Do you balance your boat trailer wheels?

FisherJack · 07-17-2008, 01:45 PM

My wife took in two boat trailer wheels to Les Schwab today to get new tires put on them (bless her soul). The tire installer asked her if they were to be balanced. She called and asked me. I asked her to ask the guy why they should not be balanced. As near as I could hear in the background, the guy said that some boat trailer owners do not want their trailer tires balanced because it causes the trailer to bounce around more. I told her to have him balance the tires.

Should I have left them unbalanced? Do any of you dogs know anything about this theory that they should not be balanced? My trailer is only a single-axle trailer, if that makes any difference.

Orca · 07-17-2008, 01:58 PM

More bounce unbalanced - that's a good one. Can't wait to see who can explain this away. I balance all mine. I've hauled trailers with unbalanced tires/wheels and I can tell immediately that there is something wrong.

Reel Obsession · 07-17-2008, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orca

More bounce unbalanced - that's a good one. Can't wait to see who can explain this away. I balance all mine. I've hauled trailers with unbalanced tires/wheels and I can tell immediately that there is something wrong.

hookup1 · 07-17-2008, 02:20 PM

Balanced

Hellibut · 07-17-2008, 02:32 PM

Absolutely balanced. If someone said this would cause the trailer to bounce more I would sure like to hear the theory behind it.

Freakwater · 07-17-2008, 02:40 PM

I'm about to replace 4 tires on a trailer and have talked to numerous tire guys over the last month. For whatever reason, the consensus is it's unnecessary to balance trailer tires. I can't imagine why tire dealers would try to talk you out of giving them more $$$, so I'm inclined to believe that it is true. If you don't get them balanced and find you have a noticeable shimmy, by all means, go get them balanced.

Freakwater

FisherJack · 07-17-2008, 02:41 PM

Well, I, too, thought that theory was a little strange. That is why I chose to have them balanced. But, on the other hand, here was a professional tire shop guy raising the question and saying that some boat trailer owners prefer not to have the tires balanced. I thought maybe he knew something that I didn't know.

Nw dukn · 07-17-2008, 02:48 PM

Alway balanced..

Wilmyster · 07-17-2008, 02:52 PM

In my younger days I balanced a lot of tires, never heard of being bad to balance?

CATCH AND EAT · 07-17-2008, 03:12 PM

Balance good Daniel san. Ha!

tracker · 07-17-2008, 05:51 PM

Same place always gives me troulbe when I bring in the trailer and ask to have them balanced and rotated! They dont want to do the work. The thing is they say you wont notice a difference. How can it not make a difference? Silly! Balance!

fishonjon · 07-17-2008, 05:58 PM

Yes balanced!

Reel Obsession · 07-17-2008, 06:02 PM

I could see it not making a big difference, mainly because you won't likely feel it the way you can fee a slight imbalance on a car, and a little less on a truck. But that it would make the trailer bounce more??? Someone explain the science in that to me...

Lurp · 07-17-2008, 07:45 PM

A good freind of mine has managed several tire shops over the past twenty years
He says and I quote 'Not balancing tires on a trailer is hard on the tire, it causes uneven wear, and can cause the tire to separate over time if you travel at higher speeds like freeways, especially on long trips the tires will build up lots of heat. You won't feel the vibration and the tire will separate without warning.
I think he would know

Good-Times · 07-17-2008, 09:30 PM

I recently hauled my boat to South Carolina from Eugene, we stopped in the Dallas to have the tires balanced, and I was not going to experience the vibration of unbalanced tires for 3000 more miles. I just took delivery of our new boat yesterday and by all means I will get them balance right away. What a difference it made. I am sure it was much better on the tires as well. I vote for balancing the tires.

Onokai · 07-17-2008, 10:45 PM

I like to cut the rubber off on four sides so they are square like Fred Flintstones rig-That way you know the trailer is back here when your on the road. Low air pressure also makes for softer ride. Mark

Reel Creel · 07-18-2008, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orca

More bounce unbalanced - that's a good one. Can't wait to see who can explain this away. I balance all mine. I've hauled trailers with unbalanced tires/wheels and I can tell immediately that there is something wrong.

Balanced, I can tell right away when somthing is out. I like it to sing down the road.

StickFish · 07-18-2008, 05:20 AM

Balanced - it transfers less vibration to your load. With an RV made from staples and wet tissue paper it can mean the difference - to a boat one less way to loosen a fastner.

Reel Obsession · 07-18-2008, 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Onokai

I like to cut the rubber off on four sides so they are square like Fred Flintstones rig-That way you know the trailer is back here when your on the road. Low air pressure also makes for softer ride. Mark

OK, now THAT was funny. However, quit changing the subject Onokai. We don't care what shape they are, or whether you put air in them or not, the question is balanced, or unbalanced.....

OB1 · 07-18-2008, 09:06 AM

What more vibration on the hubs and bearings? NOT
Always balance trailer tires!

Chrome Bumper · 07-18-2008, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lurp

A good freind of mine has managed several tire shops over the past twenty years
He says and I quote 'Not balancing tires on a trailer is hard on the tire, it causes uneven wear, and can cause the tire to separate over time if you travel at higher speeds like freeways, especially on long trips the tires will build up lots of heat. You won't feel the vibration and the tire will separate without warning.
I think he would know

Yep, balance them.

Fuzzy dice on the mirror also reduces trailer bounce. Many people have tried it and said so, 15-70% less bounce with the fuzzy dice. A lot of twig boy Poindexter types try to debunk the fact with fancy math and theories, but fuzzy dice are cheap and work.

Radials are bouncy, they make ones designed for trailers with thick side walls to reduce it.

LowerRiver · 07-18-2008, 09:31 AM

Depends on your tires. Are they radial tires or bias ply tires. No need to balance the bias ply tires.

Chesapeake · 07-18-2008, 09:40 AM

If it spins in circles at a high rate of speed like fan blades, drive lines, props, flywheels, tires, ect....... it needs to be ballanced. Live by that rule and your bearings will last alot longer.

CHROME CATCHER · 07-18-2008, 11:11 AM

absolutely balanced. if you ever saw a light trailer with tires out of balance they bounce all over and tire wear is horrible...always,always, always balance