Centramatics

I'm listening. I've been meaning to buy the beads but may look at Centramatics instead starting with just the steers. Where do you guys get them and how much should I pay?

I really just mean is there more than one brand? I don't know if Centramatics is specific or just general for those things, like Kleenex.

 

Just one brand, any loves or most shops will have them in stock, the manufacturer has a bar code on the box you keep and a warranty card you fill out and send in with serial number, lifetime warranty, they don't rust. Plastic beads make a huge mess and aren't really calibrated, just throw a bag in there, centromatics are metal beads suspended in an oil solution in a sealed tube bolted between the rim and hub, the mounting holes ensure its lined up dead straight with the axle. Make sure to take off any existing balancing measures though, there's enough mass in centromatics to compensate for the stem and a few 32nds of rubber but not for a bunch of balancing weights slapped on wrong by an goon.

 

Fleet Pride usually has them in stock and has a decent price on them too. 2 per box around $220 a axle.

 

My opinion, if you have drum brakes I would buy the Tru Balance sleeves that center the drum and everything on the axle instead of Centramatics. If you have disc brakes then I’d go with Centramatics. Also, make sure your tires are properly installed on the wheel. Many new tires now have a colored dot where the valve stem is supposed to go and if you follow that then they should be mostly balanced when mounted. My steers are spin balanced and I currently run nothing on the drives. I have 121k on a set of Hankook DL12’s with 14/32 left, all wearing evenly with no vibrations so I haven’t felt the need to buy Centramatics yet.

As far as the old argument of if they’re good why don’t the OEM’s put them on...well frankly the OEM’s don’t care about a lot of things. They barely care if a new truck goes halfway straight down the road, but there are still guys that will run a new truck without getting a good alignment because it was within their spec when it left the factory.

 

Reason you don't see them on a lot of trucks is they are not cheap. The pair for the front of my F350 dually was nearly $200 with shipping so there is a bit of a payback period on those. Better than those stick on weights or beads that go inside the tire. I have heard some people have had less luck with the knockoff brand-x versions so I would stick with the genuine article.

 

Once they're on they'll keep working till you either retire or sell it...

 

I used them and I think they helped , especially on my pro stars because they were cheap plastic snap together garbage , at least the early ones were 2008 to 2012. Would I buy them again ?? No. They helped but it wasn’t really night and day. You can spend a lot of $$$ on all these add ons if your not careful and wind up just chasing “perfect”. I think they do extend tire life a bit. I’m in company trucks now and really don’t miss any of that extra stuff. Man those first Prostars were rattle trap garbage.

 

A full set is a good company job full week's paycheck...but I want to treat my bucket of bolts to whatever is available, that way when I run into trouble in the boonies she'll remember and start for me when it really counts

 

Yes true balance that is what I was searching my memory for. It’s not either or though , true balance centers everything on the hub and the balancers balance 2 different things. Putting all that stuff together does help and make a difference.

 

I’m convinced they are worth the investments, but I think the beads do a better job, and avoid some of my concerns about putting something between my duals, dissimilar metals, etc.

 

Had mine pulled yesterday at loves in Stratford mo ...told em to throw them in the scrap pile .
Constant vibrations with my michelin xline energy steers .