What Type of Balancing Process Is Used for Special Trailer Tires

Updated 07/12/2018 | Published 07/11/2018

Question:

I am replacing acme tow dolly tires. Original tires come balanced with beads. How important, if at all, is it to use the same balancing system?

asked by: Andy W

Helpful Expert Reply:

Special trailer tires do not really need to be given a full dynamic balance like passenger vehicle tires do, but tires on a tow dolly probably should be balanced since just these two tires will have an effect the overall handling of the dolly. I checked with Acme and they do recommend use of balanced tires on their tow dollies to minimize vibration.

The bead balancing technique originated in the heavy equipment world, on vehicles like dumps trucks for example, which typically have very large and heavy tires. Tires this big are tough to mount on a balancing machine, and this is required to allow an actual dynamic balancing process while the tires are being rotated. The bead technique was a practical balancing solution for that specific type of large low-speed tire but it has found its way into other applications because it is simple and inexpensive.

Trailer tires like # AM3H490 are neither machine balanced nor bead balanced. These are mounted together by the distributor with the tire's light spot mated to the wheel's heavy spot. This provides a degree of balance comparable to beads. But neither the light/heavy matching nor the beads will produce a tire/wheel that is as well-balanced as one that has actually been given a machine-operated dynamic balance like new automobile tires always get when purchased.

For a tow dolly traveling at highway speeds it is recommended to have the tires dynamically balanced by a shop with the appropriate equipment.

expert reply by: Adam R