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NATM Blog

Trailer Tires: To Balance or Not to Balance?

10/25/2019

33 Comments

 
PictureA tire balancing machine.
Is it necessary to balance trailer tires? Is it an unnecessary expense? Like many complicated issues, the answer is that it all depends. Since the primary duty of a trailer tire is supporting a vertical load, rather than gripping an automobile through turns, trailer tires do not have to be dynamically balanced like passenger car tires do. Steering and cornering are less of a concern on a trailer tire than they are on an automotive tire. Balanced passenger car tires prevent the passengers inside a vehicle from feeling the bumps and irregularities of the road at higher speeds. Although some trailer cargo requires the smoothest of rides, trailers transport cargo and equipment, rather than passengers, so the standard for ride quality is usually less of a concern.

The Challenges Associated with Balancing Trailer Tires
​

Trailer owners may struggle over the long haul to keep trailer tires balanced because their wheels tend to "throw weights." In other words, the tire balancing weights end up coming off of the trailer wheels during normal trailer usage, which can happen for a number of reasons. It is not uncommon for the weights to be thrown off when towing an unladen trailer because the trailer may bounce excessively without a load, especially through potholes and over rough terrain. Tandem or triple-axle trailers tend to throw weights when making tight turns as well.

Another aspect that makes balancing trailer tires challenging is that most automotive service centers are not equipped with the proper wheel balancing machine to correctly balance most trailer tires. Most trailer wheels are a lug centric design which means the wheels are centered on the hub by the torque of the lug nuts. On the other hand, many automotive wheels are a hub centric design. Most automotive service centers use a computerized "cone" balancer which works great on automotive hub centric wheels, but does not work very well on lug centric trailer wheels. In order to correctly balance trailer wheels, an adapter must be used on the cone balancer. To save time and avoid a wasted trip, customers should check with their automotive service center beforehand to make sure the company has the adapter to properly balance trailer tires.

Further complicating the issue is the fact that many trailer wheels are galvanized, and galvanized trailer wheels are usually not designed to be balanced. When the steel wheel is hot dipped galvanized, some of the liquid zinc often accumulates on one end. This can make galvanized wheels difficult to balance. However, the upside of galvanizing is the galvanized coating provides corrosion resistance to harsh environments such as salt water. If end-users are not sure whether or not their trailer wheels are galvanized, they should ask their trailer manufacturer or wheel manufacturer, and follow the wheel manufacturer’s specific instructions on whether or not they should balance their tires and if so, how best to do so. 

PictureTire beads on the inside of a tire are used to easily balance tires.
How does the Trailering Application Factor In?
​

Customers purchase trailers for a wide variety of reasons, and the intended use of the trailer is a significant factor when deciding whether to balance the trailer tires. For example, recreational vehicle trailers and boat trailers are often stored outside in harsh environments. These trailers are typically only pulled on a handful of trips each year. Some customers will not balance tires on these trailer models because they feel the tire will wear out from dry rot long before the tire tread is actually worn or any substantial benefit would be derived from having the tires balanced.

​In addition, the size of the trailer and the type of cargo transported are other useful factors for determining if tire balancing is necessary for a specific trailer. Valuable, fragile cargo may be more protected and have a smoother ride with balanced tires. In addition, trailer cargo can have a rough ride if vibration and suspension components lend themselves to instability when the trailer is on rougher roads, or the trailer is improperly loaded.

Another trend in recent years is installing custom wheels on trailers, including chrome and aluminum. These wheels have an attractive look and are typically acceptable for each trailer as long as the trailer manufacturer or end-user makes sure the wheels have the correct weight capacity for their trailer, as well as the correct wheel offset, which will assist in making sure the load is over the hub bearings.

PictureAn example of a tire weight used for tire balancing.
How do Wheels Factor In?
​

Customers can have their trailer tires balanced if they wish, but it is not essential to the proper operation of most trailers. As was previously mentioned, there are two distinct types of wheels found on today’s cars and light trucks. Hub centric wheels are centered by the center bore of the wheel and hub flange. Most trailer wheels are lug centric and are centered by the torque of the lug bolts, rather than the center bore of the wheel and hub flange. The most common automotive wheels are hub centric in design. The center hole of these wheels are the actual center bore of the wheel. If new tires are purchased for a set of stock wheels, the customer can have them balanced if they choose. If the customer balances the tires, they must take into account that many trailer wheels are lug centric. To get the best tire balance for lug-centric wheels, the tires should be balanced by a shop that uses a pin plate adapter. This mimics the way a lug-centric wheel is mounted to a hub and will result in the best overall outcome.
​
Many tire and wheel manufacturers balance tires by mounting their tire and wheel assemblies so the high, heavy spot on the tire is aligned with the low, light spot on the wheel. This provides adequate balancing for many trailer tires. Many trailer manufacturers purchase their tire and wheel assemblies mounted and inflated to PSI specifications from the factory. However, some do not, and it depends on the terms of the trailer manufacturer’s agreement with their tire and wheel supplier. Some end-users insist their trailer tires be balanced, but the majority of trailer customers are probably not concerned with whether or not the tires are balanced. Most end-users simply want their trailer to adequately perform its function. However, in some applications the end-user may not be aware that adequate performance for their particular trailer requires that the trailer tires be balanced or balancing the tires would greatly improve the ride quality of the trailer.

33 Comments
Abhijeet Das link
2/26/2020 01:04:12 am

I would like to know how the wheel balancing and alignment costs compare as to the website of TyreHub

https://www.tyrehub.com/balancing-alignment/

TyreHub claims to be the most affordable in wheel services and costings.
Please visit and let me know

Reply
TyreHub link
3/19/2020 04:26:44 am

Thank you for connecting with TyreHub.

Also please check our Tyre listings to get the most affordable tyres .

Reply
Dan R. Sutterfield
4/14/2020 08:13:04 am

I was charged for balancing a new trailer tire but when I checked there were no weights.
Is that possible for a tire to be in balance with no weights?

Reply
Clint
4/14/2020 10:29:18 am

Yes a tire can be balanced with no weights. It is just luck of the draw with how well the tire was molded. But in your case I guarantee you the techs never put your wheel on the balancer.

Reply
Waleed Ahmad link
4/16/2020 03:34:44 am

<a href="https://binictools.com/what-is-the-best-cut-off-wheel-for-stainless-steel/">Which is the best Cut off wheels?</a>

Reply
Bob link
5/25/2020 10:28:47 pm

I like what you said about making sure you have a bigger trailer for fragile goods. My wife and I need a trailer to transport a horse. I'll have to get one that can support at least 3000 pounds.

Reply
Kristofer Van Wagner link
12/8/2020 09:21:41 pm

I do agree that ensuring that our tires balance is important when we own an RV because it ensures a safe drive. As a matter of fact, the other day my brother mentioned that he is looking to buy a used fifth wheel for his RV to be kept for emergency cases. Maybe I will recommend him to ask his tire dealer or tire shop since his tires are due for balancing.

Reply
Tom
1/6/2021 09:06:06 pm

Trailer wheels/tyres should be balanced as an out of balance can create undesirable vibrations. These can cause internal damage in RVs and make horses uncomfortable in horse floats. The average 14"-15" tyre will exhibit unbalance at 80-90km/h which is a speed many trailers are towed at outside built up areas.

Reply
Phil wellman
1/13/2021 01:40:48 am

Want to purchase tires for 40 foot fifth wheel. We put lots of miles on it. Don’t want Chinese tired. Load range l where to buy them? Thankd

Reply
Adam Golightly link
3/4/2021 01:31:44 pm

My cousin has been thinking about taking some better care of his trailer because he wants to take it out on a mountain trip. He would really like to get some help from a professional to take better care of the tires in order to be more effective. It was interesting to learn about how he should check if the tires are galvanized because they are not designed to be balanced because of the coating.

Reply
Gord Taves
4/11/2021 05:25:01 am

In my opinion, given that most vacation trailers are a flimsy wooden box built on a set of wheels. I’ve done my best to have the wheels balanced to avoid vibrating the heck out of it.

Reply
Chris Pederson link
5/19/2021 09:48:02 am

It's good to know that trailer tires don't need to be balanced in order for everything to work properly. A ton of people overlook this and assume that the tires have to be equal pressure. That would be ideal but if it is not essential then I suggest people just hold off on it.

Reply
Braden Bills link
5/26/2021 08:02:22 am

I want to make sure that I take good care of my trailer. It makes sense that I would want to get the tires cared for! I'll be sure to work with a professional to make sure that I do this right.

Reply
Howard e Mosebar
6/2/2021 08:00:09 am

Everything you put in your article is wrong. You have no business writing these things.
Tires are balanced to protect them from shaking. None of those other circumstances has anything to do with tire balance. It has nothing to do with the kind of vehicle or kind of wheel or passenger comfort.
A tire that is bouncing up and down, even if it's not visible, is going to be damaged.
Please don't mislead people with technical articles you know nothing about.

Reply
Joe Tire
6/20/2021 12:34:56 pm

The standard for ST trailer tires is not to balance, generally because balance machines can't balance lug centered tires.

Reply
William T King
7/20/2021 11:34:46 pm

The author of this article answered your question before you asked it. The important thing to ask is if your shop that installing your tires can balance them appropriately. Don't leave comments that make you look like a dummy

Another aspect that makes balancing trailer tires challenging is that most automotive service centers are not equipped with the proper wheel balancing machine to correctly balance most trailer tires. Most trailer wheels are a lug centric design which means the wheels are centered on the hub by the torque of the lug nuts. On the other hand, many automotive wheels are a hub centric design. Most automotive service centers use a computerized "cone" balancer which works great on automotive hub centric wheels, but does not work very well on lug centric trailer wheels. In order to correctly balance trailer wheels, an adapter must be used on the cone balancer. To save time and avoid a wasted trip, customers should check with their automotive service center beforehand to make sure the company has the adapter to properly balance trailer tires.

Reply
Braden Bills link
6/25/2021 08:00:21 am

I'm getting a trailer, and I want to make sure that the tires last a long time. It makes sense that I would want to get my trailer tires balanced! I can see how that would be a good way to keep the tires healthy.

Reply
Hailey Miller link
7/12/2021 06:37:43 pm

Thanks for pointing out that valuable and fragile cargo may be more protected and have a smoother ride with balanced tires. I will keep this in mind since we are looking for a trailer rental on Monday. My husband and I are planning to take our two kids camping so this is really helpful because we have a lot of heavy stuff to bring.

Reply
Mia Evans link
7/30/2021 09:49:43 pm

Thanks for pointing out that the tires should be balanced by a shop that uses a pin plate adapter. I guess I need to look for a shop that has that equipment because I need to buy new tires for my trailer that I just bought last month. The tires just need to be replaced because they might get worn out after two long drives.

Reply
Jack Frailey link
8/12/2021 11:07:15 am

Using a pin adapter does not mean the trailer tire/wheel assy will be be balanced after its mounted on a trailer hub. Reason being trailer hubs are not balanced so throwing weights on the wheel may and has made any imbalance worse.
End users like LTL haulers who can put 100k-125k miles an year and 2 sometimes 3 sets of 15"/16"/17.5" tires on triaxle/tandem axle trailers and have 1-2 million miles doing this type of work have found what works and what some seem to think.
Another point we know from experience is most trailer wheel lug holes are not concentric to the wheels tire bead seat. Of course this tire assy can be balanced on a machine but once its mounted on the trailers hub it may cause a bad balance issue.
I don't use ST C/D/E tires for this and other reasons on my fleet trailers. I've found a quality 15"/16" LT tire or a commercial grade 16"/17.5" Load G tire simply doesn't need to be balanced on a trailer. The tires wear smooth across the tread for 40k-50k miles for LT poly tires or 60k-70k miles for a commercial grade 16"/175" load G tires.

Reply
Beverly Minyard link
8/31/2021 09:26:04 am

I like that you included the challenges associated with balancing trailer tires. My dad just bought a new trailer. I will send him this article so he can consider balancing the tires on it.

Reply
crawford overton
9/1/2021 02:00:41 pm

Don't do it just let the trailer shake itself to death then you can put in real money putting it back together.

Reply
Kristofer Van Wagner link
9/3/2021 12:10:08 am

I agree with this post that when looking to have our tires changed or balanced, it is important to ensure it is done by professionals. It makes sense for us to let professionals do it as they know how to do it properly. I will bring my car to a mechanic to have it aligned.

Reply
Glenn Brown
9/19/2021 02:21:35 pm

Visit the Centramatics website. My trailer wheels are dynamical balanced every time I reach 20 MPH. The tractor trailer fleets claim to save 25% to 50% on tires.

Reply
standard operating procedure tips link
9/30/2021 11:54:11 pm

Standard operating procedure is a document containing step-by-step instructions to guide employees on how to perform a technical, repetitive process within an organization.

https://articles.trainrocket.com/tips-to-write-sops-that-can-save-time-and-money/

Reply
Millie Hue link
10/7/2021 10:18:19 pm

Thanks for helping me understand that custom tires for the fifth wheels should be the correct size to ensure that they can take the load. I will keep that in mind when I have my own fifth wheel in the future. I just plan to customize some parts of it to make it more appealing according to my preferences.

Reply
Tammie Houston link
10/22/2021 09:50:43 am

Thanks for telling me that I should go to a shop to get my tiles balanced as they will have the proper equipment to balance my wheels. It's the first time I've ever had a trailer of my own so I still have quite a bit to learn. It's really helpful to know that trailers will require special equipment to properly balance it so that I won't attempt it on my own and cause problems by improperly doing it.

Reply
Billy Bob
11/19/2021 08:31:13 pm

What a bunch of inaccurate drivel.

Reply
John
12/17/2021 07:47:22 pm

It is a complete myth that trailer tires require different balancing techniques than auto/truck tires. In order to be balanced properly, the wheel needs to be centered on the balance machine. The exact center of any wheel, whether it be trailer or auto/truck is the hub bore. The lug nut holes on the wheel are drilled using the hub bore as a reference.

Think about this - if it is true that trailer tires are centered on the lug nuts/holes rather than the hub bore, then the wheel/tires would need to be balance on the trailer. Why? Because the center of the wheel/tire would change if you did not have the same lug studs matched up with the same holes on the wheel. Rotate the wheel 144 degrees (2 lug studs on a 5 hole wheel), and the wheel is no longer centered the same on the trailer hub.

Reply
Jeff Carbine link
3/29/2022 07:41:53 am

It really help me when you said that not being equipped with the proper wheel balancing machine to correctly balance most trailer tires is another aspect that makes balancing trailer tires challenging is that most automotive service centers. My officemates and I are planning for an outing using my RV trailer. It has not been used in a long time so it needs a repair on some parts.

Reply
John
3/29/2022 11:57:38 am

Are you needing the tires replaced?

Reply
Jane Guff link
4/28/2022 03:12:15 pm

It's so interesting that trailers have a harder time keeping their balance in their wheels. I imagine it's the same thing with dolly trailers. I imagine having reputable equipment would make this less of an issue.

Reply
Victoria Addington link
5/4/2022 05:46:13 am

It captured me the most when you discussed that trailers do not require dynamically balanced tires. My father is looking for an auto trailer that he can use for hauling. I think he should go to an auto dealer that offers a large selection of high-quality units.

Reply



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