Tech Reports

REPORT - TYRE BALANCING BEADS

A great area of concern for tyre suppliers is ensuring clients’ continued satisfaction with their tyres’ balance. This is a difficult situation as the majority of tyre imbalance complaints are often due to lack of tyre care and the loss of wheel weights, particularly on 4WD vehicles. Hence the increasing local popularity of internal tyre balancing mediums as used overseas for many years.

Our company ABC Alltyre Balancing Ceramics has over time studied the progress of tyre balancing methods from outer weights, stone pebbles, golf balls (yes!), sand, polymer powder, liquids, steel balls to glass beads.

In our search for a 21st Century State of the Art internal tyre balancing solution, we collaborated with Australian industrial chemists in developing a long lasting high density ceramic ball designed to roll smoothly inside a tyre under all conditions to counter ongoing imbalances. 

 

Technical Information:     ABC Alltyre Balancing Ceramic Beads

Composition:                        92% High Grade Alumina Ceramic

Scale of Hardness (1 to 10):  9 (Comparatively, Diamond is 10 - Glass 6-7 - Granular Polymer Powder 4-5) 

Water Absorption rating:  <0.01%  

Diameter:                               2mm for 3oz to 6oz Bags and 4mm for 8oz to 16oz Bags

Sphericity:                              93% 

 

ABC Beads, developed, packaged, promoted and distributed locally by our Australian company provide a superior performance to imported products such as Polymer Powder, Glass Beads etc. that sell for up to twice as much.

One of the major problems with powder-based compounds is that, unlike ABC Ceramics with its negligible water absorption rating, the introduction of moisture in a tyre fitted with powder inhibits free-flow of the powder and creates clumping.

Pressure checks or inflation of tyres often takes place at local service stations and truck stops which do not have air driers fitted to their compressors. Consequently moist air is injected into tyres that then condensates, binding up the powder, thus negatively impacting the balancing process.

In addition, due to their comparative softness, both polymer powder and glass beads breakdown over time and reduce the size of their own particles. This is an ongoing problem in repairing punctures or preparing tyres for re-treading as the very fine dust left inside a tyre is difficult and time consuming to remove. If not completely removed, it compromises the repair or retread and creates OH&S issues and poses a health hazard to tyre workers. 

 

ABC Ceramic Beads benefits over other balancing systems:

•  Lead free product
•  Harder than Polymer Powder and Glass
•  Do not break down into dust
•  Will operate for the life of the tyre, even in a moist situation
•  High sphericity beads roll smoothly without damaging tyre’s lining
•  Safer to use by Tyre Fitters/Repairers
•  Beads can be reused 
•  The most economical tyre balancing system 

Unsolicited testimonial:

"We have trialled one of our Kenworth road train prime mover with balancing beads and they do exactly what you claim. Tyre life was extended by 30,000km"

 

TEST REPORT ABC TYRE BALANCING BEADS

During the development phase of a Toyota Troop Carrier stability and handling improvement project undertaken for a major client in conjunction with THE ULTIMATE SUSPENSION company (www.ultimatesuspension.com.au), all four Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx C54807 LT265/75R16 S/T tubeless tyres were fitted with a small quantity of ABC Alltyre Balancing Ceramic Beads.

The manufacturer (ABC Beads) claim the beads automatically dynamically balance a tyre resulting in less heat build-up, improved ride and comfort, longer tyre life and improved fuel economy. The beads are small spherical ceramic balls, so do not decompose or absorb moisture to form a clump.

To experiment with this product, a large wheel weight was removed from the front passenger side wheel of the Troop Carrier during field evaluation trials in far western NSW.  No vibration was experienced through the steering system and the tyre remained harmonically balanced throughout that portion of the trip, including travelling at speeds up to 120 km/h. The results were quite amazing, considering the significant imbalance we had created for the tyre.

Based on our experience, it is strongly recommended drivers consider ceramic tyre beads for all 4WD vehicle tyres, to maintain dynamic balance throughout the tyre's life.

Keith SIMMONS
Managing Director
KND Consulting Pty Ltd  NSW
Experts in road and vehicle safety and fleet management

 

Technical Information

Why ABC Beads are more effective than traditional wheel balancing weights

 

Old fashioned lead wheel weights, clipped to the edge of wheel rims are not positioned where balance weights are most effective. In addition, lead weights are environmentally unfriendly and progressively being banned globally.

From a tyre balancing point of view, the first area of concern is that the weight is not central across the width of the tyre. This is why some Tyre Fitters split weights into two and position them inside and outside the wheel or utilise expensive wheel balancing machines that provide inside and outside readings.

Comprehensive tests confirm the most effective position for balance “weights’ is inside the tyre. This is where ABC Beads are located thus automatically balancing the rotating wheel assembly irrespective of terrain conditions.

The second area of concern is that weights clipped to the edge of the rims can be up to 150/200mm away from the varying imbalanced areas of the tyre.

Dimensions of a 285/75R16 tyre are as follows:

• 285 = Tyre width from wall to wall in Millimetres

• 75 = Aspect Ratio (75% of tyre width), in this case 213.75mm

• R = Construction of tyre (radial)

• 16 = Rim diameter in Inches

Spin balancers are calibrated to calculate the amount of weight based on the placement of weights at the outer diameter of the rim.

A 16” rim - from centre to outside diameter is 8”, which is not the most effective location for a balance weight. However, until the comparatively recent development of internal balancing media such as ABC Beads, external weights have been the only method of balancing wheel assemblies.

The inside of a tyre is the most effective location for a balance media, which is why ABC Beads provide a far superior balancing solution to traditional wheel weights.

Through the centrifugal forces generated by the rotating tyre and wheel assembly, the beads find the tyre’s high and low points and bring the assembly into balance for the duration of the tyre’s use.