Barthmobile Portal
Tire Balancing

This topic can be found at:
https://www.barthmobile.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3631087061/m/1481070872

09-17-2007, 12:39 AM
Gary Carter
Tire Balancing
I put all new Bridgestones 8R19.5s on the Breakaway last winter and into each on I put about 16 onces of anti-freeze. We have put about 12,000 miles on them and you hardly know they are on the coach they run so smooth.

I have used active balancing for almost 20 years now. In the past it has always been Equal. This is a powder. This time after a conversation with a trucker friend I decided to use anti-freeze.


'92 Barth Breakaway - 30'
5.9 Cummins (6B) 300+ HP
2000 Allison
Front entrance
09-17-2007, 12:59 AM
olroy
Anti-freeze in tires. This is a new one on me. Any commentaries on the theory, purpose & history of this idea? Automotive anti-freeze, or RV-type anti-freeze? How about the compatibility of either product with tire rubber? Inquiring minds want to know.
09-17-2007, 03:26 AM
bill h
We used to use salt water in our tractor tires. It didn't freeze and was way cheaper than Zerone. And the hired man wouldn't go blind from sneaking a drink. Corrosion wasn't a concern with tube type tires.

It improved both traction and high speed stability. I think farmers use windshield washer fluid nowadays.

Dynamic balancing should work the same whether the weight is lead shot, liquid, ceramic beads, mercury, steel shot in oil, powder, sand, balls in a raceway, or just plates that can move. All have been used. I use a liquid in my motorcycle that is supposed to be both dynamic balancer and flat proofer.


.

84 30T PeeThirty-Something, 502 powered
09-17-2007, 11:04 AM
olroy
I remember the water in tractor tires to provide weight for added traction - the same reason we used to put concrete blocks or sandbags in the trunk to improve traction in wintertime.

Unfortunately, our Minnesota farmers were too conservative to hot-rod their tractors to the extent they needed "added high-speed stability." They bragged if they had a "road gear" that would give them 15-20 mph on the highway.

Not many tractor manufacturers built their products with racing suspensions, so your average tractor was already a handful at those road speeds. Of course, by now they may be making them with 4-wheel independent suspension, & disc brakes

16 ounces in an RV tire is inconsequential, but if you tried the tractor tire bit on a road vehicle, you'd have a dangerous amount of unsprung weight.