Balance Master VS Centramatics

[Sixpac2]

I have been looking at each of these.

We Tow a fifth wheel ALL the time so on the road a lot.



I have read each web sites and know one is mercury filled and the other is bead shot/oil





With others who may have these why did you choose the brand you did?



Any pros or cons?



Likes or dislikes



Thanks

Marv

 

[mwilson]

We sell and install Centramatics. A good company selling a good product.



Only had two issues in the past several years, both issues were addressed with one phone call to Centramatic. New product was shipped immediately with their apologies.

At least one of those issues was caused by the customer in my opinion, and Centramatic still stepped up and took care of it.



I have no experience with Balance Master, maybe someone else on here does.



Mike.

 

[seafish]

Balance Masters are an excellent product that fit right on a 3rd gen ram with no modifications necessary. Many people are very happy with their Centramatics, but for some reason, some people have had to grind away on their brake caliper and/or use a spacer to make the Centramatics work. I am VERY happy with my Balance Masters.

 

[Slow Six]

I put Centramatics on my 03 and moved them to my 2012. They do what Centramatic advertises them to do. I'd like to get them for my trailer.

 

[Prairie Dog]

I got the Centramatics and they fit like crap. Had to grind down the front brake calipers and then as you tighten down the lugs, the balancers have to bend and ultimately sit directly against the back side of the wheel. If you get Centramatics make sure they give you the 2 extra spacers or they wont begin to fit. Oh and they're fugly too. They have a drippy, cheasy silver paint job and are easily visible through the wheel. I ended up painting them a flat black to make them less noticeable. Ultimately they do seem to function well though.
I understand the BM's fit without any modifications but cost twice as much?

#ad

 

[Sixpac2]

I have a dually and when I check there web site it looks like the duallys use a differant one than the singles??



Maybe they fit better??

 

[Prairie Dog]

It's possible, your kit would have to be very different than the one I used. The ones I put on the front don't seem like they would ever fit your dually front wheels because your hub sticks out so much further. Unless they have you put it behind the spacer. .

 

[Sixpac2]

Yea the web site shows differant part numbers for the Duallys than the singles.

 

[seafish]

The Balance Masters for 3rd gen trucks (DISC brakes front and back) are a simple disc with a tubular rim that is filled with a fluid (mercury I think) and are powder coated satin black. The part# is MHD-206R.

They also make ones that fits trucks with rear drum brakes, that part # is MHS-105.

They work GREAT with NO noise at low speed, and I am seeing VERY even tire wear on my Toyo 285/75/17 tires, even though I bought them half-worn and used from another truck.

One hint, apply a SUPERLIGHT coat of anti-seize paste, front and back of the balance master to keep it from sticking to the hub or the wheel.

I like the quality mine so much that I might even try one of their other products, the driveline "bracelet" balancer, when I get my one-piece aluminum DS installed.

 

[Prairie Dog]

Seafish, let us know how the DS balancer works out, they seem like a nice idea.

 

[amsoilman]

I have used the Balance Masters on two different trucks, the latest is my 2010. I simply love them, and they fit well and do a nice job. I had them on my previous truck which had over 80,000 miles of use, and the tires wore perfectly!

 

[Alan Reagan]

I put the Balance Masters on about eight months ago and really like them. I had one tire that would not balance properly and kept throwing the weight. The Balance Masters eliminated the problem. They fit perfect but there are two sizes of holes and you have to make sure that you slide on the holes that fit snug on the hubs.



Also, if you don't remove the copper washers on the studs, it will dent the Balance Masters when the wheels are torqued down. Remove the washers and the problem is solved.

 

[rbattelle]

I've had Centramatics for a long time now. I believe I went with them because they were significantly cheaper than Balance Masters. I didn't think the Balance Masters were worth the extra cost.

Prairie Dog is right - they are visible through the wheels - but I actually like the way they look. He is also correct that they actually bend toward the inside of the truck when the wheel is tightened, but I didn't use any spacers. I believe that the stock steel wheels don't suffer from this issue, since they're so much thinner than the aluminum versions.

The large ring in the Centramatics is what causes them to take up so much room. Up front, I have the ring facing OUT, but in the back they clear the calipers so I have the ring facing IN (which means the rear ones don't bend at all when the wheel is installed.

I did have to grind the casting seam off both front caliper adapters (not the caliper itself, just the adaptor). Here's a thread that shows it on post 31.

It's been so long that I don't even notice the swishing noise at low speed. I have periodically had them make some unusual clicking noises that I thought were a problem with the drivetrain but turned out to be something torqued weird when reinstalling the Centramatics after a tire rotation. But I've never had a real "problem" with them.

-Ryan

 

[Prairie Dog]

Ryan, your right, I remember now it was just the adapter I had to grind so one would not have to do anymore grinding if the calipers were replaced. Thx for the correction.
I have never heard any noise from mine - at least inside the truck with the window down. Maybe the noise some people speak of can be heard as they drive by?
Of course my hearing is not what it used to be or at least my wife thinks so. . :-laf

 

[HHhuntitall]

I've never used the Balance Masters. I've had several sets of Centramatics. One set has somewhere around 1. 2 million on them... I put them on my '85 Pete when I first bought it. The other sets are mostly well over 100k. I live relatively close to them, so I've been in their store, gotten a tour, etc. They are super nice to deal with, and most everyone there is pretty knowledable. I have had zero problems from anything I've gotten from them. I have sets on my '97 3500 Dually, my '97 2500, and one set on a shelf that was on my '96. I intend to buy another set for my '03 and 93 duallies, which is a different design than the single wheels. The last set I bought I put on my KW, and they actualy made the slightly whipped out front steer tires wear back even!! That alone was worth close to $1k, so they've more than paid for themselves the first year I had them. Looking up the Balance Masters, I can't say I see anything bad about them.

 

[rbattelle]

Looking up the Balance Masters, I can't say I see anything bad about them.

I feel the same way. Both seem to be a fine product, but the Balance Masters are quite a bit pricier. Whether they're worth the additional cost, I don't know.



-Ryan

 

[morbius]

I have centramatics on my 2008 dually with 19. 5 rims. Works great and I highly recommend them.

 

[Bill Weber]

Ordered a set of Balance Masters last year for my 04. No way they would clear the break caliper. Called BM and the guy said they were the only ones they had for a 17" wheel. Sent them back.

Bill

 

[Alan Reagan]

I have a 2011 2500 with 17 inch rims.



Balance Masters part number is MHD-206R. There was another part number that I originally looked at but the team at Carolina Trailers and Equipment said this is the correct number for the Ram with 17 inch rims. They were correct.



If you have a 3500 DRW it takes a different number for those but they can tell you what it is.



I'm not advertising for them, but they did a great job as far as speed and accuracy.



www.carolinatrailers.com

864-457-3283



The MHD-206R is for a 16. 5: to 17" 4WD; 8Lug; 9/16" stud; 6. 5 bolt pattern.



Be sure and take off the copper retainers before installion.



I also had to remove all of my wheel weights. Intuition makes you think that a balanced tire is easier to dynamically balance but mine didn't work that way. Wheel weights off and they worked as advertised.

 

[04blackcherry]

My front Centramics are hanging on the wall in the garage. They just don't fit without having to make them flex against the back of the wheel. I had them on with the steel wheels by grinding the caliper bracket, but they still hit the back of the wheel. I have since found a set of stock alloys. I just can't see smashing them on there or using 2 or 3 spacers to make them work. Centramics customer service is exellant.