Trailer Tires: Do They Need Balanced?

There are lots of things to consider when it comes to your trailer tires. The decision to balance those tires is something that could mean all the difference in how your trailer rides. I’ll discuss several things to think about when it comes to balancing your trailer tires.
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Links to products that may be helpful:
Milton Dual Head Tire Pressure Guage amzn.to/4e5lPHN
Milton Analog Tire Inflator w/Pressure Guage amzn.to/3TcyeSn
Milton Pencil Tire Pressure Guage amzn.to/3TcyjWb
Milton Dual Head Straight Foot Air Chuck amzn.to/3X9VWjb
Lisle Bearing Packer amzn.to/3UYHQQQ
Channellock Pliers amzn.to/3wEFQoR
Black Lightning Nitrile Gloves amzn.to/3yvXI6b
Chemical Resistant Nitrile Glove amzn.to/46JnkZU
Shop Towels In A Box amzn.to/3SgG7FL
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[@wynncull9415]

Finally! Someone that believes trailer tires should be balanced and maintained properly.😊

[@eddie8279]

I had a customer when I was mgr of a tire shop that maintained his livestock trailer tires on rotation,air pressure and ballancing just like his truck. he hauled livestock localy with a gooseneck trailer and one ton truck almost on a daily basis and got long life from his efforts. so yes,its worth it!

[@ronpaul8872]

When I balance a tire if it needs excessive weight I always break down the tire and rotate it on the rim. Most of the time It reduces the amount of weight needed to balance tthe assembly.

[@dre04mach]

They have fancy roadforce balancers that scan the rim/tire and apply road force to them to figure out how much you need to rotate it for optimum - and even estimate how much weights you'll save. I have the cheesy chinabay balancer everyone has, but damn those roadforce hunter machines are amazing... 18 grand for one though, yikes!

[@rdththth]

An auto mechanic told me about his vocational school training where they learned to mount and balance tires. He stressed how important it was to do a ‘check spin’, one final spin to verify the balance after adding the weights. Lots of people will skip this step to save time. The instructor rigged a tire to create a challenge to his students. This tire would always fail the check spin. This lead to lots of confusion and frustration, and lead most of the students to conclude that the spin balancer was defective. The instructor made them keep working on the problem. One student suggested trying to flip the tire over on the rim. That’s when they discovered the instructor had slipped a loose wheel weight inside the tire.

[@mikehrynyk434]

Simply put……YES

[@BlackGoldAcademy]

More video ideas: - How to handle chucking. Causes of it and products you like to deal with it. - Uneven Tire wear patterns. What causes them and how to correct the root causes. - RV 5th wheel hitch options. Conventional 5th wheel hitch or conversion to gooseneck style. Pros and cons of both. - Trailer tire rotation. Keep up the great work! Love these and your style.

[@curtdrangsholt1132]

Pennzoil ultra platinum is a TOP tier oil, probably best you can buy in a bulk store next to amsoil. And it’s cheaper so yes, pennzoil is still a great oil

[@joelstanley1920]

The tire and wheel balance is great. Most will balance hub center. Trailer wheels are lug centered. Most problem come from the lug studs not centered in the hub.

[@jcarieri5435]

I always have my trailer wheels balanced. It only costs a small amount to do. Not sure if it improves the ride, but it makes me feel better.

[@jamesezell2000]

Excellent video as always. This was the same conversation I had with local tire shops. They gave me all the right reasons to balance auto tires, but didn’t normally do trailer tires the same. I asked about that same tire hop at high speeds on a trailer from being unbalanced, the additional wear on suspension from it, the extra flexing in the build of the tire. Need more education in the tire industry obviously. Now let’s talk trailer suspensions:types, pros and cons, where they’d be seen more often application wise.👍

[@Roger-eh7ez]

Excellent and your "more" section is great!

[@DCSPORTSTER]

I use wheel weights,stick on weights and balance beads. I have my own tire changer and wheel balancer. I think it’s very important to keep your tires balanced so you don’t take other parts out on whatever vehicle the tires are on. I use balance beads on my motorcycle. On my ATV, I just balance the wheels, but you could use balance beads. Every time I use my motorcycle or ATV or pull my trailer I always check the tire pressure and check the truck tire pressure at least every couple weeks. Being a mechanic, a tire or a coolant leak on your vehicle will put you on the side of the road broke down.

[@johndias6614]

THANK YOU! I'm done arguing this on a trailer Facebook group (I left the group). My new 2024 RJ 6x10 chimp was getting a vibration when empty. I took it to a little independent tire shop and he said yes trailer tires need to be balanced. He balanced them and it's great now. He had two goose neck cattle traders in there for balancing at the time.

[@WA-mi3lt]

I totally agree with balancing trailer tires. It’s no different than anything else mechanical, if it doesn’t work smoothly it doesn’t last long. Including everything attached to it.

[@929cbr_rr]

I always balance my trailer wheels/tires. One other thing to consider is that some wheels are lug centric. If so, the "correct" way to balance them is to use the lug adapter plate on the balance machine. You may have to "educate" your tire mount guy on this subject.

[@sferg9582]

Most balance machines will not work if you're using beads in your tires, so checking them on a machine won't work. Beads work when the rotation speed of the tire reaches about 20 mph minimum, balance machines will maybe reach around 10 mph.

[@jaybrooks2502]

Wow you are a wealth of knowledge and information! Keep up the good work!

[@TheTrailerSmith]

I appreciate that! Thanks for watching!

[@jsigmon57]

Great video. I always have my camper tires balanced. I've seem a lot of videos of cameras set up inside a TT, and there is a big difference in the vibration level between balanced and unbalanced tires. Without fail the tire guy will say, " Balanced? They're just trailer tires!' I then say," I will pay extra for the balance", and that usually quiets his protests.

[@TheTrailerSmith]

Thanks for watching!

[@guyfranks4354]

In my experience since the tire indudustry stopped using lead alloy tap on weights and switched to zinc alloy weights, I have seen many new tap on weights within 1/4 mile of a big chain tire store. I think they fall off because the heat treat of the clips that are cast onto the weights is altered due to the higher casting temperature of the zinc alloy. Zinc melts at a much higher temperature than lead. I find your videos informative and I await the next one.

[@richardnwilson]

My small utility trailer shook the entire car until I got the Wheels balanced and now they're smooth as silk.

[@Okie-Tom]

Hey Trailersmith. A video I would like to see is one on proper lug nut torque for the different axles and either steel or aluminum wheels. When you buy a new trailer I have never seen any documentation as to what torque to keep the lug nuts at. Thanks, Tom

[@TheTrailerSmith]

Great minds! Thanks for the idea. This video should be out this Sunday. Be on the lookout for it.

[@JT-lq4yd]

My thoughts, if you will never go faster than 30 mph for extended amounts of time or farm setting, no balance required.

[@justinsmith4261]

Great information, Thanks for sharing.

[@tdkendall]

Thanks again! When you say check your balance every year, how does the average guy do that? Take off all four tires and take them to a garage?? If so, thats quite the hassle.

[@dwightblackburn546]

I have followed campers and trailers down the highway and could see daylight under the tire hopping so high. That's the way you wear out the springs shackles and beat up the trailer. You got to ballance tires.

[@donaldsmith881]

Great video brother. People need to get over looks and get over weights on there pretty rims. Balance the tire get better performance out of the rim and tire. Less ware less vibration smoother ride all around just better.

[@ghostpepperrides4805]

Beads work. I prefer the weights. Especially if tire has TPMS. Do a video on tires with sidewall blemish. Dents in sidewalls.

[@burtburt1755]

I always get my trailer tires balanced. The tire shop told me most of the time it's just a trailer tire like you said they would. I do have a question for you ref Travel Trailer tires. I only get to use my trailer about 2 times a year so the trailer just sits there. Does it hurt the tire sitting for 6 months or so. Wondering about just stands. I've watch many of your videos and haven't seen this topic covered. Thanks for sharing your time and knowledge.

[@daryn_Canada_1066]

I jack up our boat trailer and put stands under the trailer. I'm not a mechanic but I think it's better for tires and bearings? Anyone pulling a boat or camping trailer should have balanced tires, very cheap insurance. Don't forget to check the lug nuts and tire pressure. Great video. Someday could you talk about tires dates, what do you suggest? Cheers

[@Granpaa]

Weight Method (Yellow Mark) When performing weight match-mounting, the yellow mark on the tire, indicating the point of lightest weight, should be aligned with the valve stem on the wheel assembly, which represents the heaviest weight point of the wheel assembly. After match-mounting by either of the above methods, the tire/wheel assembly can be balanced. So says YOKOHAMA

[@k-mparker]

Niiiice comprehensive video!!! What are your thoughts on centramatic wheel balancers for the trailer🤔🤔 I run them on my 1 ton dually and very satisfied with them. I know a couple of fellas who have them on their fifth wheels are love them.

[@bparkinson1234]

Hey .. new video. Should I rotate my trailer tires? How often miles and time. How to rotate. Position. Thanks!

[@TheTrailerSmith]

Excellent idea! Stay tuned!

[@ppainterco]

@TheTrailerSmith - how about a video on doing a safety check of the trailer? When I pull over for fuel or bio break, I have a checklist to check chains, cable, make sure the hitch is sitting on the ball and is latched, propane tank is off, tires look ok (no bulges, not flat, etc.), doors are closed and locked, nothing smells hot, etc. Have anything to add, or can expound on what to look for?

[@freightliner18]

Personally not a fan of the balance beads. I tried them in my Jeep years ago because frequent off roading would get mud and stones stuck in the wheels, and the trip home before you could get it washed out would throw the balance off. I vacuumed the beads out and went with Centramatic balancers and love them. I still get the tires machine balanced, then the Centramatics make up for the mud.

[@waexplorer]

My experience with balance beads has been positive. Used them in a motor home and a Land Cruiser FJ60. I spun up one of the Land Cruiser tires after putting the beads in and was way out of balance. My thought was the machine spins the tire up too fast for beads to settle in to where they need to be. It drives down the road smooth at any speed it can reach (it's a stock inline six. Zero to 60 in about a week). I have a travel trailer and when the current tires age out I will use beads in them.

[@chuckfinley3152]

Balance beads are amazing in big trucks etc because they don't accelerate fast enough to clump the beads up, I used them in a pre runner truck and they often would bunch up in one spot under hard acceleration and would shake the hell out of you, no biggie just slow down or bit a bump it usually sorted out. But for light vehicles it's mostly meh. They absolutely work as long as they have time to spread out where they need to be.

[@davidpotter7484]

I've never fully understood the reasoning. On class 8 trucks and trailers, none of the wheels are balanced. I tried the grey balancing stuff in a new set of steers in 1995, and it was almost 1,000 miles of a really rough ride. My tires have always worn perfectly, unless i had an issue that needed correction. In the last decade or so, balancing plates have because more common. They are mounted on the studs between duals, or behind the steer tires. Usually 80-120,000 miles on steer tires, significantly more on drive tires and trailer.

[@doucetrr2007]

👍🥇

[@joedias-ih9xf]

Great video. should I rotate my tires once a year I’ve got a triple axle.

[@river_keith]

Two axle tire rotation?

[@FulltimingBrinkley3950]

How about Centramatics on trailer tires?

[@davidmeyers4510]

Good video. I have mine balanced when they are put on new. I haven't been doing a periodic rebalance. You mentioned tire rotation in this video. What is your opinion on rotating trailer tires?

[@240Turbo48]

Balance beads and regular rotation have increased tire life significantly. Use beads on all my vehicles and trailers for the past 15 years and will never go back to wheel weights.

[@professionalinspectionserv9468]

Thankyou for this information. I bought a new triple axel utility trailer, just made the assumption that the factory would have, guess what I am going to do, I am balancing the tires. Always have on older trailers on tire replacement. Not related, do you or can you recommend a good tool for brake adjustments. I have spoon style but it is very difficult to use due to space, angle and catching the teeth. Thank you.

[@clarkfamilyvideo207]

What’s your thoughts on using nitrogen to pressure trailer tires.

[@billchesney8949]

Do balance beads wear out the inside of the tire over time

[@mikeadler434]

👍👍

[@thnksno]

The local trailer place wanted to sell me mounted Chy-nah tires. My traylor has aluminum wheels. Anyway, the tayer shop had Goodyears. So, I got them. The tire shop asked if I wanted them balanced. Dood sed, balancing was free as they included it in their car tayer mounting price. So, why not?

[@floyd6545]

I've never used balance beads. Can you put too many in a tire.

[@lpeter5781]

What do you think about protecting the tire from UV rays? Dose putting plywood up against the tire help? Or does it trap moisture against the tire? I have an enclosed trailer that sits outside 12 months a year.

[@GYPSY400]

Yeah a sheet of plywood would help immensely. don't worry about the moisture as there is plenty of air flow.

[@ericsadventuresfishing8832]

if you're going to be driving down the highway at 70 mph balance them bad boys running around the farm not so much

[@1hasbeen531]

What about Centramatic balancers?

[@amandadavis9726]

I used a set on my truck, and they were inconsistent in their performance. Hope that helps.

[@freightliner18]

I put Centramatics on my Jeep after the beads let me down, I loved them the first trip out. I got way too much off balance with the beads.

[@amandadavis9726]

@@freightliner18 seems like there’s the potential to get mixed results.

[@rdththth]

This video didn’t cover static vs dynamic balance. Static balance fixes the vertical hopping of a tire. Centramatic balancers and beads compensate for static imbalance, but not dynamic imbalance. Dynamic balance fixes imbalances where one side of a tire is heavy on the outside, and the other side of the tire is heavy on the inside. This type of imbalance tries to twist the wheel rotation outside of the vertical plane. The tire tries to wobble side-to-side. It is possible for a tire to be perfectly balanced statically, but severely out of balance dynamically. It is desirable to have evenly distributed forces on wheel bearings for the best bearing life. Dynamic imbalance concentrates force on specific places on the wheel bearing races, which accelerates the bearing wear. I use Centramatic balancers, but also do dynamic balance. By using dynamic balance, it will get the balance close to perfect to begin with, leaving very little extra for the Centramatic balancers to correct. As the tires wear, they will naturally move more and more out of balance, but the Centramatic balancers will do a good job of keeping up with the changes. Ice on the inside of rims can throw off the balance, and Centramatic balancers will do a good job of constantly keeping up with the changes in balance caused by ice. Centramatic balancers have a long life, and will likely last long enough to be re-used on new equipment.

[@jameshuggins4300]

I work for a large electric utility in the south. My company puts tire beads in everything. Trucks trailers it doesn't matter. Seems to work they have used them for years

[@rdththth]

The rate of fatigue cracking on trailer components is greatly reduced when you can eliminate eight hundred or so extra shakes per mile with proper wheel balance.

[@tsrvadventures3219]

IMO trailer tires must be balanced. Reduces wear, increases tire life, reduces vibrations in the suspension and shaking things loose inside RV trailer. Yes trailer rims can be lug centric instead of hub centric. If tire shop or RV manufacturer says not necessary to balance trailer tires, ignore them or avoid them, they are idiots. Balance beads can plug up TPMS flow through sensors. I use Centramatic balancing plates on 235x80xR16 Load G 14 ply. Not only balances the rim/tire but also the hub/spindle. Have worked perfect now for 5 years. JMHO of course

[@GBsPitstop]

Dude - you can’t say that about Pennzoil without an explanation. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@kurtthomsen2414]

Do the beads affect the TPMS sensors?

[@jasonlovell3934]

I had a dual axle trailer with a shake and it turned out 3 wheels were out of round. They were probably that way since new.

[@BocoGreenpeace]

Hmm, just a trailer tire? There are way less trailers on the road, but I’ve seen almost as many trailers on the side of the road with a flat as cars.

[@jeffrogers8314]

Wish i lived near you .where are you located

[@TheTrailerSmith]

Hi! Thanks for watching. I am in north Texas.

[@bmiller7710]

Maybe start with a good balancer! Do you charge people and use that junker?

[@TheTrailerSmith]

Talked about that in the video.

[@bmiller7710]

@@TheTrailerSmith call the local Hunter rep and ask for a demo, SWHN is a great lower cost balancer. Sorry I skip through a lot of videos! Lol

[@matthood9838]

Date code; how old is too old?

[@johndias6614]

You forgot to say "tighten your lug nuts!"

[@williamloper6335]

When tires are made they are not perfect they need to be balanced

[@flyovercounty1427]

I balance any tire that will be run above 30mph

[@jimgoodwin6440]

Vibration is bad.