Problem balancing 265 75 16 wheels, should I get rid?

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mikerajjers

mikerajjers

Well-Known Member
Posts
1,467
Location
Bedford UK or Trnava SK
I can't get my 265 75 16 BFG AT2s balanced on sawtooth alloys. I've had them rebalanced 3 times and I still get a little vibration which is driving me mad.

I also have 235 85 16 BFG AT2s on steel modulars which had minimal wobble.

Are wider (265) tyres easier to balance on steel wheels? I.e. they can add weights to the outside.

I regret buying the wider tyres, they look great but drive ****e. I'm tempting to cut my losses and banish them to the garage even though I forked out a lot for them.

What should I do?
 
Same place have done them twice. The second time it was at a different place. I am thinking of going to a specialist offroad garage to get them balanced. They are certainly better at the moment than the first two times.
 
Can sometimes be the size of the locknut spigoty thingy they use to mount the wheel on the balancing machine being the nearest compromise. Had this problem myself.
Try somewhere else.
 
Had Kwikfit do my 285 75 16 BFG MT's on Steel modulars.

Never had lead on them before. They ended up taking a couple of hours and using enough lead to cover a church roof.

Still it did drive better afterwards.

Cheers
 
they start wobbling around 80-100 km/h but sometimes it is worse than other times. Wobbling is through the steering wheel, i will try to swap the fronts for the rears on Thursday. I'm away from home tomorrow.
 
I had this precise problem recently and went through the same pain as you. Balancing made a bit of a difference, but didn't cure it.

In the end I had a really good look at the joints and bushes in the steering system. The bush in the Panhard rod at the chassis end had a tiny amount of play - to me as a layman it was barely noticeable - but I changed both ends. The ones I removed were Polybush, replaced with OEM. Problem is solved....

Oh - and the tyres are fine. Don't get rid of them just because of this, but if you decide to do so, PM me? I'll have 'em!
 
ogb said:
I had this precise problem recently and went through the same pain as you. Balancing made a bit of a difference, but didn't cure it.

In the end I had a really good look at the joints and bushes in the steering system. The bush in the Panhard rod at the chassis end had a tiny amount of play - to me as a layman it was barely noticeable - but I changed both ends. The ones I removed were Polybush, replaced with OEM. Problem is solved....

Oh - and the tyres are fine. Don't get rid of them just because of this, but if you decide to do so, PM me? I'll have 'em!
Click to expand...
I think I will go down this route and replace all the bushes and maybe fit heavy duty steering rods whilst at it. Can't do any harm anyway. Did it stop your problem completely?
 
Bit odd imo. I had unbalanced 265/75 cooper stts on my 90 for about 6 months, the drive wasnt too bad but still not great to drive with. Got them balanced issue remained, turned out to be badly worn swivel bearings...
 
mikerajjers said:
I think I will go down this route and replace all the bushes and maybe fit heavy duty steering rods whilst at it. Can't do any harm anyway. Did it stop your problem completely?
Click to expand...
Yes.
..and like bankz5152 said, I had 265/75 STTs on my previous Defender, also unbalanced, without any problems at all. In fact the local tyre place said they didn't have the kit to balance them properly and "anyway, they don't need it". While I disagree with their opinion, experience suggests they might be right.
 
I've ordered the new bushes for the panhard rod. If I want to check that the swivel bearings and hub bearings are ok how do I check this? Would there be some movement when I shake the hub whilst wheel is off?
 
mikerajjers said:
I've ordered the new bushes for the panhard rod. If I want to check that the swivel bearings and hub bearings are ok how do I check this? Would there be some movement when I shake the hub whilst wheel is off?
Click to expand...
It's easier to do with the wheel on as it gives more leverage. Hold at the twelve and six o'clock position and then try again at the three and nine o'clock.
From memory only movement at twelve and six denotes swivel bearings and three and nine along with twelve and six denotes hub bearings.
 
mikerajjers said:
I can't get my 265 75 16 BFG AT2s balanced on sawtooth alloys. I've had them rebalanced 3 times and I still get a little vibration which is driving me mad.

I also have 235 85 16 BFG AT2s on steel modulars which had minimal wobble.

Are wider (265) tyres easier to balance on steel wheels? I.e. they can add weights to the outside.

I regret buying the wider tyres, they look great but drive ****e. I'm tempting to cut my losses and banish them to the garage even though I forked out a lot for them.

What should I do?
Click to expand...
I have boost alloys and 235 85 16 tyres and you can put the old lead weights on the outside of the rims on them, (they were supplied like that when my defender was new) I have only just replaced the original tyres after 13 years of use and they now have new style stick on weights on the inside of rim and still fine with no balancing problems, I think the boost alloys look great and recommend them.
 
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