Road force balance out of spec

Stevoj8 · September 16, 2020

So for about a month I've been having terrible vibration issues with my 2017 z71 silverado ccsb. Bought the truck with 22,900 miles and Im at 31,000 now. At about 30k I had nitto terra grap g2s installed and that's when the ride quality began to deteriorate. Took at to a shop for $40 had the tires balanced with no luck. Ended up at the dealership yesterday to have it looked at. They test drove it and did a road force balance only to come back to me and tell me 3 tires were out of spec. One tire came in at 17, the other three came out at 21, 24 and 27. I'm no expert with road force balance by any means. Purchased the tires at NTB and the dealership is telling me, $210 later, to get with NTB and see if I can have the tires replaced under warranty. Anybody else have experience with balancing issues???

VanguardK2 · September 16, 2020

So for about a month I've been having terrible vibration issues with my 2017 z71 silverado ccsb. Bought the truck with 22,900 miles and Im at 31,000 now. At about 30k I had nitto terra grap g2s installed and that's when the ride quality began to deteriorate. Took at to a shop for $40 had the tires balanced with no luck. Ended up at the dealership yesterday to have it looked at. They test drove it and did a road force balance only to come back to me and tell me 3 tires were out of spec. One tire came in at 17, the other three came out at 21, 24 and 27. I'm no expert with road force balance by any means. Purchased the tires at NTB and the dealership is telling me, $210 later, to get with NTB and see if I can have the tires replaced under warranty. Anybody else have experience with balancing issues???

Factory wheels or aftermarket? Road force balance is the uber specific way to balance tires, and techs will avoid it like the plague if possible. Haven't heard much from nittos, but at the dealership I'm at all the All terrain tires balance like hot garbage, regularly asking for 14oz of weight inside and 1w outside. If I read correctly, you've only put 1K miles on these new tires and it rides rough? I'd check the alignment if you haven't had one when you got new tires. Over time it can affect them. Offroading can throw an alignment out of whack real quick and the road force balance isn't worth it after you do a trail since its balanced so perfectly.

Sent from my SM-G986U1 using Tapatalk

Stevoj8 · September 16, 2020

Wheels are factory, truck hasn't been offroad I just like to have tires with semi agrresive tread in case I ever need to go offroad for hunting, fishing, metal detecting, etc. Haven't checked the alignment yet. Would have thought for $210 and having an extended warranty the dealership would have checked alignment but they just did the road force balance and thats it.

VanguardK2 · September 16, 2020

Wheels are factory, truck hasn't been offroad I just like to have tires with semi agrresive tread in case I ever need to go offroad for hunting, fishing, metal detecting, etc. Haven't checked the alignment yet. Would have thought for $210 and having an extended warranty the dealership would have checked alignment but they just did the road force balance and thats it.

They should do an alignment inspection during their multi point inspection before selling them. If it has never had an alignment, then it is most likely due for one. Some vehicles I check need alignments at 16K miles. I'd ask them if they had done at least an alignment check and if they hadn't then I'd ask for them to do one. Some places will do alignment checks for free, but having bought your truck from there they should honor it for you being their customer. I definitely understand the use for AT tires. I have had 2 jeeps and this truck and have always had AT tires either on the vehicle or in the garage.

Sent from my SM-G986U1 using Tapatalk

CamGTP · September 16, 2020

So the value they were off is after they broke the beads, spun the tire 180 degrees and then balanced it again??

Anything around 20 was pretty good for a offroad style tire, we'd get more involved if with the manufacturer if all we could get it down to was in the 35-40 range.

dieselfan1 · September 16, 2020

I'm just throwing this out there.
I had them bead balance my 37" Ridge Grapplers and I get no vibes. I never tried this before but for 50 bucks I thought I'd give it a try and it seems to work good.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

newdude · September 16, 2020

Are those tires an LT tire or P tire? Makes a difference in GM's spec for road force testing for the "Chevy Shake" diagnosis bible they have.

Stevoj8 · September 16, 2020

50 minutes ago, newdude said:

Are those tires an LT tire or P tire? Makes a difference in GM's spec for road force testing for the "Chevy Shake" diagnosis bible they have.

I didn't get 10 ply because I didn't need them if that's what you mean, I believe they're 6 ply

Stevoj8 · September 16, 2020

10 hours ago, CamGTP said:

So the value they were off is after they broke the beads, spun the tire 180 degrees and then balanced it again??

Anything around 20 was pretty good for a offroad style tire, we'd get more involved if with the manufacturer if all we could get it down to was in the 35-40 range.

They claimed to do the two rears a second time and the results went from 22 and 27 to 24 and 26

newdude · September 16, 2020

30 minutes ago, Stevoj8 said:

I didn't get 10 ply because I didn't need them if that's what you mean, I believe they're 6 ply

Well, kinda. What size are you running I guess might be a better question for me to have asked.

I took a stroll on Nitto's site at the G2. In stock 18" 265/65R18, they offer an LT E load or a P metric extra load. In a 275/65R18 (a popular stock upsize) they are also a P metric extra load. The 20" 275/55R20 and popular upsize 275/60R20 are both a P metric extra load. P metric XL are still a P metric tire, just with a bump in load index for more carrying capacity. They are not of the LT type tire.

So, if you are after a "Chevy shake", the P metric tires should have no more than 15lbs of road force per GM PI1354I: Information on Vibration Analysis and Diagnostic.

Otherwise, GM's limit on P tire on light truck road force is 24lbs or less.

Edited September 16, 2020 by newdude

Grumpy Bear · September 16, 2020

I use a local private shop for my tire work and when I buy tires I tell John, "No wigglers and no eggs". I also insist on tires from the same lot and manufactured within the the last 3 to 12 months. Eventually they get tired of taking the tires back and give you what you are asking for.

A tire is suppose to be round and track true. Watch it spin on the balancer.

Untrue can be a tire that didn't seat squarely. There is a reference ridge in the side wall the installer is suppose to use as a guide. ALLOT of guys mounting don't know this. The cure is dismount and remount. Of course it can also just be defective.

It shouldn't spin like an egg. If the tire is mounted correctly viewed from the size it shouldn't spin anything but round. I've seen few perfect tires but it shouldn't be "OMG that's awful". An otherwise good tire can be shaved round and it is totally worth it.

Just things to think about. Things to look at. IMHO road force balance is a method that attempts to make a defective tire usable. That said it that doesn't work.....yea....bad tire.

Stevoj8 · September 16, 2020

3 hours ago, newdude said:

Well, kinda. What size are you running I guess might be a better question for me to have asked.

I took a stroll on Nitto's site at the G2. In stock 18" 265/65R18, they offer an LT E load or a P metric extra load. In a 275/65R18 (a popular stock upsize) they are also a P metric extra load. The 20" 275/55R20 and popular upsize 275/60R20 are both a P metric extra load. P metric XL are still a P metric tire, just with a bump in load index for more carrying capacity. They are not of the LT type tire.

So, if you are after a "Chevy shake", the P metric tires should have no more than 15lbs of road force per GM PI1354I: Information on Vibration Analysis and Diagnostic.

Otherwise, GM's limit on P tire on light truck road force is 24lbs or less.

Im running 265/65/18, same size as the goodyears that the truck came with. Truck has zero modifications except for the new tires

flyingfool · September 17, 2020

take it to a smog station dyno and do a real road test on smooth rollers, get a helper to walk around truck while up to speed looking for out of balance stuff. video it too. tires, drive shaft, engine bay, etc..