Centramatic Trike Stainless Steel Wheel Balancers

[Calgary]

I just rolled over 10,000 miles on my three month old Gl1800 CSC Viper and my OEM front tire is into the wear bars.

When I had the conversion done, I had a chrome front wheel installed and the installer recommended I use RideOn as a balancer/flat preventer. The wheel did not balance well, so at about 5000 miles I had the RideOn removed and the wheel rebalanced with weights. It improved it somewhat, but not completely - the imbalance can be felt between 65 and 70 mph.

I'm going to install a BT45 on the front and have been reading about the Centramatic Trike Stainless Steel Wheel Balancers. The videos look pretty convincing.

While somewhat high in price, the manufacturer extols the many benefits, primarily extended tire life.

I'd appreciate learning from your experiences!

Calgary

[FRR]

OEM tires on the front of a Goldwing Trike just doesn't last long. I put a BT 45 on the front of my Wing with a CSC kit this Spring. It had 7 MM worth of tread at installation. Now, after 9,000 miles on the tire I have 5 1/2 MM left. I mounted it backward after reading everything I could find on the subject. I'm sure I'll get 20,000 or more on the tire.

I get a slight vibration at 70-75 MPH but I don't think it has anything to do with the front tire. I believe you will be happy with the BT 45.

[Calgary]

Thanx FRR for your experience with the BT45. What are you using to balance the wheel? Weights? Beads? ?????

[Woolie]

I have a BT45 mounted forward on my 1800 and installed the Centramatic balancers when the tire was installed. I don't have many miles on it yet but it rides great, the balance is perfect at any speed.

[Calgary]

Thanx for this Woolie. Did you instal the balancers yourself?

[Woolie]

No, I got the local dealer to install them when they mounted the tire. I bought the tire and balancers from Wingstuff, but since they installed the tire and balancers I will probably order the next tire from the dealer as long as the price is reasonable. I don't mind supporting them I just don't want to be robbed, and so far they are reasonable. There was a time when they would not install the rear tire on the front but with the economy like it is they need every dollar they can get. The trike dealer would not mount the rear tire on the front so he doesn't get much of my business, only what I have to do there. I will haul my trike 400 miles to Troup TX before I let him dictate what I can and can not do to it. The instructions for the balancers say to replace the disk bolts when installing them and if they are not replaced to use lock-tite on them. The disk that bolts under the brake disk is really thin stainless steel so it does not move the brake disk out hardly any at all, about the thickness of a heavy sheet of paper. I can hear the beads or whatever is in the disk moving at about 20 mph but it is not bothersome or loud and over that I can't hear it at all. I am considering putting them or something like them on my pickup truck, I like em.

[Calgary]

Thanx again Woolie! You sound like a man after my own heart - I don't enjoy feeling ripped off either.

I'm a big WingStuff fan as well and pretty much get all of my 'safety chrome' and 'stuff' through them.

I appreciate your information about the Centramatic balancers.

[mhgoldwing]

I have the Centramatic front wheel balancers and they seem to work well. I never balance my front tires and they run just fine. In cold weather I think the balancers have to "warm up" a little to work exactly right but it doesn't take them long.

[FRR]

Thanx FRR for your experience with the BT45. What are you using to balance the wheel? Weights? Beads? ?????

Just weights. Seems to do the job