Can I use your product with my Automatic Tire Inflation system?
As long as your inflation system connects to a valve stem, and the valve stem still has the
original 1-1/4" valve core inside, you won't have a problem.
You will have to replace the original valve core with the filtered valve core we supply.
Can I use your product with my Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)?
Most TPMS sensors that thread onto the valve stem, such as the Pressure Pro, will require a filtered valve core.
Note: If your wheels have a TPMS system that is an integral part of the valve stem, Dyna Beads will not cause any problems, but you won't be able to install the beads using the Applicator. See examples here
Can I use your product with my Cats Eye Pressure Equalizing system?
Absolutely! The factory verifies that the Cats Eye System uses the original valve cores, but simply keeps them depressed
in normal use. So all you need to do is swap the original valve cores with the filtered valve cores, and you're in business.
Should I use Dyna Beads in my new Super Singles?
Absolutely! We realize that these premium-quality tires are carefully balanced at the factory, and do not come with balancing weights as a result. However, as the miles pile up, this situation will change. Tires do not wear evenly, and as a result, even this top quality tire will require balancing. We offer a new special EZ Open Bag size just for this tire. Before your Michelin dealer mounts those tires on the alloy rims, have him install our Super Single Pack for maximum long tire life.
Available for Owner/Operators here, or in the Fleet Program.
Can I use Dyna Beads in my 5th Wheel with the Dexter Torflex suspension?
Absolutely! The Dexter Torflex suspension is independent from left to right within the same axle and also independent
from axle to axle since there is no equalizing system to provide any transfer of load from axle to axle.
Why don't you have tire charts for cars or SUV's?
We do not market to cars and SUV’s intentionally.
The main reason (among others) is due to the style of modern car tires.
For cars and SUV’s, traditional weight balancing is the best method.
Can I use Dyna Beads in my motorcycle?
You bet, and you'll get a glass smooth ride! Whether you have a Harley, Honda or a Tank scooter move up to the super-smooth, weightless ride of Dyna Beads! See the Motorcycle Page here.
Can I use Dyna Beads for motorcycle road racing?
No. The inner liner compound of motorcycle road racing tires is too soft to allow Dyna Beads to perform properly. (this does not apply to off-road motorcycle racing)
Do I need filtered valve cores for my motorcycle?
The purpose of the filtered valve core is to prevent a bead from getting caught in the valve core mechanism. So if your valve stems can accomodate the filtered valve cores, then by all means go ahead and use them.
Filtered valve cores, however, do not fit a lot of motorcycle valve stems. They require a seat 1-1/4" down in the stem. If you cannot use them, simply rotate the tire so the valve stem is about the 6:00 position, then give the valve stem a quick shot of air prior to checking pressure.
Can I use your product in my H1 Hummer?
If the answer to either of the questions below is yes, then our answer
is no.
Do you have the Central Tire Inflation System option installed?
Do you have Run Flat tires installed?.
If you have the CTIS option, and you have a problem with it, and the dealer finds any internal balancing media inside, this automatically voids your warranty.
Can I use your product with Nitrogen in my tires?
Absolutely! There is no better combination.
Read more about it here.
Will your beads damage my tires or alloy wheels?
Never! The material is totally inert and will not react with either.
Do I have to take my tires off the vehicle to install the beads?
No, but if you can, it will speed up the process. The more straight-up-and-down you can position the valve stem, the easier this becomes. Whatever works for you, do it.
I have valve stems that have a 90° bend. How do I install the beads through these?
Most customers have had no trouble doing this, and we even have a picture of this process on a motorcycle on the Installation page. Occasionally, a poor quality bend can reduce the size of the hole and not allow beads to pass, but these cases are in the minority. The best way to install is with a hand held vibration tool. See the Installation Page for thishere.
Can I use Dyna Beads in tires with inner tubes?
Absolutely! The inside of an inner tube is perfectly smooth, the ideal surface for Dyna Beads. We strongly advise using new inner tubes before installing Dyna Beads. This applies to motorcycles as well. The reason is that old inner tubes often have accumulations of compressor oil, which makes the inside tacky or sticky, which will inhibit Dyna Beads from working properly, or not at all. Note: Some vehicles, like the Unimog, occasionally run inner tubes in these large aggressive tires. Some of these tubes can add 15 - 20 lbs per tire to the weight, so it's advisable to let us know this when you inquire.
If I put in 2 oz, but the tire only needs 1 oz., what happens to the
rest of the beads?
Only the beads required to counteract the imbalance will be used, the rest
will distribute themselves evenly around the inside circumference of the tire.
This is the beauty of the system. See the How It Works page.
What is a Maintenance Level application?
While our product is designed to be used without weights on most vehicles, many some pickup customers with low-profile tires have found that the addition of 3 - 5 ounces in their tires and keeping the weights on
has accomplished two goals: The ride smooths out noticably, and most future rebalancing requirements have
been eliminated. This is also the solution for customers having tires with an existing lateral imbalance.
If there's moisture in my tires, will it stop the beads from performing
properly?
NO. You mean will it clump? Dyna Beads® are a perfectly
round, uniform surface, very heavy, and won't clump.
...and because they are 100% solid ceramic, they don't rust!
Why not use glass beads?
Our high-density ceramic beads are 60% heavier than glass beads, so that means
it takes less by volume, which is more efficient, especially in smaller tires.
The heavier the bead, the more efficient they are.
Glass beads will grind down relatively quickly, our ceramic Dyna Beads won't.
As soon as the glass beads grind down, they are susceptible to "clumping" due to moisture.
Shops report that dismounting tires that contain this pulverized glass is hazardous to their hands, to say nothing of breathing it in. Dyna Beads are safe for you, your shop personnel, and the Environment.
What about Mechanical Balancers?
Mechanical balancers are overly expensive for the simple task they are required to do. Would you rather pay $10.00 for a smooth ride, or $150.00?
Due to the large disc that mounts directly behind the wheel, they reduce the flow of air across the front brakes , which can be a problem with big rigs in hilly territory. (a.k.a. - brake fade / rotor warpage)
Here's a quote from leadfreewheels.org on mechanical balancers:
"Drawbacks are that the balancers have a fixed amount of balance medium
and can only correct balance up to a limit of about 12 oz. of lead.
Also, like external weights, the balancer operates at a smaller radius
than the tire, making it progressively less effective as the tire
diameter increases for a given wheel diameter."
Dyna Beads develop more counterbalance force than mechanical balancers because they operate at the extreme outside circumference of the tire. Dyna Beads have no weight limitations, and our Ceramic media is 100% environmentally safe.
Dyna Beads are more effective on Drive Tires.
The typical mechanical balancer can counterbalance about the equivalent of 12 oz of lead. The only way to use these on drive tires is to bolt one between the drives. Now you have two tires bolted together trying to stay balanced with a maximum per-tire counterbalance of only 6 oz. Not enough in some cases, especially when the heavy side of two drives happens to come together.
Take a look at how we define efficiency in balancing media.
Efficiency for balancing media is defined by four primary factors:
Weight per unit of measure (g/cm)
The heavier it is, the less product it takes by volume to do the job. You get too much material in the tire,
and it can't concentrate it's weight into a small enough area. Due to centrifugal force, the extra mass of material
ends up "flattening out" over a large surface area, defeating it's efficiency.
Resistance to movement
Irregularly shaped media has to "slide" along the inner tire surface, and naturally, sliding creates a lot of resistance to movement, in comparison to a perfectly round object like Dyna Beads, that "rolls" into position with almost no resistance to movement.
Size, shape, and surface texture
While this should be just one factor, all of these are related when it comes to "clumping". Balancing powder is composed of many, many small particles of irregularly-shaped substances of rough, irregular surface texture. Clumping is caused from moisture clinging to these particles and sticking together due to surface tension. The more individual particles you have (size), the more surfaces you have (shape), and the rougher the surface (texture), creates a "target rich" environment for surface tension, and clumping. Dyna Beads are very large comparatively, absolutely round, and perfectly smooth. Moisture and surface tension has virtually no effect on Dyna Beads.
Hardness
A balancing product that is nice and round with a smooth surface can only perform properly if it stays that way over many thousands of miles, especially important for Fleets. Other materials are much softer than ceramic, and can grind down quickly, and become prone to "clumping". Here's a comparison:
Mohs Hardness Scale
Ceramic (Dyna Beads) 7.0 - Hard
Glass 5.5 - Med
Stainless Steel 4.0 - Soft
Is there any situations where Dyna Beads are not recommended?
We do not recommend Dyna Beads in these situations:
...in Goodyear Fortera tires.
...on any pickup, 3/4 or 1 ton, that has converted to 19.5 or 22.5 wheels and tires. For the explanation, see this document.
...to correct wobble, shimmy or shake, all a function of lateral imbalance or defective suspension components. See next question.
My vehicle has a [shimmy, shake, wobble]. Will your beads fix this?
No. There are three terms commonly used to describe lateral (back and forth) movement of the steering wheel,
wobble, shimmy and shake. Two of these are a result of lateral imbalance of the tire/wheel assembly.
Wobble - this is more a function of mechanical suspension components than anything else, but can also be a result of bent or damaged rims.
Mechanical Imbalance - This is lateral movement caused from tire or wheel non-uniformity or improper bead seating. Corrected by measuring the amount of tire and wheel runout and replacing the defective component.
Weight-related Imbalance - This is lateral movement at normal driving speeds commonly characterized as "shimmy" or "shake" resulting from unequal weight on both sides of the tire and wheel circumferential centerline. The wider the tire, the lower the aspect ratio, the more likely this is to occur.
How can I tell if my tire has a lateral imbalance problem before installing the beads?
If you have weights installed now:
The most obvious indicator is a large amount of weight (comparatively)
on one side of the tire, and a small, or no weight on the opposite side.
If you are purchasing new tires:
Have the tires spun on a balancer. If the machine is telling you that you need a lot of weight on one side and little weight on the other, then the tire has a lateral imbalance.
Can I put the tire on a balancer to see if it's working?
No. Dyna Beads operates on physics principles, and requires the tire assembly to be in motion against a road surface to detect the exact counterbalance position. An electronic balancer has a solid, fixed mount, and does not allow the tire to react to imbalance.
When you come to a stop, do the beads fall to the bottom of the tire?
Yes. Due to a small static charge built up between the bead and rubber interaction,
a few will remain attached to the tire circumference, but only a very
small amount. The rest fall to the bottom and reposition themselves when the tire
starts rolling again.
Will I hear the beads while driving?
No. In the driveway, however, you may hear them rolling around if you move the tire.
At what speed do the beads start to work?
The balancing principle is based on centrifigal force, and enough force is
developed to keep the beads in position at approximately 25 - 35 MPH, but the
exact speed is dependant upon tire diameter.
Motorcycles, scooters, Yes. Most other vehicles, no. Many of our car and SUV customers have found that the addition of 2 - 3 ounces per tire while
retaining their wheel weights makes the vehicle ride much smoother than before, and eliminates most future balancing requirements. The typical application for this is Mercedes, Porsche, BMW's, Corvettes, etc.
Is there any way I can speed up the Applicator process?
There's a couple of nifty suggestions, the most popular being the vibration method to speed things along rather quickly.
See the “Tips & Tricks” section of the Application page. Also see the Vibration Method (Motorcycles) on the Installation page. This really works terrific, the author uses this method himself.
Can I use Dyna Beads in my airplane?
You bet! We've had many orders destined for aircraft, and zero complaints.
Why don't you have a chart for regular passenger cars?
We don't market to cars and SUV's due to the high performance style of those tires, which are low and wide.
These types of tires commonly exhibit varying degrees of lateral imbalance due primarily to the width. This type of inbalance can only be corrected with carefully placed wheel weights.
So that means that while Dyna Beads should not be used as the sole balancing method for these tire types, they can be used as a supplemental method designed to smooth out the ride and provide little or no future rebalancing.
That being said, we have a lot of dedicated Corvette, Hot Rod, Porshe, BMW and Mercedes customers using them with noticable improvement in combination with existing weights.
Check the amounts here.
Is there a disadvantage to using Dyna Beads and weights together?
Yes. You won't attain the same additional tire mileage that you will using Dyna Beads as the sole balancing method (any vehicle). In motorcycles and scooters, this will be especially noticable over time and may result in vibration or tire cupping.
Which is better for me, Standard Bags or the EZ Open Bag?
Our philosophy on this is simple: We always prefer, whenever possible, nothing
in the tire except Dyna Beads and air (or Nitrogen). If you have the time, and are able to remove
the wheels, then the Standard Bag with our Applicator is the way to go.
The EZ Open Bag™ does have a definite purpose and place, however. There is nothing
more convienient, nor easier at new tire installation time, then simply setting
a new bag of beads inside the tire. The larger the vehicle, and heavier the wheel,
the more practical this becomes. Tractor trailer owners, many large RV owners
and others with large, commercial truck tires on their rigs, simply may not have
the time or strength to wrestle with these tires in order to use the Applicator
method. It's for these people that the EZ Open Bag™ was designed.
What kind of tire life can I expect?
On average, about 20% - 30% more than under similar circumstances using wheel
weights. The primary reason for this is that while most people only balance their
tires with conventional weights only once, you are rebalancing your tire and wheel
every time you drive.
For Motorcycles, our customers report a much higher tire life, some as much as 100%, but the norm appears to be 30% - 50% more.
What becomes of the EZ Open Bag™, does it "dissolve"?
Nope, stays in the tire. It's a very light, unobtrusive object, not as desirable
as just "air", but it won't impact the performance regardless, especially on the
larger sizes.
What if I have a flat?
It depends. If you have a flat and the tire repair service installs the newer
patches that require the dealer to actually grind the inside surface, you will
most likely not have a problem, as the patch is almost flush with the tire surface
when properly applied.
An improperly mounted patch or if the excess glue has not been wiped out from
around the patch may impede the action of the beads and cause a slight vibration.
( You will have to reinstall new beads after the repair, however )
Will an internal tubeless tire patch effect the beads?
Not if it's applied properly. It is - very- important
any excess glue that has oozed out from the patch be removed with solvent or alcohol.
Otherwise all the beads will get stuck on them. I also advise a sprinkle of talcum
powder over the area just to make sure there's no sticky residue left. But otherwise,
no.
Can I reuse the beads in my next set of tires?
Sure, all of our beads are reusable. For motorcycles/scooters, it isn't worth the hassle.
Here's what wheel weights can do to your alloy wheels
How it Works .
Here is a graphical representation of How It Works:
Here is a terrific text explanation submitted by Paul Waddell. Paul had asked his friend, a Mechanical Engineer, what he thought about balancing tires with Dyna Beads. Here's his reply.
Strictly for the Technical
types, here's some info on why beads are more effective than rim-mounted weights.
There's no place to mount standard wheel weights other than on the edge of
the rim. Problem is, that is not where the weight is most effective, for two reasons.
The weight is not centered across the sectional width of the tire. That's why
some Tire Mechanics will split the weight into two smaller weights and put one
on the inside, one on the outside. The most effective position is directly in
the center of the tire, and this is where the beads always
are located.
The other problem is centrifugal* force. Lets say, as an example, your 16"
tire requires 3 oz's of weight, according to the Spin Balancer. The spin balancer
is calibrated to calculate the amount of weight based on the placement of the
weight at, in this case, an 8" radius. Once again, this is not the most efficient
location for a counterbalance weight.
Continuing on with this example, the inside carcass surface ( next to the tread
) is about 4" farther away from the edge of the rim, to give us a radius
of 12". This inside carcass surface is where the beads work, and the farther
away from the center they are, the more centrifugal force they develop. So we
can use this formula:
F1*R1 = F2*R2 to calculate the actual weight of beads needed.
(3)*(8) = (x)*(12)
24 = 12x
x = 24/12 or 2 oz.
So as we've shown, the beads are much more effective per oz than wheel weights,
another reason to purchase Dyna Beads®!
Stick-on weights are even worse, due to the fact that they have to be placed on
the inside flat surface of the wheel, which is even farther away from the tread
than the rim itself.
* OK, let's not get into a discussion on whether centrifigal
force actually exists, and the true force, centripetal.
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