Hop or bounce in drive train?

[GDeen]

Been doing some reading on balancing Larry and wonder if the product on the following website might be worth trying. Different ways to center the wheels on the lugs including removable centering pins or attached sleeves.

Obviously nothing magic, in fact it is very intuitive and they seem to have a satisfied following of real people on their testimonial page. Sounds like several customers have gone through some of what you have and this cured their problem.

Cheapest looks to be "solution A" which is the 3 pin removable centering kit for mounting each wheel. Sounds like a reasonably inexpensive means to eliminate one potential variable.

http://www.tru-bal.com/index.cfm

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Just out of curiosity, when anyone has spent $6,000 for a set of new tires has anyone ever seen the wheels re-installed using these centering devices?

Conceptually it seems like a great idea to eliminate a potential vibration, but unlike nitrogen that the dealer can sell, it seems to me the dealer can't make a penny on the use of these devices so he just will not use them.

I can hear the conversation now: "Hey Mr. Prevost owner, now that you have spent mega bucks on tires and nitrogen, would you like to spend a few more and have us actually center the wheels when we install them, or would you rather we put them on off center? The cost is only $10 more per wheel."

If we think about this for a moment, our wheel mounting procedures calls for us to mount them and torque them to the Alcoa spec. Then we are to drive some distance which I think is around 500 miles and retorque them. I think that advice is because if they did not center during mounting initially, after driving a while they will center themselves which is why the retorquing is called for.

Not spoken is the fact that after mounting and tightening we can easily verify the wheel is centered. Lower the tire until it is barely touching the floor. Rotate the wheel. If it is not centered it will either scuff the floor, or the gap between the tire and floor will change. I have never seen anyone do that.

[truk4u]

If there was a benefit for the centering device, the trucking industry would be all over it. I have never seen one used. Joe?

[Orren Zook]

I noticed in the video that he 'torqued' the rims to specs with his 1" impact wrench ..... with hub piloted rims centering shouldn't be much of an issue.

[Kevin Erion]

I had to watch to make sure, these wheels are "hub" pilot wheels. The older trucks and buses, mine included have "ball and seat" style wheels, they center with the lug nuts so this application does not apply.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Even with the old style non piloted hubs it would not be necessary. The tapered flange on the rims and nuts center things up.

Go with the centronics or the balance masters. I had never had them till I got the bus and they are a dream. Pricey and worth it. I have good test results that the balance masters that use mercury are better than centronic.

[GDeen]

Joe,

I don't know enough about the bus wheels or how they center or seat or whatever style to know if the product was applicable but it certainly made sense....

Actually found the Tru-Balance site as a "favorite link" from the Balance Masters site....occurred to me they may be related.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

On the new piloted hubs and the corresponding rims the clearance between the hub and the rim is practically zero. I do not know how it could be any truer. I believe it was the intent of the designers to do just that.

[LarryB]

Gordon, thanks for the info, I appreciate it.

[Orren Zook]

Another thing to check is whether your tires are actually out of round, some alignment and tire shops are able to 'true' your tires to a more perfect tire diameter, eliminating wheel hop from out of round tires. Also for those inclined to do some of their own tire work - here's a must have for your tool box: torque sticks! They will stop tightening when a maximum torque limit is reached.

http://www.asedeals.com/accutorq.html