WARNING!!:rant: follows - but worth mentioning!

Well, had a "near miss" on having to drive to Idaho Falls today (long story - not diesel interesting). Anyhoo, I had to grab my new left front hub/bearing assembly that was waiting for some warmer weather to self-install and run out to a truck service place and have them pop it on (not bad- took 40 minutes, cost $59 and THEY had air impact to pop off the knuckle bolts and used a six-foot cheater to break loose the caliper bolts - $60 bucks well spent as I sipped a styrofoam cup of free coffee and watched them struggle with it!);)

After the replacement, I have a bit of wiggle in my left front that was cupped and imbalanced by the 3,000 mile Florida run last month on the worsening bearing. So, I decided that it was time for some on-board balancers. I've been toying with the idea for a while, and had read closely those who are reporting good results from the Centramatic and Balance Masters. I settled on Balance Masters (even though more expensive) and called their 800 number. Well I got a young man with a serious accent (I'm strongly suspecting he may have been in a boiler room in India). Told him I want a set for a 2001 Chevy 2500HD with factory rims. Then the SAT of wheel balancers began: "what's your centerbore diameter? - what's your lug bolt diameter? - what's your wheel size? - is it a 3/4 ton or greater?" I said, "whoa, it's a Chevy 3/4 ton pickup with the factory aluminum wheels - don't you just have a cross reference?" "Uh, ummm, wait a minute, I'll ask my supervisor." Then he comes back with "Uh, she says we have those, but you'll have to measure the inner bore minimum and maximum diameters of your wheel, just take it off and turn it over and -" At this point I'd had it - I said "look, obviously I didn't study for this exam and I don't have the information necessary to place this order at this time." Bad thing was that he wanted to still try and close the deal (must work on commission - he's not gonna make much money!) Their website is even less "user friendly" and does not have a quick cross reference for standard vehicle and wheel applications! To make a very long story short, I went to the Centramatic web page, It's more of a "See and Spell" process with no higher mathematics (I likes that!) I called the 800 number and a very nice young lady with a southern accent confirmed that I had the right part number, said that they would ship tomorrow morning and the set of 4 was only $199, about a $250 savings over the Balance Masters.:cool2:

I want to hear your opinions on these when you get them. I have toyed with the idea myself. I am insterested in any noise they may make at slow speeds and also, any unbalance condition noticed until speed is reached and they balance. Maybe they don't do this, but it just seems they would have a lag-time of imbalance when you pull away from a stop quickly.

Well, in my research on them I've heard that the Centramatics do make a "whoosh" sound at slow speed that can be heard if the windows are open. Their web page says the balancing action is complete by 20 mph. I'll certainly report my personal findings and observations when I get them installed.

I don't hear it...honest... and I have pretty good hearing... maybe I got used to it quick?

Well, in my research on them I've heard that the Centramatics do make a "whoosh" sound at slow speed that can be heard if the windows are open. Their web page says the balancing action is complete by 20 mph. I'll certainly report my personal findings and observations when I get them installed.Good morning,

Mine are sitting in the middle of living room floor and my peetie-pie is not so sweet.Censored

Therefore, I have to put them on the truck soon or I will be sleeping in the truck.-:t

Inspecting my order, I noticed there is a "A" & "B" balancer. It is unclear which balancer goes where. When you install yours, would you please let us (me) know how your installation goes, and where you put the "A" & "B" balancer?

Regards,

Well, it took a little while, but I've got all four of the Centramatics installed and have some first impressions. It took 5 days for the set to arrive. The "directions" for which wheel should get the "A" and "B" balancers were sketchy to say the least. I pulled my right front and trial fitted both flavors to see what was what. The "A" balancer is dead flat and would not fit the front of my truck with the PYO aluminum rims. The front brake caliper is so close to the flat of the rotor that you have to mount the balancer ring-out. There is not enough depth in the PYO rim to accept the balancer ring-out. I trie the "B" balancer, which has a rolled offset in the body and it fit nicely into the PYO rim ring-out, BUT it rubbed against the brake caliper! I replaced my front wheel and pulled the left rear wheel. Because of the parking brake drum, fit is no problem on the rears. I installed both rear "A" balancers rim-in on the rear. I called Centramatic about the front fit issue. The lady said "you have a Chevy? Didn't you get spacers?" Apparently, a set of spacers are supposed to be shipped with any Chevy order. Well, another 5 days pass and UPS delivered my spacers today. I popped off the left front and trial fitted the spacer and balancer. Not a problem, the spacer disk gives clearance to the brake calipers and the fronts mounted nicely. I had just replaced a left front hub/bearing that went out on my Florida trip and still had a bit if shimmy and looseness in the front end that had me concerned, especially with a 2,000 mile Idaho run coming up this weekend. I was hoping that it was a cupped and imbalanced tire rather than other front end items. Well, after a 28 mile errand run with the Centramatics on the fronts I'm a believer! The shimmy has gone away AND the steering seems tighter and less prone to pulling (probably due to the gyroscopic effect of the balancers!) I was pleasantly surprised to see how noticable the change was right away! There is no noise that I can hear over the engine (especially since it was 78 degrees here today and I drove with the windows down.) There is no noticable beginning or end to the balancing effect when starting out or coming to a stop. The only reservation I have about the units is that even without the spacers in the rear and especially with the spacer plus balancer in the front the rims are no longer hub-centric but lug-centric. This doesn't concern me too much because of the tapered lugnut to rim interface and being 8-lug, but I'm carrying my torquewrench in the truck now and will check lug torque much more often that I did before. Overall, the Centramatics are reasonably priced and do produce a noticable difference in ride and stablity, even the rears.

How thick were the front spacers?

What was the $$ for a set ?!?

Yeah I ordered them from MrTruck.net for 200 bucks, i think there amazing. They look like crap behind the wheels so I painted them black with some caliper paint very happy with my set so far!! * if your going to run a 285 tire they push the wheels out about a quarter inch which will make them rub, i had to crank my tbars to get them to fit. Everythigns cool now there great I dont think im going to ever be able to remove them I couldnt stand it!

I wonder what kind of effect they have on brake cooling?

how much does one weigh appox?

Spacers were 1/8" thick. Mine cost $277 to the door. They cover about half of the large holes in the PYO wheels, but I can't see any appreciable reduction in brake cooling happening because the calipers are not really inside the PYO rim and have a lot of clearance for air flow behind the wheels. Weight? They are all aluminum and the ring seems to only be about half filled with the oil and shot, so I'd guess about a pound each. I was really surprised and how effective they were in smoothing out my fronts. Here's a shot of my front and rear (Click the pics for a larger view):

I installed both rear "A" balancers rim-in on the rear.
If I am following you correctly, flat balancer "A" with balancer ring facing in toward the truck?

I popped off the left front and trial fitted the spacer and balancer. Not a problem, the spacer disk gives clearance to the brake calipers and the fronts mounted nicely.
Again, spacer on first to hub, then the balancer "B" with ring facing toward the truck for the front wheel?

Thank you for sharing you installing with us, as usual you give good detail information. I just wanted to clarify the installation before I do mine. I am lazy and I need to rotate my tires in another five hindered miles. Therefore, I will install mine at that time. I installed the Billstiens yesterday.

Later,
:exactly:

Almost, Melvin. You are correct on the rears - "A" balancers on the rotor with the ring in towards the center of the truck. "B" balancers on the front, spacer between the balancer and the rotor, but the ring has to be out to fit inside the rim. You'd see that right away because the ring would hit the brake caliper even with the spacer. Oh, by the way, there are two spring washers that hold the rotors in place on each wheel (on an opposing pair of studs). If you look at the inside of your wheel, there's a clearance cut inside each lug hole so that the washers don't get clamped by the rim and make it off-center. I pried all eight off and put them on top of balancers before installing the rims. This allows the balancers and spacers to clamp flush to the rotors and the rim clears the washers and clamps flush to the whole shebang.

Yeah I ordered them from MrTruck.net for 200 bucks, i think there amazing.
Was that front's only?

Keep us posted on any improvements over the next few weeks. A few months back when I got my new tires the tire jockey put two large weights right next to each other on my right rear wheel(probably a hack balance) but it may be the rim as well. I'd love to lose the weights.

BTW i noticed I bought the same tires you're running, great minds must think alike.

BTW i noticed I bought the same tires you're running, great minds must think alike.
I bought the Dunlop Radial Rover A/Ts as my second set of tires (after getting 57,930 miles out of the original Firestone Steeltex). Last Fall I noticed that my fronts were in good shape, but the rears were getting pretty thin after 37,190 miles, so I ordered a new pair for Winter traction. At the time, I realized that the Radial Rover A/T is going out of production. So, with the packout and move to Idaho coming up this week, I went ahead and ordered two more tires that I'll be hauling over to Idaho for eventual replacements of the fronts. Tirerack was still listing them as "Limited Supply". I guess I'll have 40,000 or so miles to worry about it, but I really like the Dunlops and will have to shop for something else next time.

Was that front's only?
I guess I'll give you the answer - nope, Centramatics come as a set of four and they run about $200 for the set! (nearly half the price of the Balance Masters).

I really like the Dunlops and will have to shop for something else next time.
Are they noisey?


:rolleyes:

Almost, Melvin. You are correct on the rears - "A" balancers on the rotor with the ring in towards the center of the truck. "B" balancers on the front, spacer between the balancer and the rotor, but the ring has to be out to fit inside the rim. You'd see that right away because the ring would hit the brake caliper even with the spacer. Oh, by the way, there are two spring washers that hold the rotors in place on each wheel (on an opposing pair of studs). If you look at the inside of your wheel, there's a clearance cut inside each lug hole so that the washers don't get clamped by the rim and make it off-center. I pried all eight off and put them on top of balancers before installing the rims. This allows the balancers and spacers to clamp flush to the rotors and the rim clears the washers and clamps flush to the whole shebang.Now we are talking! This is exactly the detail I was looking for. I forgot about those retainer clips, (ie spring washers) and I am so glad that you made mention and how to deal with them.
I am sure that it will be helpful to others as much as it will for me. I am a stickler for detail. My Peetie-Pie accuses me of being too finicky or particular.

:lol:

So, with the packout and move to Idaho coming up this week, So, whats an engineer going to do in Idaho, I am sure its not growing potatoes and I hope its not forgetting about his east coast buddies.

Take care my friend and drive safe.

:funnypost

I'm going to be doing a bit of work for the Gubmint at Idaho National Laboratory near Idaho Falls. They are pretty noisy when you roll them around in your hands, but I can't say that I can hear them at all on the truck. Speaking of rolling them around in your hands, maybe peetie-pie won't mind too much if you pop one of them on the bathroom scale and get an actual unit weight for Ratlover's benefit.

I'm going to be doing a bit of work for the Gubmint at Idaho National Laboratory near Idaho Falls. Fantastic! I hope the best for you doing Gub-be-ment work, and that you enjoy the countryside atmosphere.
OBTW, I was referring to the tires being noisy.

They are pretty noisy when you roll them around in your hands, but I can't say that I can hear them at all on the truck. Speaking of rolling them around in your hands, maybe peetie-pie won't mind too much if you pop one of them on the bathroom scale and get an actual unit weight for Ratlover's benefit.Peetie, said she doesn't mind at all and that she will just be glad when they are on the truck and out of the house.
Ok, here are the results:

One Spacer = .4 lbs

One Balancer A = 1.8 lbs
One Balancer B = 1.8 lbs

The Dunlops aren't noisy. They have large tread grooves, but the tread blocks aren't very tall. They have excellent wet and dry traction and wear very well. With the brand new ones on the rear I used 4 wheel drive a lot less than I normally would last Winter.

Well, an update on the Centramatics after a couple of thousand miles. I'm living in a motel in Idaho Falls for the next few months. All my parts, potions and tools are in storage back in Ohio. I made the 1900 mile run over last weekend and the Centramatics seemed to help smooth out the fronts as the miles piled up. I went out and popped the hub covers and checked torque on all 32 lugs today - still where I left 'em at 130 lb/ft. I do have some play in the steering that I figure is over 100,000 miles on the rest of the steering components, so it looks like I'll be shopping for a front end job here in the Idaho Falls/Pocatello area.

I guess I'll give you the answer - nope, Centramatics come as a set of four and they run about $200 for the set! (nearly half the price of the Balance Masters).
Price is much higher for duallys :eek: :mad: