OT: Pickup - Experience with big lug tires (Thornbirds, Swampers, etc)?

[PhilMoore]

I have a set of 31 inch Thornbirds on my Toyota pickup, and they are getting really rough on the highway. When I got them, the guy that put them on for me was whining about getting them balanced, and he couldn't do it properly. I ran them anyway, but now they are getting worse.

I have been searching the 'net for advice on balancing, and I just thought maybe somebody on this forum had some experience with these type of tires and getting them fairly balanced.

I may be called a poseur for running these gnarly tires on a work truck. But, I have been stuck a couple times with them if that helps to bring up my credibility whatsoever.


BTW I have discovered the following methods for balancing:

-- Adding a few Golf balls.
-- "Equal" brand tire balancing compound. http://www.imiproducts.com/imi_htmlcode/imi_equa/imi_equa_faq.html of which there are no dealers within 60 miles of me.
-- Ring balancers that bolt to the hub: http://www.balancemasters.com/
-- Some dude suggested Antifreeze, which sounds like a mess.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. (Except getting rid of these stupid huge tires, which by the way, impress the ladies):p

[Dave83]

I havent had the thornbirds but had swampers and gumbo mudders.Both of those were near impossible to keep balanced.Neither were radial tires and I believe that had a lot to do with it.They build heat and "grow as you drive.I thought the thornbirds were radial though and should be able to spin balance those.I dont see why there would be a problem with 31s

[FastHonda400ex]

Have your tire dealer acorn or lug centric balance your tires. It is more accurate for balancing and it uses the lug holes in the wheel to balance the tire instead of using the hub hole(hub centric balancing), which may be too big or machined a little out of round from the factory.

[440exnacsracer]

my friend has 35 thorns and they ride good, prolly better than 35 bfg's