Balance or No Balance

huhhhhh · 03-12-2017, 06:54 PM

Just bought a 2012 Fuzion 405. Flew from Colorado Springs to Ft. Irwin to look at it before the purchase. Seller put on two new tires a week before I showed up and I decided to replace the other 4 to be safe for the 1000 mile trip back to Colorado Springs.

I asked the Firestone guy to mount and balance the 4 tires we took off the trailer to bring him and didn't notice until we had them all back on that there were no weights on them. Called the guy back and he said they never balance trailer tires. This didn't sound right to me so wanted to post here for opinions.

I had to fly back out early the next morning and the transporter is showing up Monday to haul it off. I didn't have any time to find another place to have them balanced.

I am a bit concerned that this is not a good situation for a 1000 mile trip.

PARAPTOR · 03-12-2017, 07:09 PM

We had previous posts on this topic one of those Ford/Chevy deals. Some say do not have to and some do. When I replaced all four of mine I had them balanced. You can try a search of say tire balance on the forum. Two on same side replaced., did you check for damage on that side? I assume you went over everything on the rig to ensure everything worked?

ADDED: here is one: http://www.keystoneforums.com/forums...=tire+balanced

**sourdough** · 03-12-2017, 07:19 PM

If there is no damage, as PARAPTOR alluded to, or something else wrong, going 1000 miles on a trailer tire unbalanced should not ruin anything unless there is something amiss. I would, if it were me, have them balanced when I got it to the destination. Hopefully you went over the trailer with a fine tooth comb to be sure there aren't "hidden" issues.

huhhhhh · 03-12-2017, 07:33 PM

The seller replaced the first two because he found some bulging in between the treads. The other 4 looked fine to me but I got real paranoid after reading some threads here about the Chinese Bombs so I decided to replace the other 4

Everything on the trailer looked immaculate. I did notice the heater when fired up was real noisy but blew hot air. I've never heard one so loud in a fifth wheel before. Wondering if something is rubbing or out of balance on the squirrel cage. Took a quick look but couldn't find any access to the heater unit itself. Any one else have a loud running heater? They should run quiet right?

huhhhhh · 03-12-2017, 07:35 PM

Oh I forgot to mention there were no weights on any of the tires before they were replace either.

PARAPTOR · 03-12-2017, 07:45 PM

Good Move based on the mfg date of the rig those original tires could be over 5 years old. If rig was setting for a while who knows what has visited your heater and yes does not take much to throw the squirrel cage off balance. If your roads are like ours bouncing it around for 1000 miles will jar things loose

theeyres · 03-12-2017, 07:46 PM

I have read of this debate over and over and have to admit mine have never been balanced. I have had several pull trailers and fivers over the years and never noticed any problems with the tires not being balanced. It sure wouldn't hurt, though. Just may not be necessary.

huhhhhh · 03-12-2017, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PARAPTOR

If your roads are like ours bouncing it around for 1000 miles will jar things loose

Maybe I'll get lucky and the 1000 trip will knock it back into place and run quiet again.

canesfan · 03-13-2017, 05:38 AM

My furnace is loud. It's under the steps, along with the return air, not sure if that contributes to it or not, but I've never had one as loud as this one is. It's pretty annoying. Thankfully i have a fireplace and use it for heat as much as I can. I took it back to the dealer the day after I picked it up and they went over it and tried to quiet it down, but there was nothing physically wrong with it. Of course Keystone wouldn't replace it since there was nothing wrong with it besides being loud.

huhhhhh · 03-13-2017, 06:15 AM

Anyone know how to access it?

Desert185 · 03-13-2017, 06:30 AM

The wetbolt-free trailer suspension gets beat up enough without having tires that most likely are out of balance. The cheaper China tires generally require balancing more than than the more reliable tires. I don't understand the thinking behind not balancing trailer tires.

If it were me, I would have the tires balanced and explain the concept of customer/company relationships to the tire outfit.

I would also have metal stems installed for the addition of a TPMS.

canesfan · 03-13-2017, 06:38 AM

It depends on where yours is located. They are not all in the same place. Mine, under the steps, you access it from the basement, behind the wall that goes into the underbelly.

66joej · 03-13-2017, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Desert185

The wetbolt-free trailer suspension gets beat up enough without having tires that most likely are out of balance. The cheaper China tires generally require balancing more than than the more reliable tires. I don't understand the thinking behind not balancing trailer tires.

If it were me, I would have the tires balanced and explain the concept of customer/company relationships to the tire outfit.

I would also have metal stems installed for the addition of a TPMS.

Totally agree. For what it costs for balancing, metal stems and TPMS in the big picture definitely worth the peace of mind.

**flybouy** · 03-13-2017, 07:25 AM

I had my tires balanced, figured it could only help. When I was young (I'm 62) I remember then they only balanced front tires as the rear leaf springs didn't need it. Of course I also remember those tires lasting about 12 - 15 k miles. The other posts regarding the how to balance and using bolt in metal stems are spot on.

**sourdough** · 03-13-2017, 08:21 AM

A "noisy" heater is a subjective thing more or less unless you have something physically wrong and you can hear something like bearing squeaks/creaks, squirrel cage rubbing against something etc. Other than that the heaters can get quite loud. I've had one with bad bearings on the squirrel cage if I recall and it had to be replaced (decades ago).

Ours is a 35k unit and it is pretty loud as well just from the operation of it but works fantastically. Ours is behind a wooden vented partition that is screwed into place in front, covering the unit (and the converter). Pinpoint the loud noise and look for some kind of panel that gives you access to that location.

Tbos · 03-13-2017, 09:08 AM

My tire dealer said they normally don't balance trailer tires too. I had them do it anyway. The OEMs were not balanced. Hope all goes well on the transport to your home. Welcome to the forum from Southern MD. Enjoy that new to you rig.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Ddubya · 03-13-2017, 10:14 AM

Out of balance tires are a problem on trailers just as much as cars or trucks. You just don't feel them bouncing on the trailer like you would in a car or truck.

**sourdough** · 03-13-2017, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ddubya

Out of balance tires are a problem on trailers just as much as cars or trucks. You just don't feel them bouncing on the trailer like you would in a car or truck.

I've seen vehicles driving down the road with tires obviously terribly out of balance as they bounced up and down. I'm sure the driver knew it because their hands are usually bouncing up and down with the steering wheel. I've also seen trailer tires bouncing like that. I'm sure no one knew it (unless they were paying a lot of attention) because there's no one in the trailer to feel it....just all your stuff and the trailer suspension.

the sodfather · 03-13-2017, 01:32 PM

Heck ya you balance your trailer tires. Give me one good reason to not do it.

**JRTJH** · 03-13-2017, 02:32 PM

Play "Inspector Cousteau" and do a little "Analytic addition" and you can easily come up with good reasons to balance tires. First, sidewall flex causes heat. Heat is the "enemy" of tires and causes failure. Second, tires that are out of balance "bounce" (which causes the sidewall to flex) and get hotter. Third, shocks on cars/trucks help minimize tire bounce. Trailers, for the most part, don't have shocks, so the tires will "bounce more than a truck".... Fourth, you can feel a truck tire bouncing both in your "seat" and in the steering wheel. There's no seat or steering wheel in the trailer, so you don't "feel" the tire as it "self destructs" even though someone passing you would easily see the tire's "up and down travel" as they go by... Add all those things up and for me, the sum comes up to "balance them when new and any time tire wear shows scuffing on the tread.

The only reason I can come up with to not balance? Just plain too cheap to spend the money.....

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