Wheel Balance Yes or NO?
Two weeks ag oi tried to get the wheels balanced on my two year old Swift, to be told they are so far out as to be beyond balancing. Contacted Swift CRD and their reply was amusing, they do not balance wheels as it makes no difference to the towing or ride
of the caravan!!!
Now being a technical trainer for Bosch Delphi and Hella as well as numerous other automotive companies for many years. I Had to laugh at this response given that the wheels were nearly 260grams out of balance!!
So the question is anyone else had the same type of problem with wheel balance?
I am currently about to install a vibration monitor into the caravan ready for my next trip out just for evidence that Swift are talking a load of!!
p.s. the problem is that things keep coming loose in the van when travelling, cooker, fridge, cabinets etc.
Comments
-
We had the same problem with an Elddis, Jeff. Furniture and bulkheads cracked and moved and on one occasion we found the fridge sitting in the middle of the floor at the end of the journey.
We reinforced the woodwork of the internal fittings, fitted better quality tyres, reduced the pressure to give a softer ride, had the wheels balanced and fitted shock absorbers. It helped but didn't stop the side wall of the caravan bowing outwards - a known
Elddis problem of that era (2003).0 -
Just had two tyres fitted to my towcar (£400
). the young GIRL put the wheel on the balancer & fitted a 45g & a 30g on the outer edge
& inner edge of the rim, she then spun up the wheel again and was about to add even more weights. I stopped her and told her I was unhappy with all those weights, and suggested she spun the tyre around the rim a little. Ta Dah! It balanced!
She
then said to me, 'I didn't know you could do that'Maybe the tyre fitters fitting the caravan tyres might need a little further training.
2 -
We have had eight caravans in the last 40 + years from six different manufacturers and never needed wheels balanced so never had them balanced .
0 -
We have had eight caravans in the last 40 + years from six different manufacturers and never needed wheels balanced so never had them balanced .
If you never had them balanced, how do you know they didn't need balancing?
The front of the fire, which sat more or less over the nearside wheel) in my last caravan was always on the floor when we got to site or home. After persuading my tyre fitter to balance them for me ... they're off a caravan he said, they don't need balancing
...
the fire front was always where it should be after towing.
0 -
We have had eight caravans in the last 40 + years from six different manufacturers and never needed wheels balanced so never had them balanced .
Same here. Waste of time. I also run 5, twin axle, Ifor Williams trailers and they have never been balanced.
0 -
We have had eight caravans in the last 40 + years from six different manufacturers and never needed wheels balanced so never had them balanced .
Same here. Waste of time. I also run 5, twin axle, Ifor Williams trailers and they have never been balanced.
It may have been a waste of time for you, RRM, but it wasn't for us. I are say the IW trailers you have are built to a better standard than caravans.
0 -
Ok thanks to the people with the sensible comments, TW MM et al. However no thanks to the people whom have never actually had them balanced as there opinion is irrelevant, and obviously took no notice of what i do for a living, and was asking a genuine opinion from people that had actually tried to have their wheels balanced. BTW for those that have not had them balanced and from a well respected diagnostics engineer just because there are no syptoms does not mean there is not a problem!!! You will only find out when it goes shiny side down!!!
1 -
I have usually had my c/van wheels balanced , whilst i was at college as a motor vehicle lecturer i had the wheel balancer in the workshop at my disposal so to balance the wheels was easily done . Steel wheels in those days , can never remember them being
excessively out of balance nor can i remember any difference in towing experience. When i had the tyres changed on my current van i asked the tyre fitter to balance the wheels, his response was we never balance c/van wheels , however he did balance them ,
alloy wheels and not wildly out of balance. Still notice no difference but will always balance them , perhaps more to do with habit. Sorry for long post.0 -
The tyre fitters automatically balanced the wheels when I had the tyres replaced.
0 -
With the roads as they are today my caravan takes a lot of hammer, from tyres up to bodywork and fittings. I have them balanced every time to try and reduce unnecessary vibration. Common sense IMO and it doesn't cost a fortune to have done. I also like to think that it could be more stable at higher speeds.
0 -
Thanks for your post just confirms that Swift seem to be not with it, but they will eventually replace my wheels and tyres as they have the rest of the faulty parts, they just require a push in the correct direction. As i stated earlier 260-280grams not
a bit out of balance but huge!!0 -
...... As i stated earlier 260-280grams not a bit out of balance but huge!!
A couple of years ago I had two tyres fitted at a Mercedes dealership. I drove home & realised that one had been balanced with 105g of weights .... I returned to MB. The tech saw nothing wrong with that and said he'd used up to 200g
Not
on my car though. He was sent on his way back to the workshop and eventually returned triumphant, having balanced it with 30g. If only he'd done that in the first place.0 -
Interesting thread. It had never crossed my mind that anyone would NOT ballance a caravan tyre. Thanks for making me aware.
0 -
Thanks for this thread. I'll ask my tyre fitter to balance the wheels when I next get new tryes fitted.
0 -
Just as an aside if the front wheels on your car were 280 grams out of balance on the front you would be hard pressed to stop the vibration at 60mph. Swift in my opinion are trying to excuse a poor purchase of tyres
DMack whos only claim to fame is they produce tyres for a rally team(where balance is irrelevant) Best laugh is that the spare also dmack on a steeel wheel took 10 grams to balance!!0 -
In my opinion it makes sound sense to have the caravan wheels ballanced. If it cuts down vibration then it will cut down wear and tear on the rest of the caravan. As an earlier poster stated, just because their wheels had not been ballanced, it does not mean that they do not need to be.
0 -
Spot on JD i was just confused 45 years in automotive industry to then be told by a caravan manufacturer that is not even that old. that wheel balance was not essential!!!, i have by the way asked for there evidence that wheel balance has no effect on the
integrity of the caravan structure, that will be an interesting one given tha the automive industries ride qualities are based on ride harsness and vibration!!!0 -
i work in a tyre depot and i always have balanced my own caravan wheels and never had any problems balancing any other caravan wheels
0 -
All I know about getting the wheels balanced is that after getting them balanced there was less things moving about in the 'van when towed. Crockery and like had always come out of holders and you had to be careful opening cupboards, since
then everything stays in its place.0 -
The point for balancing them proved in your case as many others, Ian.
0 -
Just need a cure for pot holes now!
0
