviews were pretty good. But I have no experience with them... I didn't even know that they existed.

 

[adsm08]

I would think for as much time as a Spare would be on the ground... it would be worth a shot... depending on the cost of course.

This.

Most factory spares aren't even balanced. They just try to match it so there is a 1/2 oz or less imbalance and then ship it.

 

[Dirtman]

Just got finished mounting all 6 tires. I dumped 3 ounces of beads in each. I put one of them on the front of my mustang and went for a ride just to see if they work. I couldn't notice any significant vibrations even at 80mph so Im satisfied.

 

[Curious Hound]

My 35's are bead balanced. I think they could use another ounce of beads in each one. I have an intermittent vibration that I can't figure out that doesn't seem to follow a particular wheel when I rotate them. Not sure if it's the tires or something else. Haven't gotten around to verifying pinion angles yet. That set of tires was used and may have some minor out-of-round issues. The rims had also been abused by a former owner and I straightened them myself with a sledge hammer. So there's really no definitive answer there. Sometimes I can run up the highway at 75mph with no noticeable vibrations. Other times it gets bouncy before I hit 50mph.
One the other hand, I have a buddy who used air-soft pellets as beads and did the 31's on his tracker by himself. Perfect results. He was very happy.