Active Wheel Balancing Centramatic and Balance masters

[Tryingit]

Since there is not a whole lot of recent data or reviews out there for these two products. I figured since I’ve now owned both I’ll do a short review. My pet peev is vibrations usually cause by unbalanced tires.

In early 2012 while on a long trip to Texas I stopped (planned) by the Centramatic store and purchased the Centramatic wheel balancers that cost 199.00 per set of 4 (Part number 300-318). These balancers produce 8-12ozs of weight per tire using a type of steel balls in a proprietary oil. They are silver in color (so I painted them black). I’ve used them for close to two years now. These balancers didn’t stop me from having to rebalancing the tires on the normal schedule. I put approximately 22K using these balancers. The tires wore perfectly but recently had to change the tires due to dry rotting. But I got 58K on the OEM tires and still could have gone another 20-30K. Another thing to note is that at slow speeds (under 20mph) that there is a distinctive noise generated by these balancers. Not over powering but noticeable with the windows down but, I got use to it fairly quickly.
http://centramatic.com/Home.aspx

On 1/18/2014 I received my Balance masters wheel balancers part # MHD 206R (come painted black) for a cost of $431 (4) including delivery charge. They only come in sets of two for $201 per set and use liquid Mercury in a rubber bladder. Both share a similar design. But right off the bat they are twice the money of the centramatics. These wheel balancers reportedly produce up to 30ozs per tire. These also claim that no pre-balancing is required and that you MUST remove all wheel weights. I was apprehensive so I marked my wheels and the wheel weights, just in case. There was some confusion from Balancer Masters as to my trucks proper part number and so I got one set wrong and had to return them. So I installed the proper set (MHD-206R) on the fronts.
http://balancemasters.com/

I took the truck out today for almost 200 miles. I was pleasantly surprised that there was absolutely no shimmy at all speeds from the front (with all of the weights removed). The back are still balanced and running the centramatics.

It also should be noted that these balancers produced no noise at any speed. These balancers claim that they will increase the tire life up to 50% or more and that you never need to rebalance your tires again. My truck is very gentle on tires in general so I’m expecting super long life out of my New tires Toyo Open country HT with Tuff duty. And if everything works as claimed I should never have to balance them again.

2005-2012 Dodge Truck 2500 use 8 Lug, 6.5" bolt pattern with a 9/16 bolt size. Dually’s require different part numbers for both product because of the wheel shape.

I just got the correct second set of blance masters MHD206R (today). I pull the rear wheels and removed the weights form both wheels and installed the balance masters. I took about a 10 mile drive on the interstate. Man the truck rides extremely smooth at all speeds.

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[JR]

Interesting you had to balance your OEM sized tires with wheel weights with the Centramatics...Nowhere have I read where they require you to do so, I wonder if you had a tire that was simply that far out? A neat comparison would have been to run the balance masters on your old OEM tires to see if they eliminated the vibration that the centramatics couldn't. I recently bought a set of centramatics to mount with my new 285/75/17 Nitto Terra Grapplers. They are not balanced with weights and are very smooth through all speed ranges. So far I really like them.

 

[seafish]

Thanks, NICE write-up...

I use the Balance Masters on all four wheels for 4 years now, and have never removed the wheel weights despite balance masters telling me to do do...I just don't get understand it, despite talking with their CS. My truck rides smooooooothe and the tires wear evenly,

SOOOOOOO, I am curious, in the interest of research, would you be at all willing to take the trouble and reinstall your wheel weights (temporarily while the marks are still there) and let us know IFyou feel a difference when you run with the weights and the BalanceMasters, versus the Balnce Masters alone?? TIA

 

[Gonzo 1066]

I have about 5,000 towing miles on Centramatics on the 2013 dually, So far I am happy with the purchase.

 

[Tryingit]

Interesting you had to balance your OEM sized tires with wheel weights with the Centramatics...Nowhere have I read where they require you to do so, I wonder if you had a tire that was simply that far out? A neat comparison would have been to run the balance masters on your old OEM tires to see if they eliminated the vibration that the centramatics couldn't. I recently bought a set of centramatics to mount with my new 285/75/17 Nitto Terra Grapplers. They are not balanced with weights and are very smooth through all speed ranges. So far I really like them.

Ahhh I've noticed that you are correct about their website. When I was doing my initial research back in late 2011 and early 2012 they did claim that it is not necessary to have your wheels/tyres balanced prior to using their Wheel Balancers but it is advised to for optimum performance and a smooth ride. So that was my guide.
I put 38K on the tires prior to the centramatics and it was pretty much the same thing no major vibration issues. So maybe having the weights on caused this situation? who knows. Now with the balance masters on I've removed the weights and it's just as smooth as newly balanced tires. So for me now I'm happy.
I'm on several forms and read a post by another member with a 2012 truck who used the Balance masters. I contacted him and he said that the balance masters are working very well for him. He reported that after getting the balancers installed he was on a trip and had some issues that were resolved after he stopped and removed the weights from all four tires. He continued the trip vibration free. So maybe having wheel weights on can cause an issue by subtracting from the balancers. But just my honest observations.

 

[AH64ID]

Dd you ever run the OEM tires without installed weights?

The reason they want you to remove the weights is because they could be in the wrong spot and the dynamic materiel would have to fix that and tire balance.

I ran the centramatics with my 255/80/17 KM2 mud tires for a few hundreded miles in December. I removed all the balance weights and they were much smoother than they ever were balanced on a machine, they were also noticeably quieter. I was never able to hear the noise from the centramatics.

Les Schwab wouldn't reinstall the centramatics when I bought my 19.5" combo, so I sold them and went with counteract beads which run the 19.5's incredibly smooth. They are the quietest and smoothest tire I have ever ran.

 

[Tryingit]

Dd you ever run the OEM tires without installed weights?

The reason they want you to remove the weights is because they could be in the wrong spot and the dynamic materiel would have to fix that and tire balance.

I ran the centramatics with my 255/80/17 KM2 mud tires for a few hundreded miles in December. I removed all the balance weights and they were much smoother than they ever were balanced on a machine, they were also noticeably quieter. I was never able to hear the noise from the centramatics.

Les Schwab wouldn't reinstall the centramatics when I bought my 19.5" combo, so I sold them and went with counteract beads which run the 19.5's incredibly smooth. They are the quietest and smoothest tire I have ever ran.

No I never took the weights off. Their website original suggested that a properly balance tire was ensure optimal performance. So I (mistakenly) thought I had to keep the weights on. About two thousand miles ago I replaced the still good oem tires because of side wall cracking. I went with the toyo HT opencountry with tuff duty. Boy are they smooth and quiet. They were balanced at time of install and used with the centramatics. Very smooth. But because the Balance master said the weights "Must" be removed thats what I did. Man they are still smooth as silk. I've noticed the slight low speed noise from the centramatic but you have to have your windows open. They never bothered me though. I don't think you can lose with either one. I think that I'll remove the wheels I have now and use the centramatics and take a ride since I no longer have wheel weights. I'll try it now since I have nother better to do.

 

[AH64ID]

It seems that Centramatic has changed their tune, they wanted me to remove all the external weights.

 

[Tryingit]

I know I'm not crazy because not all that long ago while deciding on the balance masters Centramatics recommended pre balancing (not required) but even this website backs me up http://www.lasplash.com/publish/Vehicle_Reviews/Centramatic.php
While the balance master said that you must remove the weights. The reason I first went with Centramatics was because I was heading to Central Texas fo a vacation and included Alvarado Texas to have the Centramatics installed at their facility for free. They never recommended that you remove the wieghts and I never planned to do. I was following their recommendation at the time.
Today I removed the front wheels (only) and installed the wrong set of centramatics and had to turn around because of a loud scraping noise. I hadn't realized they there were two diffrent sets for the front and rear. I installed the correct ones and took it to my local daily route interstate highway. They were also very smooth but I did notice some vibrations I thought were being cause by the motor and then some slight vibration at approx 69 mph. I was able to replicate that on the opposite side of the highway on the return trip. I reinstalled the Balance master and took the same trip agan. Absolutely no vibrations at all. Because I had just spent two hundred more on the balance master could this be part of my imagination? absolutely! I think that my old set of oem tires with the Lifetime balancing from sear for $60.00 and the centramatics my tires would have last so much longer. But at approx 58K I started developing cracks on the sidewalls. But the tires were wearing perfectly. Probably should have not spent the money on the balace masters but now that I did I'm extremely satisfied and feel the do a smoother job. But not two hundred worth.

 

[kcv67]

Any updates on the balance master vs centerrmatics?

 

[EDankievitch]

I've been running Centermatics on my last 3 trucks. I've found that if you start with a well ballanced tire they just make it better. I had one tire that was egg shaped and had issues that drove me nuts until I showed the tire tec that the tire was in fact bad. Funny how no one noticed the bad wobble it had until I pointed it out to them. They just kept spinning it and adding weights.... Back to the Centermatice I wouldn't own a large tire truck with out them. I plan on getting a set for my boat trailer when I get new tires next year.

 

[JR]

My Centrimatics are still doing great. 285/75/17. When the tires were new the tech had a heck of a time getting one to balance, I don't remember what he ended up using for weights but it was significantly more than the other 3. I ran my Centrimatics with the wheel weights until winter time and knocked them off the front two tires. Perfectly smooth up to 90mph so I knocked off the rears as well. In the rust belt wheel weights will corrode pretty bad after a few winters. I wish they would make them for passenger vehicles as well, I'd have a set on the wife's car.

 

[Deleted member 995608]

Has anyone tried the Dynabeads or Counterbalance beads where small beads are added to the inside of the tire? I've always thought these might be a better choice because the beads are actually inside the tire. The Centramatics or similar is more are less mounted to the axle hubs and therefore are balancing axle vibration, not the tire. At least that's the way it looks to me... I've never tried either style, so I'm just peeing in the wind. Any thoughts?

http://www.counteractbalancing.com

http://www.innovativebalancing.com

 

[JR]

I've never tried the others, but that's Centrimatics claim to fame so to speak. Balance the entire rotating assembly, not just the tire/wheel. Also transferable to new tires or other vehicles with similar wheel patterns (mine have two lug patterns).

 

[SBettencourt]

My Centramatics are hanging in the shed. I can use the front and will install when I rotate tires in the spring but the rear is different from the '01 rear dually 16" to the '15 rear dually 17". It looks like the old ones would fit but then the tire valve would be completely blocked.

 

[photowrite]

I've been running Centermatics on my last 3 trucks. I've found that if you start with a well ballanced tire they just make it better. I had one tire that was egg shaped and had issues that drove me nuts until I showed the tire tec that the tire was in fact bad. Funny how no one noticed the bad wobble it had until I pointed it out to them. They just kept spinning it and adding weights.... Back to the Centermatice I wouldn't own a large tire truck with out them. I plan on getting a set for my boat trailer when I get new tires next year.

Agreed, I still really like my Centramatics too.

My Centrimatics are still doing great. 285/75/17. When the tires were new the tech had a heck of a time getting one to balance, I don't remember what he ended up using for weights but it was significantly more than the other 3. I ran my Centrimatics with the wheel weights until winter time and knocked them off the front two tires. Perfectly smooth up to 90mph so I knocked off the rears as well. In the rust belt wheel weights will corrode pretty bad after a few winters. I wish they would make them for passenger vehicles as well, I'd have a set on the wife's car.

Similarly, I've both pre-balanced and/or run weightless, can depend much on the wheel/tire combination.

 

[photowrite]

I tried the Dynabeads once. They didn't work for me, balance was terrible, but I'm pretty sure that was because the tire shop used too much tire goop during the installation, which caused the beads/weight to clump and make the Toyos square. As many know, Toyos are often some of the best, easiest to balance LT tires.

Because I often run and test several sets of tires and wheels, I love/prefer that the Centramatics work on the whole assembly, and not inside the tire like the beads. Also, their basic, 16" set, $200 for a set of four is a real deal!

Has anyone tried the Dynabeads or Counterbalance beads where small beads are added to the inside of the tire? I've always thought these might be a better choice because the beads are actually inside the tire. The Centramatics or similar is more are less mounted to the axle hubs and therefore are balancing axle vibration, not the tire. At least that's the way it looks to me... I've never tried either style, so I'm just peeing in the wind. Any thoughts?

http://www.counteractbalancing.com

http://www.innovativebalancing.com

 

[AH64ID]

I like the centramatics on my travel trailer and have counteract's in both sets of tires. They all run very smooth and smoother than anything with external weights.

 

[LFrachtmonroe]

I run the beads in both sets of tires. *I have found them to work very well for the cost. *I have been told that my rims have a slight bend at the hub, and I think that contributes to a very very minor imbalance. *Overall, I love the beads and would run them on any vehicle. *I have them in my summer tires (michelins), my winter Nokian Hakka, and on my Saab with a relatively low profile tire. *All are better than standard weights in my opinion, and I'm not sure I can justify the cost of the balancers.

 

[JR]

I like the centramatics on my travel trailer and have counteract's in both sets of tires. They all run very smooth and smoother than anything with external weights.

Did you physically notice a difference towing your TT after installing the Centramatics? Where did you find them with a 5 or 6 lug wheel pattern? It's been a while since I was on their website but I don't recall seeing them available for anything like that.