One of the things I've wanted to try for awhile was balancing my tires using Air Soft pellets. It seems like I am always throwing the metal cramp on weights that discount puts on and constantly needing the tires re-balanced.

To start out I looked at this dyna bead chart to get an idea of how many ounces I would need for each tire.

I headed over to Amazon and put in an order for 2 packages of pellets. I used the TSD competition grade pellets just because they were a little cheaper.



The next step was to break the bead on the tire. Mike came over and we decided wed find another use for the hi lift and use the downward force of it to pop the bead.

The idea works great, just don't do it like this



Mike must have been hanging around me too much, because doing it this way, the jack will push into your door and leave a big dent! Luckily we noticed in time before damage was done

Using your front bumper is much better







Once the bead was off we had the idea to use a funnel to guide the pellets in.



Again this didn't really work that well. Its much easier to just dump them in with the cup.




Once the beads are in its time to play with fire and re-seat the bead. At first we tried using lighter fluid.





The flame didnt burn hot or quick enough to get the bead back on. But it stills fun lighting things on fire.

Next we did it the correct way and sprayed starting fluid around the rim.



Much better



Once the beads on the last step is airing them up and bolting them back on. I noticed a difference in balancing compared with the metal weights. It seems to do better and I don't have any wobble in them anymore. They do make a little noise when stopping but its nothing distracting or annoying.


Setting the bead with FIRE!

Great job, Chris. I'm running bead in my TJ (especially due to the bead locks) and they work great for me. I can tell a difference between having them and not. The Ounce Chart is very helpful. I just always put in 1 cup for my 40's, 3/4 a cup for my 35's, but it's nice to have science now.

*** side note*** it's a lot easier to put the bead in on beadlock tires. LOL

Yeah this does work. I put roughly 16 oz per tire due to chunkification...

Did you take the wheel weight off?

Way too much starter fluid. Get the air compressor out and hook it to the valve stem while pumping air. Then, run one quick ring of starter fluid around the rim and light. Looks like you did 2+ passes.

K7VZ wrote:Way too much starter fluid. Get the air compressor out and hook it to the valve stem while pumping air. Then, run one quick ring of starter fluid around the rim and light. Looks like you did 2+ passes.

It was much more fun that way :)
Plus it was having trouble coming out of the can at that angle.

Skatchkins wrote:It was much more fun that way :)
Plus it was having trouble coming out of the can at that angle.

I dont think you can ever have too much fire

offroadaz wrote:I dont think you can ever have too much fire

When the tire explodes, tears your arms and legs off, and sends them flying across town in giant fireballs, then you have too much fire.

K7VZ wrote:When the tire explodes, tears your arms and legs off, and sends them flying across town in giant fireballs, then you have too much fire.

For a technical write up, I agree with Virgil. For just plain 'ol personal fun, I too subscribe to the "there is never too much fire" school of thought.

I've always used this method on
1. Tractor tires which are 3-5 times bigger.
2. With the valve stem removed. (Just to seat the bead)
3. With an air line clamped on and pumping air.

When it goes, it usually is more violent whoosh than what I see in your video and blows the flame out itself. Get too much starter fluid in there and your tire will/can explode. I think tire shops have "cage" setups for reseating tires.

K7VZ wrote:I've always used this method on
1. Tractor tires which are 3-5 times bigger.
2. With the valve stem removed. (Just to seat the bead)
3. With an air line clamped on and pumping air.

When it goes, it usually is more violent whoosh than what I see in your video and blows the flame out itself. Get too much starter fluid in there and your tire will/can explode. I think tire shops have "cage" setups for reseating tires.

Cool, Im replacing the spare on mine and Ill need to reseat the bead again. ill try this way and see what happens

offroadaz wrote:Cool, Im replacing the spare on mine...

dry rot? :))

Ok, very NOOB question here... what the heck is this for? Are the BBs just bouncing around loose inside the tire? If so, how does the BBs balance the tire, instead of rim wheel weights? Is the fire suppose to set the tire back on the rim and air it up at the same time? If not, why not just use an air compressor?

Dynamic Balancing will answer the bead question. Airsoft BBs are cheaper. Say goodby to weights...Enjoy.
http://www.innovativebalancing.com/?gclid=CJbkpJmfgakCFRpVgwodHxIXTA

Ah... so did you guys then take off the lead rim balancers?

2ndchance wrote:Ah... so did you guys then take off the lead rim balancers?

I do, but by necessity, otherwise you are offsetting uneeded weight and couterbalancing your balancing. LOL

With the 40" tires and beadlocks (which are beat up and have a lot of weight tied up in the ring itself), balancing beads are the only thing that's ever really helped me on highway with my rig. I think weights are better up to 33" tires, kind've a toss up on 35"s (depending upon the condition of your rims) between beads or weights, and the only way to go if you're bigger than 35's is beads if you're still driving it on the highway.

My .02