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steveww



Member Since: 05 Jan 2022
Location: Uppingham
Posts: 566

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Bronze Green
Balancing Beads
I'm sure we're all familiar with the lead weights used to balance wheels and tyres. There is an alternative method that does away with these and instead uses a measure amount of ceramic beads that go inside the tyre. Apparently these settle out to dynamically balance everything out. The benefit for 4x4 drivers is that as the chunky treads wear down the balance is maintained. I've just had all four BFG done traditionally as they lost balance.

Anybody here tried these? Comments?
Post #1006013 31st Aug 2023 11:39am
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geobloke



Member Since: 06 Nov 2012
Location: Nottinghamshire
Posts: 4410

United Kingdom 
Oooo contentious subject, are you ready for all the comments... Rolling with laughter


I have had Dyna beads inside Miffys wheels for 6 years or so now as I was fed up with getting the wheels balanced every other month or so. She is shod with BFG ATs 285/75/16. Never got a good balance so gave the beads a go out of curiosity and desperation.

Perfect. I love them to bits. Miffy have not needed to have her wheels balancing since fitting. The tyre wear is nice and even across all the tyres. And before someone says it, no you cannot hear the beads sloshing or whirring around inside the tyre. And no the wheel bearings have not decintergrated and I never noticed because of the beads. And no the wheels have not fallen off and I didn't notice because of the beads.

The only thing that I notice is when I yet again drive past a wheel balancing garage without having to stop in for a re-balance.

So that you know. Once fitted you cannot get the wheels balanced by a machine without having to take them out, but you shouldn't need to Rolling Eyes The best way to do this is to get the wheels as balanced as you can via machine, then add the beads and in a few years or so feel free to wonder what was that thing you used to do at Kwik Fit a handful of times a year.

This is where I bought mine from https://www.dynabeads.co.uk - Colin is the guy and he is incredibly knowledgable and helpful.

EDIT: Thought I would add a little extra...

I was re-balancing the four tyres between 4-6 times a year at about £7/wheel - £112 (4 times a year) - £560 saved over 5 years of driving.

Total cost of the beads: £60 fro six 4oz bags spread over 5 wheels.

Maths time and effort works for me. Thumbs Up
Post #1006017 31st Aug 2023 12:07pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17363

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
This has been discussed at length on this forum before.

Personally I have used beads and found they worked extremely well, which is puzzling since when I eventually replaced the tyres there was a horrible gungy mess of old bead lubricant and beads all over the place and the gunge didn't seem terribly mobile. Be that as it may, they really did work.

The replacement tyres are currently (and this is some years and many thousand miles later) still running with absolutely no balancing at all, and are just beginning to show balance issues due to crenellation of the treads. I didn't put beads in initially since (a) it wasn't necessary and (b) I'd just seen the amount of bead lube the fitters had used trying to get new BFG Mud TAs onto my Blindos - there was a world shortage after they finished! The vision of the gunge was very fresh in my mind then.
Post #1006025 31st Aug 2023 1:15pm
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MarkBrown



Member Since: 03 Oct 2022
Location: Mid Wales
Posts: 458

Wales 1983 Defender 110 Other HT Auto Keswick Green
When I had my Toyo Open Country MT's fitted to wolf wheels I asked about balancing, they said that the tyres are so big that they didn't need it. They don't shake one bit. Perhaps this is just luck, or maybe because of good quality tyres and wheels, who knows.

I've also had a set of cheap tyres fitted on cheap 8 spoke wheels at the same place and they have the lead weights on. They don't shake either.

The lad at the tyre place told me about the beads if I should need them, which I didn't.
Post #1006043 31st Aug 2023 4:53pm
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NickMc



Member Since: 01 Oct 2014
Location: Norn Iron
Posts: 1624

Northern Ireland 2006 Defender 90 Td5 HT Bonatti Grey
I’ve had better success getting hard to balance wheels done when the guy does them with a Hunter roadforce balancer, maybe that’s just me. The beads are nothing new, used them in lorries for a long time.
Post #1006055 31st Aug 2023 5:49pm
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Chicken Drumstick



Member Since: 17 Aug 2020
Location: Near MK
Posts: 717

United Kingdom 
Have to say I bought Dyna beads for my p38 Range Rover tyres. But I still have wheel wobble. I've tried rotating the tyres multiple times too.

It is def the wheel & tyres causing the wobble, because if I put the original alloys back on it is as smooth as silk. I had high hopes for the beads, but at least on this occasion they have not delivered or made any difference at all.
Post #1006097 31st Aug 2023 8:32pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17363

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
It's possible that you haven't put sufficient beads in the tyres. I put about twice the recommended minimum in my BFGs.
Post #1006106 31st Aug 2023 9:33pm
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8619simon



Member Since: 04 Nov 2016
Location: North Wales
Posts: 247

Wales 1995 Defender 110 300 Tdi CSW Epsom Green
Swapped to beads 6 months ago when I changed tyres, as much out of curiosity and not wanting the faff of balancing tyres a couple of times a year. Which I had swapped sooner!
Post #1006116 31st Aug 2023 11:28pm
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BaronDefenders



Member Since: 28 Jun 2019
Location: London/Cotswolds
Posts: 896

United Kingdom 2004 Defender 90 Td5 CSW Santorini Black
I tried beads in Cooper STT PROs some time ago. I couldn’t get a good balance no matter how many or few beads were involved. Eventually I gave up and returned to traditional adhesive weights. No complaints since. Charlie

1949 Series 1 80 (SOLD)
2002 Td5 90 (SOLD)
2008 Freelander 2 (SOLD)

1958 Series 2 88 Pastel Green (2019 LR Legends Best Restored)
1983 V8 110 Limestone (Previously owned by Tom Sheppard MBE)
2004 Td5 90 Santorini Black (Td5INSIDE Powered & Rebuilt by CSK)
2012 Puma 110 Zermatt Silver (Overlanding Build)

Instagram: @BaronDefenders
Post #1006163 1st Sep 2023 12:25pm
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BogMonster



Member Since: 05 Feb 2008
Location: Stanley
Posts: 400

Falkland Islands 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Corris Grey
Tried them once years ago, they simply didn't work. The tyres would come in and out of balance so you might get a wobble or you might not. ---
2006 Defender 110 SW 300Tdi • 2011 Ford Ranger XLT crewcab • 2015 Defender 110 Station Wagon Utility TDCi
Post #1008030 18th Sep 2023 9:51am
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hank



Member Since: 12 Sep 2016
Location: South Wales
Posts: 2296

Wales 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
I have 285 76 16 BFG Mud Terrains. They are unbalanced (at my request). I have never had any vibration, rumbles or steering issues. > 110 XS Double Cab
Post #1008038 18th Sep 2023 11:37am
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