BALANCING COYOTEE BEADLOCKS WITH BALANCE BEADS
BLIN-12
Note: Also see Tread Overlap Balance, BLIN-06 where you learn how to counter balance the Air Channel and inner tube valve stems with the beadlock case Tread overlap sewing area.
Problem: May I use balance beads in my Coyote Dual, Internal, Pneumatic, Boltless Beadlock wheels?
Answer: If you’re one of the guys where 4WD is the “end” unto itself, like racers or fast drivers, we recommend no. If 4WD is a means to “ends” like photography or geology, then yes, you may find the use of balancing beads acceptable. Depending on how fast you drive, they introduce handling anomalies. Enter gyroscopic precession.
Discussion: Have you ever been spinning up a 3~4” grinding wheel in a hand drill and felt it torque around kinda funny? That’s gyroscopic precession in action. Here’s what’s going on. This image is how engineers and physicists look at gyroscopic precession.
A wheel is actually a gyroscope (SW) and acts accordingly. The balancing beads within the wheel is another separate gyroscope (SB) and acts accordingly. Any kind of up, down or left, right wheel action (T) results in two independent gyroscopic precessions a
ctions, PW and PB. That results in a BIG-TIME fuss between the two gyros. Upon any torquing (T), the gyro connected to the car (the wheel) feeds back to the suspension or the steering wheel! That results in evil handling like a left, right steering-wheel speed-wobble or an up, down, out-of-balance tire feeling.
How bad is it? It depends on how fast the tires are spinning (speed) and how much the terrain (whoops) is messing with the gyros. Tire stop leaks acts in the same way. As beneficial as a stop leak would be for off-road racers, I know racers that avoid this, too.
Solution: Don’t use beads or stop leaks, or driver slower.
I want every Coyote beadlock owner to experience the full performance capabilities of our products. I’m always available to answer your questions and encourage your calls (949 645-7733) and emails Harry@coyoteents.com. Let us know what’s going on!
