An interesting Observation

falcon1970

I decided to mount Goodyear Endurance tires on my TAB 400.  Since the factory original tires only had 241 miles on them I kept them rather than letting the tire store have them.  I took my wheels to Discount Tire and had the new tires mounted.  They put the old tires in my truck.  When I went to unload the old tires at home I noticed what appeared to be sand in the old tires.  Upon closer examination, what I had was small glass beads in the tires.  After a little internet research I discovered that putting glass beads in the tire is supposed to balance the tire as it rolls along.  I had wondered why the tires had no balancing weights when I bought the trailer but set the thought aside as I had already had the idea to change the tires.  I have no idea if this is a valid technique since you can find arguments on both sides.  You can also find arguments about glass beads versus ceramic beads versus other stuff.  In any case, the (very) small amount of glass beads in my tires can not possibly have had any effect at all.  I had the new tires balanced in the conventional way at Discount Tire.
I thought someone might find this interesting--but maybe not.

DenisP

I also replaced my 2018 400 tires with Goodyear Endurance after 6000 miles. My wheels had lead weights on them with the original setup and no trace of beads. I had the new tires balanced with traditional wheel weights. 

ScottG

That is interesting. Does that suggest they are putting these in at the factory?

I've heard of those beads being used for balancing motorcycle tires, but I have not tried them and have no idea if they really work.

I was under the impression it was not critical to balance trailer tires. Maybe I'm wrong about that but in my limited trailer owning experience (3) none of them have balance weights on the rims.

pthomas745

Are the glass beads filled with nitrogen?

ScottG

Don't know 'bout the beads, but I like to fill my tires with a special gas blend that's 78% nitrogen.  ;-)

falcon1970

@ScottG
I do that also.  My air compressor does it automatically.
I don't know if NuCamp mounts the tires or if they buy them already mounted.  In any case, they were put in as the tires were mounted.  The technique apparently is to throw a small plastic bag of beads into the tire as it is mounted.  I found fragile plastic bags in each tire amongst the glass beads

TabberJohn

Here's the principle in action with DynaBeads:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eq263AYgyYg
Doesn't look like it takes much to have an effect due to centrifugal force.
Here's another company: https://www.counteractbalancing.com/applications/
One of the debates about effectiveness is whether a limited suspension axle will distribute the beads correctly.
There are LOTS of testimonials from motorcyclists, truckers, and large RV owners, but didn't find any for fixed axle trailers. 
T@Bs have Dexter torsion arm axles so adding beads seems like a reasonable alternative for balancing.

N7SHG_Ham

That is interesting! @falcon1970 were these Boondock or regular tires? I pickup my 2019 400 Boondock on the 23rd.

I have run balancing beads (ceramic) in my pickup for probably close to 200k miles with zero lead and smooth as can be, they work in my experience.

I added them to my Wells Cargo trailer tires about 20k ago, of course I can't tell if they are smooth, haha. I purchase my beads from http://www.innovativebalancing.com/ and they have a question in the FAQ's about the Dexter axles and affirm they do work in that application.

The surprise here is any OEM would add beads to a trailer tire, most I have seen, have no beads, weights or balancing at all.

I am inclined to run the stock Boondock tires for a while in interest of cost, however I was going straight to Discount tire for valve stem replacement (so I can safely use my TPMS sensors on the valve stems and bought balancing beads to add to the tires at that time, but maybe not needed?

For those who have replaced OEM tires with Goodyear's or other right off the bat, what was reasoning? I assume quality of tire and honestly I am a bit leary myself, however $300 or so is money I won't spend if I don't need to for a bit. I do have about a 2000 mile tow home from my dealer, so hopefully new tires make that

I am undecided what to do with Boondock tires when I do replace, seriously considering a Michelin Defender M/S (have a set on my pickup and so far happy) they make one in almost identical size to the OEM Boondock tire, BUT it is a LT tire, not trailer tire. Of course other option would be a Goodyear Endurance, but not available in the Boondock size. The Michelin's are something like 50 pounds per tire less weight capacity, but still well over what the 400 is rated at for GVW. Matching tread pattern and look for both the TV and Tab 400

falcon1970

@N7SHG_Ham
The tires I replaced were the standard 205x75's.  I originally bought the boondock option because I wanted the aluminum tub and the pitched axle but didn't want the off road tires.  I don't know what those tires would cost if one were to try to buy them at a tire store but all I got was a $200 discount for not getting them.  I replaced them with the Goodyear Endurance tires at 225x75 size.  That change added just over one (1) inch to the trailer height at the door.  The cost was $127/tire--plus mounting & balancing and taxes.
I went with the Goodyear Endurance because It is a very robust tire.  It has a speed and weight rating well above what I would ever need on a TAB 400 but since my daughter and her husband may also be using my trailer I didn't want to worry about all the issues I have heard about the "China Bombs."  Of course all that was just anecdotal evidence and like most of what you find on the internet it may or not be accurate.  Still....

N7SHG_Ham

@falcon1970 I wanted to do that too, BUT was told no deal, Boondock package or not, no partial and I asked twice. So for now I have the Rainier tires, but am seriously considering this tire https://www.michelinman.com/tire/michelin/defender-ltx-m-s/235-75-r15-109-t--orwl?fromResultList=searchEngineByDim&zipCode=97754

Or I could just go to the Goodyear endurance, either way would likely be fine on the 400.

falcon1970

@N7SHG_Ham
There seem to be many things that are not permitted--or maybe permitted--or, who knows.  I wanted to pick mine up at the factory but was told (by nuCamp) that nuCamp no longer allows that.  Ok, then I find out that others have done just that very thing!  Even after I tried to do it.
From my research, it seems passenger tires and light truck tires do not have sidewalls as sturdy as Special Trailer (ST) tires.  While this gives a "softer" ride it also allows the tires to heat up more as the sidewalls flex more.  In addition, trailer tires have a tendency to "scrub" during turns.  A softer sidewall allows the tire to "roll" as it goes around a corner and might let it roll off the bead.  I doubt that a softer sidewall would be a major issue with just a single axle, but I just don't know for sure.
I run the Michelin Defenders on my truck also and am very pleased with them.

Luckyj

Ceramic or glass or metal beeds even prestone coolant are often used in off raod truck to balance very large tire.

and yes, balancing a tire on a trailer does make a difference.  The thing is that most of the time, trailer tires are much smaller than the TV tire.  Less rubber, means less weight, meaning not as much mouvement from unbalance tires.

other thing is that on a steel wheel, regular wheel weight are easy to install.  Some T@B ands T@Gs come with those wheels.  But if you go with aloy wheels, most of the time, standard weight will dammage the paint.  They will then use stick on or beeds to balance the tires.

and if you only had some remaining, maybe they did not needed much or some were left on the ground at the tire shop.

ScottG

Good point, @Luckyj--I've always thought intuitively that balancing any wheel/tire would be beneficial. My 2015 has alloy wheels but not stick-on weights, either. Don't know about beads, but I don't hear anything rattling around in there when I spin the wheel by hand.

N7SHG_Ham

@ScottG you can definitely hear the beads if spinning by hand UNLESS they are all clumped together or stuck to tire from static. I am really shocked that @falcon1970 found beads in an OEM install, but anything is possible I suppose. It is a great way to go, a friend of mine with an old Chevy dually thought I was crazy when I first told him, he couldn't keep a tire balanced, put the beads in there and no more issue. It is a small amount, typically 3-6 oz depending on tire size, BUT that is all it takes.

RollingBnB

Goodyear used the beads to balance the Endurance tires I put on recently. I have noticed that if I try to check the tire pressure when the valve is on the bottom it will allow the beads to clog the valve and allow the air to escape. 

N7SHG_Ham

@RollingBnB they sell valve cores with a filter on them to prevent that, I have them, about $1.50 each or so.

Luckyj

RollingBnB said:

Goodyear used the beads to balance the Endurance tires I put on recently. I have noticed that if I try to check the tire pressure when the valve is on the bottom it will allow the beads to clog the valve and allow the air to escape. 

I am surprised of that, since the beads should remain at the bottom of the tire and the valve is almost 6 in. from the bottom.  My guess is that you have some kind of contaminent in the vavle or a bad valve seal.  In order to get beads i. The vavle, you would almost need to have half a hread bag of beads in there.  And si ply blowing air in the vavle would clear those beads.

i would investigate that a little more.  You can pull the valve stem with a si ple tool they sell at any car parts store, even wal mart should have that (get a pack of vavle stem at the same time) and chech it out.  Just be aware that your tire will go flat, so I would put a jack under the trailer so the tire keep a roumd shape.  Have a air co pressor handy of even a Bicycle hand pump, but a big one (the can get as much as 110 lbs in a bike tire, but it will just take longer to get a regular size tire to 45 lbs) you will see what the problem is.

'have fun

Cbusguy

@falcon1970 a large number of changes have been made at nucamp in the last 6 months.   I was told the same thing no custom work on the line,  no changes from the spec trailer models and no pickup at the factory.   Along with no direct ordering of replacement parts 

I understand the no factory pick up.....they simply don'thave the ability to prep the trailers and do a proper orientation.   I live 2 hours from the factory and they told me no too.  

I really dislike the way our local dealer treated us.....check book in shirt pocket mind you.  We are driving 8 hours to pick ours up is what we think of our local dealer.    

N7SHG_Ham

@Cbusguy driving about 2000 miles to pick mine up, going to be a two week trip starting on the 18th, 400 in tow on return leg. Sure I could of probably found a closer dealer, but when the local place failed me, I went to a known entity who has been super responsive, it seemed like a good idea in December, LOL

Cbusguy

@N7SHG_Ham right there with ya.   I refuse to give money to a dealer who was not listening to us. 

 I dont want a lift kit on my trailer,  I want the correct torsion axle and no it doesn't cost what you just quoted me.....which by the way is more than ordering the trailer I really want.   

The wife was angry

Have a great trip

(Edited by Verna, T@B Admin, for inappropriate language)

jkjenn

Cbusguy said:

@N7SHG_Ham right there with ya.   I refuse to give money to a dealer who was not listening to us. 

 I dont want a lift kit on my trailer,  I want the correct torsion axle and no it doesn't cost what you just quoted me.....which by the way is more than ordering the trailer I really want.   

The wife was angry

Have a great trip

If you could have got the model number you probably could have ordered it from etrailer or another Dexter dealer with free shipping.