Balancing wheels with balls (granules, powder): essence, pros and cons, reviews
Auto repair

Balancing wheels with balls (granules, powder): essence, pros and cons, reviews

Wheel balancing with granules is an innovative way to balance the heavy points of tires with special microbeads without the use of stands or weights. Thanks to this method, it is possible to extend the life of the tire and reduce the load on the steering components.

Balancing wheels with granules allows you to balance all the rotating elements of the tire while the vehicle is moving. Thanks to this adjustment, the load on the chassis, fuel consumption and tire wear are reduced.

What are balancing granules

These are small, round-shaped proppants with a silicone sheath. Their cores are made of refractory material. The diameter of the wheel balls is from 0,15-2 mm. They have a hard structure (7 out of 10 on the Mohs scale) and a porosity of less than 0,3%. The peculiarity of this composition guarantees the minimum abrasion of the granules and a long service life.

To balance automobile wheels, beaded powder made of glass and ceramics is used. The first version of the proppant has poor water resistance.

When worn, the beads form hydroscopic glass dust, which accumulates in lumps in certain places of the tire, which can further increase the imbalance. Ceramic wheel balls do not have this drawback, but due to their high strength, they wear out the tire from the inside.

Balancing wheels with balls (granules): the essence of the method

Beads fill the interior of the car camera. During the trip, the balls roll and are evenly distributed over the tire due to the action of centrifugal forces. Due to friction against the wall, the microbeads accumulate an electrostatic charge and stick together in places of maximum load, correcting the imbalance of the tire.

When the machine stops, the proppant will maintain its position. If the wheel runs into a pit, curb or any other obstacle at speed, the balls will peel off. So that they can balance the tire again, the driver needs to accelerate the car on a flat surface to 30-50 km / h.

Balancing wheels with balls (granules, powder): essence, pros and cons, reviews

Balance balls

Also, while the car is moving, the granules independently balance the brake disc and hub. These nodes are difficult to calibrate on the machine or with the help of weights.

Advantages and disadvantages of the method, reviews of car owners

Automatic wheel balancing with balls will help you quickly solve many suspension and steering problems without contacting a service center.

The main advantages of the microballoon adjustment method:

  • removes vibrations and knocks, "wandering" imbalance on the front axle;
  • self-balances the tire when dirt, stones, snow in the tread get stuck and come off;
  • guarantees a uniform load on the rubber;
  • improves grip on the contact patch and provides comfortable driving on rough roads;
  • increases the stability of the car when cornering;
  • reduces fuel consumption by up to 10%;
  • works until the tire is completely worn out.

Cons of the method:

  • automatic wheel weight balancing is effective only on a flat section of the track at a stable speed of up to 50 km/h;
  • when the protector breaks or unmounts, the microbeads fly apart;
  • due to the small size of the balls, it is difficult to assemble it without a vacuum cleaner;
  • when hitting an obstacle or a pit, the granules fall off and re-calibration is required;
  • excess weight of bead powder (from 70-500 g).

Reviews about balancing wheels with balls for cars on the Internet are contradictory. Many users doubt any benefit of granules, while others, on the contrary, emphasize the benefits of beads.

Balancing wheels with balls (granules, powder): essence, pros and cons, reviews

Reviews about balancing wheels with balls

Most often, comments and video reviews come across positive. For example, 1 car owner writes that after installing the bags, the wheels were well adjusted in terms of weight. When hitting a bump at a speed of 100 km / h, a beating appeared in the steering wheel. To eliminate the defect, the speed had to be reduced by 10 seconds.

Balancing wheels with balls (granules, powder): essence, pros and cons, reviews

Balancing with granules - review

Wheel balancing process

To balance the mass of all elements of tires using microgranules can be done in two ways:

  • through the installation of a perforated bag on the disk;
  • pumping beads into the chamber using a fitting.

In the first case, the packaging is placed inside the tire. In the future, when the wheel rotates, the bag is torn along the seam, and the granules are evenly distributed throughout the chamber.

Balancing wheels with balls (granules, powder): essence, pros and cons, reviews

Wheel balancing granules

In the second option, you do not need to remove the tires. Microballoons get inside the balloon using a pneumatic dispenser or a plastic bottle with a hose. You will need to unscrew the tire nipple and bleed the air. Then, insert a tube into the valve and pump the granules into the chamber.

See also: Steering rack damper - purpose and installation rules
Each wheel has its own filling volume. For example, for a 195/65/r16 car tire, about 113 grams are needed, and for a 495/45/r22.5 truck tire, 454 g is required. Therefore, it is important to look at the instructions on the bag with the size table before filling.

What wheels does it fit?

The technology of balancing granules was originally developed for freight transport. They have a larger tire diameter, stronger vibration and load on the chassis from the effect of centrifugal forces in the wheel. Therefore, the effect of microbead calibration will be more noticeable in truck tires than in car or motorcycle tires.

Wheel balancing with granules is an innovative way to balance the heavy points of tires with special microbeads without the use of stands or weights. Thanks to this method, it is possible to extend the life of the tire and reduce the load on the steering components.

Counteract balancing granules

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