Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Keystone RV Forums > Keystone Tech Forums > Repairs & Maintenance
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 04-03-2012, 03:02 PM   #1
Jim & Kay
Senior Member
 
Jim & Kay's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Tazewell, Virginia
Posts: 286
Unbalanced tires on my new 5er

While checking out the fifth wheel tires today, I noticed there were no wheel weights on them, I even looked at the backside and still no weights. Is this a normal thing with Keystone or am I special? I am not a rocket scientist but know from years of experience that a tire traveling 60mph, has to be balanced. Every RV I've owned have had the tires balanced.
__________________

HAPPY TRAILS TO YOU
Jim, Kay, & Our Furry Kids
2012 Cougar HC 5er 291RLS aka "Rt 66 B&B"
2008 Toyota Tundra aka "The Hoss" 4X4 Limited DC 5.7 L
6 S Tranny w/TowHaul 4.30 RG 20" tires
Firestone Airbags w/compressor
16K Superglide hitch

Lovers of Route 66
Jim & Kay is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-03-2012, 03:44 PM   #2
hitchikerman
Member
 
hitchikerman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: MI
Posts: 97
Mine also no wheel weights...none...zippo so I had them balanced...did I notice any difference...hard to tell but the guy at the tire place told me that 95 % of ppl do not balance there trailer tires...(he must thought that my tires came from some other trailer not a RV)
hitchikerman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-03-2012, 03:49 PM   #3
SAD
Permanent User Ban
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Bartlesville, Oklahoma
Posts: 1,124
I've never had a trailer with balanced tires.
SAD is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-03-2012, 04:22 PM   #4
f6bits
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: SoCal
Posts: 1,739
Huh? Mine don’t have weights on the outside, but I didn’t think to look around the inside for them. Maybe my Towmax tires and Chinese wheels are so well-made they don’t need balancing.

Now I guess I need to find a shop I can pull my trailer in to for some tire service. My favorite tire store is *not* set up for large trailers.
__________________
-Scott, DW, DG, DB, and DD

2011 Passport 2590BH
2009 Ford F150 SuperCrew FX4 5.4L w/Max Tow
f6bits is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-03-2012, 04:42 PM   #5
Halibutman214
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Oregon
Posts: 192
I found this quite interesting so checked mine. No weights. Called Les Schwab, Tire factory and Firestone. The only time they EVER balance Trailer tires is if the customer specifically requests it.
__________________
2012 Passport 26BHWE
2008 Dodge RAM 6.7 Cummins (I love my truck)
and a bunch of toys I don't need
Halibutman214 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-03-2012, 04:52 PM   #6
mhs4771
Senior Member
 
mhs4771's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 478
Have you every followed or passed a car or truck with an unbalanced tire. It just about jumps up and down if it's really out of balance, you can almost see daylight between the tread and the road. Now multiply that times 4 or 6 if you have a TH and try and picture what is happening to the frame and everything else in the rig. And no you're not special, appears most if not all RV MFRs aren't balancing the tires. I would question the selling Dealer if they have a balancer and if so please balance the tires before I drive off your lot.
__________________
2011 Chevy Silverado 3500HD Ext Cab LT DRW Duramax/Allison pulling a 2012 SOB (still Thor, but not a Keystone), Dual ACs, 4 Door Fridge, Fireplace, Sleep Number Bed, Level-Up Auto Levelers, Disc Brakes, Winegard DirecTV SlimLine Auto Dish, Onan 5.5K, Splendide Combo Washer/Dryer, GY G114s on HiSpec 17.5 wheels, TrailAir Tri-Glide Pin Box, Mor/ryde IS.

Michelle & Ann Sullivan and 4 American Shorthairs
mhs4771 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-04-2012, 08:06 PM   #7
chuck&gail
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Colorado Mountains
Posts: 422
Owned six RV trailers so far, NONE came with wheels balanced.

IMHO if you are taking them in to be balanced, and I recommend you do, it is a good time to get metal valve stems also.
__________________
Chuck
Wonderful Wife
Australian Shepherd
2010 Ford Expedition TV
2010 Outback 230RS Toybox, 5390# UVW, 6800# Loaded
Not yet camped in Hawaii, 2 Canada Provinces, & 2 Territories
I can't be lost because I don't care where this lovely road is going
chuck&gail is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-05-2012, 05:58 AM   #8
Ayotte
Senior Member
 
Ayotte's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Moose Jaw,Saskatchewan
Posts: 154
Mine not balanced also! was wandering about buying balancing beads and using them. Any coments on this idea.
Ayotte is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-05-2012, 06:11 AM   #9
Johnnyfry
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Herndon, VA
Posts: 394
Tire balance

Mine were not balanced when I purchased the 5er, but after listening to several friends (and this newsgroup, thanks) I took the rig to a truck tire shop and had it done right away.

Not having driven the rig much before, I can't say how much difference it made in the ride, but my Towmax tires have had no problems in 13,000 miles and I can't help but feel that balancing helped in this regard.

John
__________________
2006 Dodge Cummins 3500 Mega cab, dually
2011Cougar 318SAB
Sidewinder hitch
Johnnyfry is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-06-2012, 08:17 AM   #10
Jim & Kay
Senior Member
 
Jim & Kay's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Tazewell, Virginia
Posts: 286
Yea, going to take mine in for balancing on Monday. Just makes me feel better. Also, good idea on the metal valve stems, will do this also.
__________________

HAPPY TRAILS TO YOU
Jim, Kay, & Our Furry Kids
2012 Cougar HC 5er 291RLS aka "Rt 66 B&B"
2008 Toyota Tundra aka "The Hoss" 4X4 Limited DC 5.7 L
6 S Tranny w/TowHaul 4.30 RG 20" tires
Firestone Airbags w/compressor
16K Superglide hitch

Lovers of Route 66
Jim & Kay is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-06-2012, 09:10 AM   #11
charltons
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Washington
Posts: 39
We have always had ours balanced. I learned the valve stem issue the hard way with a couple of slow leaks. I have them replaced right away now.
__________________
2012 Keystone Sprinter 311BHS
2012 Dodge Ram 2500 Crew Cab 4X4 TCD
charltons is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-06-2012, 08:09 PM   #12
golfpro
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Hermiston or
Posts: 128
I like Chuck, have never had a TT come with balanced tires. I go directly to the tire dealer and have it done before my first trip down the road. they tow so much better
golfpro is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-11-2012, 03:42 PM   #13
Jim & Kay
Senior Member
 
Jim & Kay's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Tazewell, Virginia
Posts: 286
Okay guys, I got them balanced, I took 2 in yesterday and 2 in today. And as I thought they definitely needed to be balanced. Hopefully our dishes won't be rattling going down the road LOL.
__________________

HAPPY TRAILS TO YOU
Jim, Kay, & Our Furry Kids
2012 Cougar HC 5er 291RLS aka "Rt 66 B&B"
2008 Toyota Tundra aka "The Hoss" 4X4 Limited DC 5.7 L
6 S Tranny w/TowHaul 4.30 RG 20" tires
Firestone Airbags w/compressor
16K Superglide hitch

Lovers of Route 66
Jim & Kay is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-02-2012, 06:54 PM   #14
retfrm
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: waynesburg, pa
Posts: 4
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnnyfry View Post
Mine were not balanced when I purchased the 5er, but after listening to several friends (and this newsgroup, thanks) I took the rig to a truck tire shop and had it done right away.

Not having driven the rig much before, I can't say how much difference it made in the ride, but my Towmax tires have had no problems in 13,000 miles and I can't help but feel that balancing helped in this regard.

John
Here is how you fix the balancing problem. Buy some balancing beads from your tire dealer and install or have installed in your tire. Never have to worry again. Everytime you stop, your tires are rebalanced when you start out. About four ounces per tire. I have them in my truck and Cougar. I have caught myself doing 80 before I realized it. Smoooooth ride.
retfrm is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-02-2012, 10:34 PM   #15
golfpro
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Hermiston or
Posts: 128
very common for TT tires not to balanced. you will have to bite the bullet and have it done. AND I will say it will make a big difference once you do have it done.
golfpro is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2012, 06:17 AM   #16
smiller
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Full-timing
Posts: 447
I can't imagine not balancing a tire used in any type automotive service. You may luck out and have a tire/wheel assembly be close enough without balance, or it might also be far off and create vibration and a shortened service life. Balancing is so inexpensive it seems very unwise to skip it.
smiller is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates in any way. Keystone RV® is a registered trademark of the Keystone RV Company.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 12:08 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.