All 10 Need Swappin, bouncing, should I install Centramatics?

Discussion in 'Trucks [ Eighteen Wheelers ]' started by Roteck, Dec 12, 2018.

  1. Roteck

    Roteck Light Load Member

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    Dec 18, 2016
    Abilene, TX
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    It's that time. My first new full set of tire purchase as an owner operator and I have some questions for those running low pros and those running 11Rs. Currently have 295/75R/22.5. The steers are Michilin X-Line Energy and the drives are an assortment. They are the same drives that were on the truck when I bought it except one which was blew out a while back. I was just trying to get every last mile out of them I could. The lowest tread tire is my rear right outer drive running at 5/32. Barely legal and shows signs that its near popping time. The rest are inbetween 7 and 9 except for the replaced blowout which is at 14. The steers I put on about 100k ago and they're already at 8 and 11. I have been running them at about 100psi cold because I liked the way it handled but that has apparently increased the wear rate a lot so I will be back to 110 with the new set. Winter is here and I've driven through some snow and ice and that's told me enough. It's time. The steers are all kinds of badly worn. The camber was excessively positive and the outer edges of the steers are worn significantly. The alignment has already been fixed, but the damage is done. I could flip and rotate them but I haven't decided what I'm going to do with them yet. I'm willing to spend the extra money on good tires and I plan on having centramatics wheel balancers installed on the steer and drive axles. I believe Love's sells them? Now to the replacement tires. I'm trying to decide between low pros and 11Rs. I was told 11Rs would provide a more comfortable ride at barely any performance loss as they're only 1" or so taller than low pros. Not sure how accurate that is. I plan on going with Michilin X Line Energy D on the drives and if I replace the steers I would put the same X Line Energy on except 11Rs instead of the low pros. I am just a dry van OTR so like 99.5% highway. My truck bounces all over the place with every little bump and it drives me nuts. Replaced the shocks with Gabriels and that helped a little. Is it true that 11Rs will help even more? Also I can feel how badly balanced the tires are when I'm empty even after a few rebalances so I'm hoping the centramatics resolve that. Am I on the right track here or have I been mislead?
     
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  3. 062

    062 Road Train Member

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    Have you checked the availability of 11R? Around here they only stock the cheap ones in 11R so you’ll have to order them.
     
  4. snowwy

    snowwy Road Train Member

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    If you need a tire in the middle of nowhere. 11R will probably be easier to find.
    If you know how accurate your speedo is. It's also a good idea to keep it accurate.
    If your accurate with 11R. The low pros will throw it off. Making it faster. Which means going slower if your governed.

    My current truck is more accurate with the lows. With the hi. I"m going 2 mph faster then the needle says. It's governed at 72. GPS says 74.

    My steers don't play nice. Boss man says the front end has already been rebuilt. So I get them rotated. Once the steering starts vibrating. They get replaced. New set, rotate, replace. The set that's on there now has been lasting really long compared to the previous 4 sets.

    While I understand the whole shpeel about balanced tires. I've never had centramatics on any truck I've ever driven. Long haul or local. And pretty much all my local work has involved playing in mud. Mud accumulates in the rims. Never had a vibration problem yet.

    Not saying it's not a good idea though. You long haul guys get more life out of tires then us locals.
     
  5. Roteck

    Roteck Light Load Member

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    Dec 18, 2016
    Abilene, TX
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    I had no idea they'd be hard to find. If I decide to go that route I'll have to call around.

    My drives kept getting out of balance after a while and I'd have them rebalanced again and again. I didn't even know about centrametrics until looking through other's posts for tire recommendations. They fit my needs perfectly. I currently have low pros on and my GPS usually reads a out 1mph slower than my speedometer but it's a close call. Not governed so not much of an issue for me.
     
  6. Derailed

    Derailed Road Train Member

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    Upstate NY
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    Around here 11r22.5 are the most commonly sold tires at any shop. Wouldn't think it would be different elsewhere but I don't venture far from home these days so what do I know. How are your other components like spring bushings and torque arms. Those will make an improvement in your ride ride.
     
  7. Roteck

    Roteck Light Load Member

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    Dec 18, 2016
    Abilene, TX
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    Still factory stock as far as I know. I'll have to look into that.
     
  8. Brettj3876

    Brettj3876 Road Train Member

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    Land of local
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    My neck of the woods 295/75/22.5 seem the most common with 11/24.5 being the hardest to find. We run the balancers on all axles and they make a good difference esp running pa crappy roads
     
  9. Roteck

    Roteck Light Load Member

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    Dec 18, 2016
    Abilene, TX
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    I'm getting Michelin X Line Energy Zs put on the steers just like I have now and replacing the assortment of tires on the drives with Michelin XDN2s. Both steer and drives will be 275/80R22.5. I just decided to keep it as low pros. The front steers had uneven wear from a bad alignment which I had aligned so I'm going to keep a real close eye on the new steers. Also adding on the centramatics on all 3 axles.
     
  10. Roteck

    Roteck Light Load Member

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    Dec 18, 2016
    Abilene, TX
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    I'm excited to ride with new tires all the way around plus the balancers. I have yet to drive a truck with new tires from company trucks to my first own truck I've have never ever had a full set of new tires. I'm trying not to hype myself but I get excited about the little things.
     
  11. Accidental Trucker

    Accidental Trucker Road Train Member

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    You'll like it. I have the same set on my trucks, and the ride is very nice.
     
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