DO BALANCE BEADS WORK?- How to CORRECTLY Use Balance Beads

Lots of people have bad luck with balance beads because they do it wrong. I have heard and read it all…they don’t work on big tires (myth), balance beads are too much hassle (myth), just use air soft pellets (TERRIBLE idea).
You want to learn how to do it right? Watch this video.
Balance Beads (make sure you buy enough):
www.amazon.com/Z-Tire-Beads-B...
Shop vac:
www.amazon.com/Vacmaster-VOM2...
***Disclaimer*** This video is just meant to show how I do it. Injury may occur by trying to replicate what is in this video. Attempt at your own risk, with proper equipment and training.

[@andrewmccarthy4144]

I am a tire dealer. I have been using balancing beads in my own vehicles, customer vehicles and customer fleet vehicles for many years. Your video was spot-on, with one exception: The theory of how the beads work. They do not seek out the light spots in a rotating tire. You can't explain that using physics. What they really do is dampen the imbalance condition. The bead manufacturers will all tell you that their beads will not do a balance while on a balancing machine. They need the flat spot where the tire contacts the ground to... but I can't explain that theory any farther, but the fact that the beads won't work with a wheel mounted on a balance machine should be enough. Thanks for a great video.

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Awesome! Thanks for the feedback and support!

[@slimsqde7397]

wouldn't they work in a road force balancing machine though? based off what your saying? so they should work in a balancing machine?

[@plor1261]

​@@slimsqde7397no. Roadforce is only measuring imbalance of force that the tire gives. It does this at a very slow pace, not enough for beads to work the way they're intended.

[@slimsqde7397]

@@plor1261 i see, ty

[@martinnguyen6884]

would you be able to point me in a direction to the explanation of how they work? Looking from purely physics point of view it doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Thanks

[@TheMrjetdoc35]

Thanks for the great video and explanation. I couldn't find a shop that would balance my tires correctly. These worked like a champ.

[@davekamericanregulator4147]

Great info! I know people that have used air soft BB's and ended up with gooey clumps from the breakdown of the plastic after so many miles. No more balance! I'm going to try the tempered glass balance beads to delete the filtered valve stem. Not a necessity but helps. Also using 20x12 non bead lock wheels with 375 55 20 Atturo's. See how they work vs ceramic anyway. Haven't used a balancer with lead in decades of running mud tires!

[@coreygreenwell1056]

Awesome video explaining the ins and outs if how the balance beads work, especially since im looking at 37s for my lifted dually project that i want to run semi 22s on... Plus i love the garage door overhead storage you got going on...havent seen that before but i damn sure plan to build some shelves in that dead area of my garage now!!!!

[@WarPaintOffroad]

I’m glad I could help! The shelving works really well too! Almost as well as the balance beads. 😂 good luck on the semi wheels. I always really liked that look on dually trucks. Soooo nice! Thanks for the support!

[@marioalvarez7796]

Great video and very informative. Look forward to the mounting of tires in beadlocks as I am heading in that direction.

[@WarPaintOffroad]

You are going to love it.

[@hunterwhitworth1271]

^^^

[@plstafford9750]

I appreciate the detail of all of your videos. Glad you take the time to address the small things that a lot of people skip over.

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Appreciate the support!

[@brucepackerjr8712]

I love this explanation! Great details related to balance beads.

[@Enginestand]

Great video!! Keep up the good informative work!!

[@andyyarnell7579]

I've been running Counteract beads in my 285/75r17 BFG's for over a year now, they work flawlessly and easy to install if you follow the directions!

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Heck yea!

[@rowlinstoned3715]

U are absolutely correct. New subscriber and i like the content 👍

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Appreciate the support!

[@adamwest3637]

Great video, you’re good at explaining things. Most people just sound dumb and guessing. My question is do they work with tpms sensors? I guess I can eliminate them if I need to. As my tires wear it sounds great if they can self balance

[@WarPaintOffroad]

So they work well. They will typically work with TPMS sensors…usually. But they work best in larger tires. If you are running a factory size tire…they will still work, just not as well.

[@MrMrsregor]

good info, the only thing i would like to clarify is; its NOT just the weight of the tire, it is the weight of the tire/wheel mounted together.

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Yes. But generally a good quality wheel is balanced. So it depends. The tire usually makes more of a difference than the wheel.

[@MrMrsregor]

@@WarPaintOffroad ok yea, that makes sense

[@officialWWM]

You have convinced me. I just ordered some :)

[@WarPaintOffroad]

They work really well. I have never had a problem with them.

[@jeffreyhickman3871]

I wasn’t sure what balance beads were until I got further into the video. I thought 💭 they were weights that someway stick to the bead on the inside of your tires 🛞. One ☝️ problem with balance beads is static cling. Using tape to pick 🆙 the balance beads out of your old tires 🛞 will also work, to transfer them to your new tires 🛞. It may be more time consuming, but ya might be able to avoid static cling this way. Your friend, Jeff.

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Good thought. I usually give them a quick spray with static guard and they fall to the bottom of the tire quick. When there is a will there is a way! Thanks for the support Jeff.

[@jimknieriem5355]

Centramatics work on the same principle, a system that apply the beads principle just in a ring on a plate that is installed before you mount wheel on vehicle. I have them on my cj5, only have 33”x12.5 tires, have not balanced the tires ever and I have chunks missing here and there, still smooth. My steering wheel is just as steady as the one in the video, amazing for a cj5. Moving to bead locks on my JL and will probably go with the centramatics.

[@WarPaintOffroad]

I have heard of those! Never used them. I might have to give them a shot!

[@hoagiemoto]

I just ordered some balance beads along with new tires. I've been installing them in motorcycle tires for years and have been re-using the beads in all customer tire changes with them already in there. Most people believe they have to throw them out and buy new ones! I get a lot of new customers asking for them installed so I keep them in stock!

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Heck yea!

[@hoagiemoto]

I put them in my truck tires when I was installing them this past week. For the first 2 or 3 miles they seemed to not be balanced. I used the Counterbalance Eco XL balance beads. It said to throw the entire bag in each wheel. Once they found their place after a couple miles, they are balanced perfectly. Tested them two days in a tow on the highway and they worked fine. I'm driving a Silverado with 33's in case anyone is wondering in the future. They work perfectly

[@timborowitz4472]

Great video, thanks for the information. This and the comments make me a lot more comfortable about running beads. But I have an odd tire size, its 295/70/18, so none of the online charts show it. Maybe 8oz will be fine?

[@WarPaintOffroad]

When in doubt add a few more. Maybe try 10-12. Because to TBh, the “extra” beads will just spread out along the inside of the tire evenly.

[@StormbornJKU]

If I had beadlocks I’d for sure use balance beads, as I’d be doing the mounting myself. But having traditional wheels, not beadlocks, I use stick on weights since I’m not mounting myself. But for sure good info here!

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Thanks for the support. I agree. Without beadlocks, it theoretically makes sense to run them, but the mounting (and balancing) is usually included in the cost. So that makes sense!

[@officialWWM]

@@WarPaintOffroad I think it still makes sense. Like you say, tyres wear, usually unevenly. The beads will keep your tyres balanced for their entire life.

[@advrx1041]

Huge fan of balance beads. (Actual balance beads) Been using them since the mid 90's. Started using them on my motorcycles first now pretty much use them on everything.

[@WarPaintOffroad]

They work really well. I’m glad you have had a good experience.

[@advrx1041]

@@WarPaintOffroad HAHA I followed the instructions!

[@reycardenas8092]

Great video thanks for the info

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Thanks for the support!

[@sassanlachini5383]

Thanks for the comprehensive video. How is the weight calculated? Only the weight of the tire or tire and wheel together?

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Thanks for the support! I don’t pay as much attention to the weight. More the size. I have found that the weight calculation doesn’t usually work. For example I have 16 ounces in my tires that weight 94 pounds each. Even with the tire and wheel that is too many beads. But it works. With less it doesn’t. So I use 16 for a 40. 14 or so for a 38 or 37. And tbh I’d still use 14 or so for a 35. Smaller than a 35 and I wouldn’t use them. Typically they don’t work as well in smaller tires.

[@Kymree_Costa]

We just got new tires and they used balance beads. We have never used them before. How do we know if the truck needs a front end, alignment or if they put the needs in correctly at the tire shop?

[@classentransporthotshot1496]

Thanks that is very informative! The reason I wanna try beads is because I'm so frustrated with tire shops not being able to get mine balanced..ever! If wondered if they were out of round but how would one know?

[@classentransporthotshot1496]

Also I have glass beads.. are they any good?

[@classentransporthotshot1496]

I haven't installed them yet

[@briansykora7801]

Your video convinced me to order a set for my jeep! Hopefully it fixes the little shimmy in my wheel!

[@briansykora7801]

Also, I’m a college kid and don’t really have the resources to take all my bead locks apart and throw them back together. I was watching a video of a guy that took his valve stem out and poured them in through that. Do you think that would work? It’ll obviously be time consuming but it’s better than taking apart the beadlocks and putting them back together! I ordered filtered valve stems as welll.

[@WarPaintOffroad]

The valve core thing will work. It just takes time. But, that shimmy could be caused by other things. So hopefully it fixes it. But it will usually only fix it if it’s a balance issue.

[@briansykora7801]

@@WarPaintOffroad it was just in the shop and nothing was worn out. I’m thinking it’s either my hydro/gear box or the fact that my tires aren’t balanced.

[@WarPaintOffroad]

It could definitely be any of those. You checked the west pattern on your tires? I rotate mine a lot! Like ever 2500 miles.

[@Michaelobama184]

@@briansykora7801 yes , that's what I'm going to do. I have some cheap tires on my 6 Tacoma standard cab truck and the tire shop can't seem to get the wheels balanced. I purchased some balance beads from eBay for 25 bucks

[@ToplessTattoo]

Love them... So simple!😊

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Heck yea!

[@user-go9vg2gd4d]

Thank you for the informative explanation. Do you know ow if this will be ok with Apex precision valves Thanks

[@WarPaintOffroad]

It should work fine. I have a friend who runs those in his axles. And he doesn’t have a problem. I would imagine there COULD be the potential for a few beads to blow out. But if your stem is toward the top I don’t see it being an issue. Never is for my friend.

[@rjm7168]

I just learned about valance beads and will be using them on my Suburban rebuild project. I have a couple questions. 1. I've seen videos where the beads have worn rubber mold lines off the inside of the tire. Do you get rubber bits mixed in with thd beads and, if so, hiw do separate the rubber when you reuse the beads? 2. Has anyone mistakenly used your shop vac fir normal vacuuming anx dud yoh havd z heart sttack when it happened? JK on #2 but it would be funny.

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Haha. Nah. #2 hasn’t happened. I’m the only one for that uses a shop vac in my house. But that would be funny. And as far as number 1, I have never had any rubber mixed in when I have swapped them out and remounted tires.

[@moneyshiftrally]

The only issue I see is if you need to pull a tire to patch a hole or if you break your tire bead off the rim, then you might have to clean the inside and add another set of beads. Other than that I’m sold, gonna add these to my truck! Let’s be honest most tire shops don’t care to get your wheels balanced to the T. These balancing beads have no choice because you know… physics.

[@WarPaintOffroad]

It’s for sure not without its cons. It they work really well. They also work better on larger tires. Sometimes you’ll have a slight wobble around 45mph as the beads find their place…but they work really well.

[@sandspider1974]

I have 40 inch mickey thompsons on machette beadlocks with monster valves to air down and up. I started out with proper balance beads. Problem with them is as I was airing down I would get randomly hit with those little balance beads. So I was losing them. It didn't matter what location my valve was located while airing down. Still would lose these little beads. I went to the crap airsoft as you say. Now I don't have beads blowing out of my valves while airing down. As for them clumping. I've never had that problem and I live in a climate where the temperature goes from -40 C - +30 C. My tires don't shake at all completely smooth. I do agree with better to have more beads for weight than not enough. I did find on past tires not enough doesn't balance. I have 16oz. Of "crap airsoft beads" in each of my 40s and works great. I guess I'm the one guy it works for.

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Could be. The other argument for that is that Mickey Thomson claims you don’t have to balance their 40’s because of the size and the way they are made apparently. On a street vehicle they never turn at the RPM of smaller tires because they are so large. So it MIGHT just be that even without them you would be smooth.

[@BrandonSalas-qm5vu]

I use in my washer and dryer machines also

[@real_ultrajoe]

Semi truck been using them for years since the mobile tire repair industry started they was been using them if semi truck that haul and drive all day they can work on off-road tires

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Absolutely!

[@autoblog3922]

Do you add the tire and wheel weight combined and then determine amount of beads? Thanks for this video. Was going to lug them to the tire store once I get them mounted but this would be so much easier for me!

[@WarPaintOffroad]

So I just go based in tire weight. And then knowing that I know the extras will just spread evenly…I usually put in a good few ounces more. So for a 90 pound 40 inch tire I usually rub 14-16 ounces.

[@autoblog3922]

@@WarPaintOffroad Thank you!

[@DanMcD80]

@@autoblog3922 if you goto the manufacturers site they will have a chart of size = bag weight. Being an active user of counteract brand. When it comes to heavy truck offroad tires go with a bag one tire size up from yours

[@DanMcD80]

@@WarPaintOffroad Ive had great luck (counteract brand) going with the recommended weight then adding 1oz motorcycle bags till you hit the mark vs going with too much from the start

[@autoblog3922]

@@DanMcD80 Thanks! Still haven't mounted my new deadlocks because I have a torn rotator cuff.🙄

[@johngodwin7902]

Will these work on stock size tires for Z 71 suburban. 17 inch rim or do they only work with the really large tires like you have?

[@norbertnagy5514]

Should, just need to use the correct amount for the given size.

[@AdanIsPrah]

rule of thumb is that if my tire weighs 115 pounds i divide it by 13 which is 8.84 but im going to round it up to 10oz, am i doing this correct?

[@MrMrsregor]

yes, but it is NOT just the weight of the tire, it is the weight of the tire/wheel mounted together.

[@leewhite1969]

I just bought beads and having terrible luck with them and now I’m looking on the interwebs for information on what might be the issue. You referred to ceramic beads. The ones I purchased are supposed to be tempered glass. Is this the same thing or are these garbage also? I went with the company’s recommended amount for my size tire and thinking about weighing it and seeing if I should add more. Does the weight include the wheel or just the tire weight? Last question, should I have removed the stick on weights from when the tires was previously balanced?

[@WarPaintOffroad]

So you might have a few things happening. Ceramic beads are generally the ones to use over something like a plastic air soft bb like lots of people do. The tempered glass ones that you used might be okay. But balance heads generally will work best at highway speed and in larger tires. They also won’t work if you have other issues like worn balljoints, a bad alignment, a strange wear pattern on your tire, etc. so it might not be the beads fault. You also have to be sure you are using enough of them.

[@JohnDoe-ud2cc]

I can see them working at moderate speeds, but what about a 37 or bigger at 85mph?

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Over 40 mph they work if you put enough of them in there. At higher speeds they also work. They don’t work at low speeds. They need centrifugal force to move to where they need to. A 37 is large enough for them to work well..provided you are using the right amount.

[@user-mi2xt1fm5w]

can you hear balancing beads roll around in your tire? If you jack your truck up and spin the wheel the first set of tires that I had with balancing beads were awesome. The second set that I have in there now my truck wobbles at 70 miles an hour steering wheel shakes, and the whole truck shakesand I have balance and beads. I don’t think they installed them right or put them in at all. How can I tell if I have balance and bead in my tires? Should you be able to hear them rolling around when you spin the tire Joe thank you

[@WarPaintOffroad]

That’s a great question. So I can hear them. Tbh, if you can roll your vehicle down hill slightly…with the engine on, put it in neutral, let it idle, and just listen. You might be able to hear them. I could before my tire wore and starting making noise. Your issue could also be just an alignment issue. That can also cause weird things to happen. But there is also a change that they either didn’t put them in at all or that they didn’t use enough of them.

[@fournash]

Ion8​@@WarPaintOffroad

[@o0sman0o]

One thing your didnt talk about, the size of the beads. Some will go thru the valve stems when airing down. I used balance sand for semi, that stuf is all over my valve stems, making them leak some times.

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Yea. I didn’t mention it because most people that use beads don’t use sand…they use beads. That is what I was focusing on. I guess it depends in the air down tool you use. I never had the issue so I didn’t talk about it. But that’s a good point. If you go with something like sand I could see it definitely causing an issue.

[@o0sman0o]

I was just wondering if the beads will go thru the valve stem like the sand. Some brands label their beads as “offroad” because they have a bigger size. - Reason i struggle is that balance beads is hard to get i Denmark.

[@classentransporthotshot1496]

@@o0sman0o I bought glass beads that are designed to go through the valve stem..off Amazon

[@duane4904]

I've had the same issue with the small size of the beads. I air down with the ARB tool that pulls the core, and I had issues with the ceramic beads getting stuck between the core and the stem. I even broke a couple cores. The only solution was to make sure the valve stem was close to 12 o'clock instead of 6, but it's annoying to get all 4 tires in the same position. I am that one guy and I ended up pulling them and using airsoft bbs. They have worked great over the last year. I'm swapping out to new rims soon and am interested to see if any of them are clumped together. We'll see... I may end up looking for either valve stems with a screen and standard beads or just bigger ceramic beads.

[@o0sman0o]

@@duane4904 thx for the feedback, exactly What i was worried about 👍🏼 - im thinking of airsoft bbs too

[@BrandonSalas-qm5vu]

What about airhard hard round steel bbs

[@nicholaswilliams5587]

2 cups of washer fluid and call it a day. My truck has 30 tires on it and not a vibration… been doing it for years. In my Jeeps too

[@WarPaintOffroad]

That’s a super cool idea!

[@nicholaswilliams5587]

It’s what we have done in Canada forever… we use washer fluid because it won’t freeze at -40 and spreads even better and more accurately then beads and won’t hurt the rubber. They have something called tire life which does the same thing and is liquid too but washer fluid is easy to find. Don’t use things like tranny fluid etc because it will soften the rubber and decay it. Washer fluid for the win!

[@scbourne33]

I have 35” at tires mounted but having trouble getting them balanced. Should I remove the wheel weights that I have on the wheels before I try the beads or can I just leave the weights on and add the beads?? Thanks

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Good question. I’d leave the wheel weights on at this point. It’s strange that you are having trouble getting them balanced. The weights typically aren’t required. But they are bringing it closer to that sweet spot provided the person that balanced them knew what they were doing. Throw some beads in and see what happens. It might be just enough at this point. Typically balance beads work best in larger tires. But if you are having that much trouble….you have nothing to lose at this point.

[@danielturner6626]

So my tire from maxxis razor chart are 91.5 pounds so should I run 17 ounces and is that total or tire and what brand should I run I’m also running kmc machete beadlocks

[@WarPaintOffroad]

So I would do 17 per wheel. Just make sure you use ceramic balance beads…and be sure to mount that tire on that beadlocks perfectly. Lots of people don’t take the care to do that and then blame it on the beads. You might have a slightly shimmy in the wheel around 40-50mph. That’s the speed where they need to be balanced. Slower and it really doesn’t matter. But it’s also the speed where the beads start to find their place..so you might have a slight shimmy around then…but it will go away as you speed past 40-50.

[@rampyxl6812]

i have been trying to get counter-act balance beads to work in my pickup with AT3 tire, and its just wont, the balance is intermittent and i keep adding more beads iv hit a peak where the balance is as good as its been but still terrible against a wheel that can't be felt in cab, some times the balance is perfect but short-lived, there's no consistency iv recently learn the problem is certainly the fact that beads cant balance any lateral imbalance, due to that ill have to go to traditional balance, iv already spent about 180 bucks in beads so i am disappointed. tire is 265/75r16 recommended weight was 12 or 14oz cant recall and im at 18oz, no change from 16oz to 18 and tire weight is 55.3 lbs

[@WarPaintOffroad]

So the other issue is the size of your tire. Balance beads typically work best on larger tires. The bigger the tire the better they work. Sorry it didn’t work for you. But I’m almost certain that your smaller tire is the issue.

[@Sleepy731]

Would it be ok to leave the stick on weights on my wheels and add the beads?

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Great question. So the stick on weights balance the wheel and tire usually when it’s new. But as they wear they can wear uneven and throw the balance off. The beads at that point will help to keep it balanced. So you could add them to a wheel with stick in weights. But it might not really change anything depending on how the tires wear. But it won’t hurt anything.

[@wildwheeling7103]

I have Apex Rapid Air down valves. Dumps a huge amount of air in a short time. My 40s go from 38 to 12 in just 30 to 40 seconds. Wondering if the beads will get blown out or damage the air down valves? Does anyone know?

[@WarPaintOffroad]

So they won’t damage them. I would imagine the beads won’t get blown out either. The beads are pretty heavy and fall to the bottom of the tire. I don’t think it would come out with enough force to have them come out.

[@jamesmoore1124]

I have the same valve and was about to mount them myself but if they’re not compatible then I won’t. Have the balance bead’s worked for you with the valve?

[@iamblaineful]

I don't run any balancing with beadlocks....37s, 38s, 39s, Milestars, Nittos, doesn't matter. There are paint dots on your tires, I put the light dot with the TPMS senssor in JL/JT, that's it, 83-85 mph just fine and smooth. If you wheel a lot, especially in very hot temps, and are airing down and up and down and up constantly, you will put moisture into your tires and the balance beads will stick together, clump, and cause vibration. I can't tell you the number of JL/JTs with low miles that have death wobble and my first question when they are on beadlocks is Do you have balance beads? If so, vacuum them out. 95% of the time it cures their death wobble if the tire was correctly mounted. I recommend against beads on beadlocks, mount it correctly, and you don't need them....your climate and airing up/down frequency may just be fine with them, it isn't in our area.

[@josephrosella3042]

1 oz per 13 lbs of tire answers the question I had,glad I only have 16 " car tires !!!

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Well the issue in that situation is it can depend on the tire. Some tires take more to balance. So it just depends. But they typically work better on larger tires too.

[@Zed483]

What about using tyre shield, a liquid which lives in the tyre and blocks punctures? Says it cools the tyre and helps balancing.

[@WarPaintOffroad]

I’m not too familiar with that. I do know that the liquid tire stuff is a pain for whoever mounts them. I’d also wonder how it would affect TPMS.

[@MrMrsregor]

how bad do they clog the valve stem when airing down ?

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Never have.

[@MrMrsregor]

@@WarPaintOffroad cool thanks!

[@BrianHarmonphotography]

Been using airsoft pellets for internal balance for years.

[@WarPaintOffroad]

I’m glad they work for you. They don’t for the HEAVY majority. What tires and size are you running?

[@barnetts9812]

Oz of beads per weight of tire, or tire and rim combined weight?

[@WarPaintOffroad]

So the general rule of thumb was always related to the weight of the tire. But I also run quite a few extra ounces. For a 37 I’d run 13 and for a 40 of run 16. You almost can’t have too many because the extra would just spread around evenly.

[@Fit4Life921]

you say you use a few extra oz -- can you be precise how much your tires would need based on the calculation vs how much you actually put in?

[@WarPaintOffroad]

So I usually put in 13 ounces for a 37. 16 for a 40. It’s more than required, but the extra just spread around the inside of the tire evenly. 👍🏻

[@Fanzindel]

I threw a handful of sand into mine and it works great! 👍

[@WarPaintOffroad]

That’s an idea. The only issue with that is the moisture. It can potentially clump or have the weight change when it absorbs moisture. It’s the same thing that prevents the air soft pellets from usually working so well.

[@chriswalker4272]

Your tyres are so big, you could probably use golf balls to balance them lol

[@Nmt1021]

If I have regular fuel brand wheels, not beadlocks, do you still recommend them ?

[@WarPaintOffroad]

If you have regular wheels they are a lot more difficult to install and remove. So I would just let the tire shop mount and balance them. Some shops will rebalance them for free if it ever needs them. The real benefit is what was mentioned in the video, but more that you can do it yourself when you mount them yourself on a beadlock. Some of the benefits would still apply to a standard wheel. But when you pay a shop to mount a tire on a standard wheel, the balance cost is usually included in that. Don’t get me wrong. Wheel weights work. And they work well. This is just another option that provides a couple of benefits that CAN be disadvantages of wheel weights.

[@Nmt1021]

@@WarPaintOffroad well I have 37” Mickey Thompson AT tires with Fuel wheels. Wouldn’t it be the same thing where I just insert the beads through valve stem?

[@WarPaintOffroad]

It would. Just make sure you put enough of them in. The problem is getting them out if you don’t like them. It’s really more meant for beadlocks. But you COULD do it that way on standard wheels. I personally would say if it’s not broke…don’t try to fix it. Just keep it in mind for the future.

[@davidwu-taing8017]

I have balance beads and my biggest gripe is deflating it to my desired pressure for off roading, BUT these beads get stuck on the valve stem constantly. Any tips on airing down without having to pull the valve stem to dislodge the balance beads?

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Man I have no idea. I have never had that happen. Maybe it’s the tool I use? I have the ARB rapid deflator. Are you using ceramic beads or air soft?

[@davidwu-taing8017]

@@WarPaintOffroad I'm using CounterAct Balancing beads. I also have the Apex RPV rapid deflating valve stems. If I try to check tire pressure prior to deflating, beads get jammed into the internal valve stem. If I use the Apex to release air, I see a few beads pop out. If I check the tire pressure after deflating with the Apex, 9 out of 10 times, a bead will jam in the valve stem. Then I have to pull the valve stem to unjam the bead(s). I was hoping there was an easier way to check tire pressure or air down.

[@davidsii4173]

I know this is late, but if you use a valve core with a filter it stops them from getting clogged

[@xeontis]

Not saying they don't work but for me they didn't - Have a set of 35's that I had a legit tire shop install balance beads (not bead locks). I would get inconsistent vibrations at different speeds so I went back to weights. Tire shop said most people that get beads installed on vehicles eventually come back to have them taken out.

[@WarPaintOffroad]

They probably didn’t put in enough of them. You need a different amount depending on tire. The calculation for how many you need is just a starting point. They tend to work if you have enough.

[@LTUSATV]

Any sort of online chart that tells you how many ounces for what size tire to use?

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Not that I have seen. I usually run about 13 ounces for a 37. - couple more for a 38 and a couple more for a 40.

[@stevep2430]

Maybe it is something other than your tires wheel balance, like worn bushes on suspension or steering arm. There are many problems that can cause the wobble of death.

[@LTUSATV]

@@stevep2430 what you are saying is true, but has nothing to do with my question. I fix Jeeps with death wobble for a living.

[@jacobgalazka123]

I cannot get 33/12.50/18s balanced been to 3 tire shops. Will beads work better ?

[@WarPaintOffroad]

They might. Strange that you have been to 3 shops and can’t get the em balanced. What tires are they? Typically beads work best on larger tires. But it might be worth a shot.

[@shaunrokear7365]

Will 12 oz of beads be enough for a 37 trepador tire ?

[@WarPaintOffroad]

id throw 15 or so in just to be safe. you almost cant use too many. the extra just spread evenly around the tire.

[@GKid1786]

I'm wondering if you could offer some suggestions to help with my situation? I followed your tips and got the balance beads that you recommended from Amazon. I got some new BFG All Terrain T/A KO2 "35's". Based on E-Z Tire Bead's site they recommend either 6oz or 8oz. So I started with 6oz but it was only occasionally balanced but more often than not unbalanced. So I put 2oz more in and it was better but not consistent. So I bought more and put 2oz more for a total of 10oz. It's still just not consistent. I'm willing to put more in, but I'd love to be convinced that it's going to be better before I dump another $25 in there? What do you think? Also, could tire pressure play a role? What kind of tire pressure do you run in yours? I'm willing to test different pressures to see if that could impact the settling of the beads? Thanks so much for any help you could give!

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Yea so I don’t understand why they recommend so little beads. Tbh in a 35 I would put in 10-12 ounces. So definitely add more.

[@GKid1786]

@@WarPaintOffroad Ok thanks. Out of curiosity, what kind of tire pressure do you run? It's probably not going to play a role, but I'm curious?

[@TheQuito213]

@@GKid1786 did adding more work?

[@GKid1786]

@@TheQuito213 No it didn't. I went all the way up to 16oz and it still wouldn't work. My guess is it can work if the tire/wheel combo is fairly balanced to begin with, so as long as you're confident that it doesn't need much then you'd be fine. But I'm not sure how you'd know without having them balanced first - which sort of defeats the point. AND if the balance beads don't work, then you need to either get them out yourself, or pay the shop extra that's going to balance them. It turned out to be a huge headache and a huge waste of money for me.

[@DonegalOverlanding]

@@GKid1786 did you eventually go back to metal weights? If so, did that sort out your problem?

[@jlee6410]

I love balance beads on my beadlocked wheels, buy the right beads in bulk, and use the right amount.

[@WarPaintOffroad]

They work super good! Right beads, right amount. Just like you said.

[@Peter-Bartolomey]

Are they interfere with TPMS sensors?

[@WarPaintOffroad]

I have no idea. That might be worth a google search. I don’t have TPMS sensors anymore. Deactivated them in the computer.

[@minutemenapparel]

Not sure if I caught it but how many ounces did you add to your tires?

[@WarPaintOffroad]

I went over what is usually required. But I put 16 ounces in each tire. That allows the extra to just evenly spread out but ensures you have enough. A smaller tire wouldn’t require as many.

[@minutemenapparel]

@@WarPaintOffroad I’ve got 33’s and put in 10. Counter act said my tires (Patagonia AT) are notorious for difficult balancing and I should try 12oz in each tire. Glad to hear it’s not a lost cause yet and I should try more beads.

[@jeepgreatstories]

I hate to be that guy, but I did not have the same results as you describe. I used counteract balance beads, started with 8oz in each tire, slowly added to 16.4oz each tire (37’s weighing 80lbs each) and mine would not stay balanced consistently. Sometimes they would be balanced, but it seems to be in relation to the manner in which I came up to speed. For example, if I was going around a bend or curve as I came up to speed, every time, the tires would be unbalanced. If I came up to speed on a bumpy road, same thing. Sadly they were just too inconsistent for my taste. I ended up switching to standard stick on weights and Centramatic balancing rings. Sorry man, I’m not trying to start an argument or anything, that was just my experience.

[@WarPaintOffroad]

That’s strange. I have never had that problem. But what you are saying makes 100% sense in my mind. I wonder why you had the issue and I don’t. There has be something that’s causes it. But, This isn’t mythbusters…lol it would be cool to see someone really scientifically explore it though. I wonder if it was the tire? Maybe certain tires are better with them than others?

[@jeepgreatstories]

@@WarPaintOffroad It definitely could be tire thing, I’m not sure. I am running General Grabber X3’s, not exactly a cheap tire, but certainly not the highest price either. I am also running Raceline beadlocks, so I doubt it’s a wheel thing. I do think some large off road tires don’t require balancing. I was actually talking to Chris from Lite Brite about this, and he said he’s never balanced a set of tires 35” and above. I’d love to see some scientific studies done on this, because I’d really like for them to work. I was really reluctant to throw out 5lbs of balance beads… ugh!

[@WarPaintOffroad]

I understand. I’m shocked to hear what Chris said about balancing. That’s nuts to me. It’s one thing if you aren’t in road. But a whole other if you are driving down highways. I’d be cautious of that. However, if it didn’t need to be balanced and you put the beads in anyway….they will just spread around evenly anyway. But I have never heard of someone not balancing 35’s or larger and driving them on road with good results. The problem with most mud tires when they develop shimmy’s is that they wore unevenly. Usually that can’t be corrected by a balance. Sometimes it’s from not rotating often enough, or from not running at the proper air pressure. And sometimes it’s not even a tire issue at all, but an alignment issue. Lots of things can cause it. So it’s hard to say without looking at it.

[@jeepgreatstories]

@@WarPaintOffroad yeah, I was shocked too, but he showed me… even the step child has nothing balancing the tires… same with the buggies and the 4400 (of course those aren’t street driven). I will have to check the disco next time I see him. Anyway, I know all to well about weird tire wear… I was chasing it constantly when I was running milestars, drove me nuts constantly nutting and bolting everything. I think that was just a tire issue. What can you do? Hey, are you going to be at EJS? Would be cool to say hi 👋

[@WarPaintOffroad]

It would be awesome to say Hi! But I’m not going this year. I should be there next year though.

[@MacPoop]

Quick edit: I genuinely didn't leave this comment to be condescending to anyone or just outright mean, really only want to convey that the physics really do matter and *can* work against you, catastrophically! 1) you don't get any handling benefits at all by adding more unsprung weight *further away* from a hub centerline; You might, at low, straight-line-only speeds, but that's about it. 2) any damping action gained from a independent freely moving heavy fluid inside a rotating mass (inertia) will be immediately negated when that rotating mass changes direction and/or velicity, (especially rapid changes, everyone knows what gyroscopic force is) 3) we can't talk about gyroscopic force without the distinction between centripetal loading and gyroscopic force. 4) If we add 1, 2 and 3 together we better understand the physics and why balance beads, golf balls, bean bags and other such things left freely moving inside an enclosed space can work AGAINST you, when you hit the brakes (rapidly changing forward velocity; forward relative to the heavy, moving fluid that is), while change direction of the tire, all at the same time, often all these conditions changing rapidly at the same time.. Its not good. 5) ask an 18-wheeler tire manufacturer what balance beads actually do to an inside sidewall over time driven much over 45mph on bumpy windy twisty roads and why a growing number of trucking companies specifically forbid their use

[@MacPoop]

I forgot to add ... It ain't all just your jeep's loose track rod end causing death wobble! It has a hard enough time trying to fight big heavy taller aftermarket wheels and tires as it is (more unsprung weight PLUS the natural imbalance).. Balance beads are just wearing out the track rod end bush faster under dynamic driving conditions truth be told. There's no replacement for fixed weight balancing from machines calibrated to the appropriate tire O.D. - If the shop "can't get it to balance" with fixed weights either their machine is too small, uncalibrated, or the operator doesn't know how to use it.

[@pete1735]

So add 2 ounces more to each tire

[@jordanthomas2210]

Thank you! It had to be said and you nailed it!🤘

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Thanks for the support!

[@jordanthomas2210]

Have you ever known anybody to use the Magnum+ brand. I would like to buy these in bulk.

[@bigdadgo]

I heard balance beads wear down the inside lining of the tire pretty severely.

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Never had that happen or seen that happen. I have been running them in Offroad tires for YEARS. But I guess if you don’t run the right stuff it could cause issues…

[@bigdadgo]

@@WarPaintOffroad kzbin.info/www/bejne/naOoqGSOq6iLqM0

[@clayton203]

Read stories of hittting potholes or something similar and they loose there ability to balance until you stop and start rolling again Any thrutj to this with your balance beads

[@WarPaintOffroad]

I have never had that to be an issue. I personally have never experienced it. I will say that they do work better in larger diameter tires. That may have something to do with the people that have experienced that. I have also heard of people not having a good experience with them and come to find out they didn’t use true balance beads. I can say that I have never experience a problem even on pot holes with a 37 inch tire or larger using the right beads. That’s with different tire manufacturers and different wheels.

[@clayton203]

@@WarPaintOffroad I have 35x12.50x15 km3s, Classic vibration around 55, starts around 52, real nice around 56 and smoothed back out at 60, mayb a slight vibration around 66, and smoothes back out real nice at 70, Had them spin balanced and it may move the vibration around give or take, but has never got rid of it, got about 15000 miles on these tires, they are wearing great, I don’t ride around with them vibrating like that, I always adjust my speed so I am not in the vibration zone,

[@jasgap]

Do they work at low speed?

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Great question. So they don’t. But, at low speed you don’t need a balanced tire. You could run a tire without them or having a car tire balanced at low speed and never have a wobble or vibration. If you do it is t because of tire balance. They do tend to work best on larger tires. So if you have 33’s or 35’s, you might not get the best result.

[@jasgap]

@@WarPaintOffroad OK, Thanks, I have 39s Baja Pros and solid axles, the wobble like crazy, just ordered a TUB from amazon, thanks for the advise.

[@WarPaintOffroad]

@@jasgap no problem! It could be other things causing the wobble too. Balljoints, unit bearings, track bar bushings, etc. any of that can make you think that it’s wheel balance. But if it is wheel balance, 15 ounces in each tire will definitely take care of it.

[@bigben4159]

So can I run beads without the bead lock

[@WarPaintOffroad]

You could. But the real benefit is with Beadlocks. Reason being that most tire shops will charge you for mounting AND balancing In one fee. But mounting a beadlock is very labor intensive and many shops won’t do it. So it makes sense to balance it yourself at home when you mount them. But if you are already paying to have them mounted and balanced…you might as well just let them balance them. One day if you run beadlocks…they are the way to go.

[@bigben4159]

@@WarPaintOffroad i have my own machine just that my 35s are hard to balance with sticky weights so wanting to get beads

[@WarPaintOffroad]

@@bigben4159 then I’d definitely try it! I think you’ll be very happy. Of the tires are in good shape and the suspension components are good….it should work great. When people don’t have success it’s usually for the reasons mentioned in the video or because they didn’t use enough weight. I’d try to use like 13 ounces for a 35. It might not need all of them..but the extra will just evenly spread around the tire.

[@bigben4159]

@@WarPaintOffroad 13 oz in each tire?

[@WarPaintOffroad]

@@bigben4159 yes sir. That should work in my experience.

[@umadbra]

I do HVAC work...i put nitrogen in my tires just because i have nitrogen readily available.

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Nitrogen works well because the pressure doesn’t change with temperature. However, it does nothing to balance a tire on a wheel.

[@umadbra]

@@WarPaintOffroad cause you were talking about moisture in air.

[@umadbra]

Try spray foam... They'll stop flats too!

[@elchicousana2]

For avoid humidity use a silica gel or humidity in air compressor or use Nitrogen

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Yes. But it an Offroad vehicle it’s just not realistic. Because you are constantly letting air out and airing back up your tires using various compressors. And people don’t carry around tanks of nitrogen. You could I suppose. But odds are you would introduce moisture eventually. So it’s just easier to avoid the problem all together by using the right beads.

[@elchicousana2]

@@WarPaintOffroad great video BTW. And if nitrogen is not an option then... Check on ABC Balancing beads, their beads are not only made of tempered glass so the will less prone to shatter but also has a SILICON coating, so humidity in air is not important anymore, I use them on my Off-Road VW sedan and they are great. A bonus, something additional with them is that they create a electrostatic charge that let them keep "glued" temporarily to tire walls, so no matter if you slow down or are below 40-60mph, or you go on a track full of bumps, beads keep balance after one spin above 40-60mph (depending on rim and tire hight) and then no Mather where you go they will keep wheels on balance, rebalancing if needed when tire wears or any other tire change.

[@tylerlawson6749]

What brand and what side beads you using

[@tylerlawson6749]

Size beads*

[@WarPaintOffroad]

They are called EZ Tire Beads. The size isn’t specified. I bought them on Amazon. They are pretty small though.

[@user-zz9bf9mh2k]

Instead of a dedicated shop-vac, you can put a pantyhose sock over the end of the vacuum hose and suck the beads into it.

[@WarPaintOffroad]

You can! I have done that before with bolts and things I couldn’t reach. That’s a great idea! I first saw Stacy David do that years ago. I think it was even before his show “Gears” was on.

[@sickmansgas483]

Just put a sock or cloth on the end of the shop vac hose lol

[@WarPaintOffroad]

You could for sure. But…they are extremely small and there are an awful lot of them. So it would take multiple times and you would probably such many of them through the fabric because they are just soooo small.

[@rebel9838]

Airsoft bullets are plastic they don't hold moisture, your thinking about orbies

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Yea I know what Orbies are. Those wouldn’t work at all inside a tire. They aren’t what I meant. What I meant my the air soft pellets “holding” moisture, is that when moisture gets into the tire it can cause them to stick together and clump. The ceramic don’t do that even when there is moisture.

[@takeonetheater]

#500!

[@snowking171]

Just get some centramatics and be done with it

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Just a fancy balance bead that is ugly behind the wheel. Does the same thing as beads when the beads are done properly.

[@rhunter3406]

Golf balls! 3 for 33s 4 for 35s 5 for 37s and 6 for 40+ SO MUCH CHEAPER! and proven for 30 years of having beadlocks

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Interesting. I have NEVER heard of that.

[@That_LowriderSt_Guy]

Been balancing semi truck steer tires for year with golf balls!

[@WarPaintOffroad]

@@That_LowriderSt_Guy yea. I knew about the balance beads in semi’s. It’s pretty standard. But I NEVER heard of doing it with golf balls. I’m kind of surprised it works. But obvious it does for you! Very cools

[@douglasmckee754]

If your spending a butt load of money on your tire's and wheel's,buy New bead's.

[@WarPaintOffroad]

No reason to buy new beads every 15k miles.

[@douglasmckee754]

@@WarPaintOffroad Wow you go thru tires that fast?

[@rebel9838]

Or you can feel the not heavy spot.....same concept as a missile knows where it is based off where it isnt lol

[@anthonynewman2579]

Too much information and not getting to the point!!

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Haha. Well the video would have been pretty terrible if it started and I just said…”yes” and the video ended. People want to understand them. It thanks for the tip!

[@garybailey758]

When using balancing beads do you weigh just the tire or do you weigh the tire and rim together

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Just the tire. The wheel by itself is usually fairly balanced. Good rule of thumb to add a few extra ounces.

[@williamh6547]

What about if you have tpms sensors?? Still ok to use them?? Thanks

[@WarPaintOffroad]

Absolutely!

[@pedrolmpenichet]

Go straight to the point, there is too much straw in your explanation...

[@pedrolmpenichet]

at the end you never show how to install them.... F word to you.

[@nickodar5780]

😂 chill

[@AnitaReno-re2iv]

Wait you tell me a piece of s*** Jeep don't have a f****** death wobble