Ceramic beads used to balance tires?

[JetMech727]

Has anyone used them? Thoughts? I never have but have been thinking about trying them. Had a long discussion with someone over the weekend who uses them with great results. My question was, "if they are that good then why doesn't everyone use them"? I guess they are pretty popular with the big tire street driven 4x4 crowd. And come to find out my new Honda motorcycle came from the factory with them.

 

[Neshkoro]

They were popular for a while back in the stone age (the 60's). I never used them myself. That's all I know about them. I can't seem to remember the name of them.

 

[Gerry]

Dynabeads. Great stuff.

 

[Neshkoro]

That's it Gerry. At least some of us still have a memory! Thanks.

 

[fletcherson]

The theory is sound... It would compensate for flat spots, cord shift, wear, pot holes and curbs... Where I live, it's difficult to keep tires balanced

 

[Gerry]

Lots of bikers have solved front wheel problems with beads that nothing else would fix.
Best thing with flat spots is that as the spot changes the beads re position themselves to take that into account. Clever little buggers!!!!

 

[fletcherson]

I'm ready to try some.

 

[Swampdog]

As I recall, while working at a full service (remember them) gas station when we demounted tubeless tires occasionally we would find several small rubber ball inside the tire. Wisdom at the time was that it was from small pieces of dirt rolling around inside the tire.

 

[JetMech727]

Update, I talked to the guy at Checkered Flag ceramic tire ballance beads. He's a muscle car guy and does not recommend the beads for our application. Reason is under hard acceleration / spinning the tires the beads don't have time to work and can actually make things worse. He uses them in everything he owns except his 69 Roadrunner.

On the other hand I took his advice and found someone close by that has a Hunter road force balancing machine. Took my tires today and had them redone and made sure they did them at the tire pressures I run. WOW!!! What a difference!!! Cost me $50 and worth every penny imo. Especially on the rears. I highly recommend giving it a shot if your looking to get your ride as smooth as possible . Here's one link to the machine but suggest you do your homework as I did before I pulled my wheels and took them in. They did it while I hung out and watched. Machine can be calibrated to use either clip on or stick on weight. I chose non lead clip on on the back side only. Machine takes tire wobble and out of round as well as other parameters into account.

 

[Gerry]

I have trouble in the UK finding a machine that can take the size of my rears. Everyone that I tried couldn't mount the wheel on their machine....

Reason is under hard acceleration / spinning the tires the beads don't have time to work and can actually make things worse.

In that case a quick stop and restart would 'reset' things. One thing to consider is the size of rears some of us run, a lot bigger than a 69RR.
Interesting points though.