>>> CENTRAMATICS <<<

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

dieselcrawlerguy,

I have never before seen such an animal in DRW fashion.

Believe it or not, we have a never-yet-used adapter that will mount those on our truck-tire balancer; although I doubt any of the Einsteins working there could find it, let alone use it.


One thing I will point out is those passenger-car pop-in rubber valve-stems.

You had best replace those with screw-in stainless valves at your soonest convenience before the high-pressure hose at the car-wash blows those car stems away.

 

[Dieselcrawler]

we tried. no metal stem in stock fit it. lol one day i will get rid of them. they are the HD rubber ones. but yea i know about em. i been workin in heavy truck for 10 years, and anything 1 ton and up got metal stems.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

>>> WE WILL SOON KNOW <<<

The CENTRAMATICs showed up today.

I took time to install the rears tonight and I can already tell a big difference in the smoothness of ride.

On a DRW, the CENTRAMATIC mounts between the two wheels.


I will hold off on installing the fronts until the newly painted wheels have time to cure and I get the brand new STA Super Transport LT LR-E tires mounted on them.

FIGURE "A" in the link below :


http://www.stausaonline.com/light-truck/super-transport.html

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

>>> DRW HEADS UP <<<

Seeing as how I had already been running the valve-stem extensions for years, I forgot to mention that, due to the rear CENTRAMATICs being BETWEEN the rear wheels on a DRW, braided-stainless flexible valve-stem extensions are NECESSARY for air-pressure maintenance of the inside tires.

If one has a DRW truck and intends to install the Centramatics, have on hand a pair of these flexible braided-stainless valve-stem extensions before starting the installation; else, it will be nigh impossible to access the inside stems.


http://www.myerstiresupply.com/shop/shopexd.asp?id=2220&info=Flexible-Braided-Wire-Extensions


^^^ That particular example has the set-screw clamp that holds the extension to the outer wheel.

I prefer the style that has a springy wire clip that clips into the wheel-slot, as the set-screw style can scratch and mar a nicely painted wheel.

Alas, I could not find a picture of the wire-clip style.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Well, the Centramatics have been installed and in use for several days, including a road-trip of a few hundred miles.

The truck now rides and drives like a 379-Peterbilt, like a truck should.

The wife said it was like gliding along above the road in a big air-plane.

Had I have known just how well these Centramatics worked, I would have got them the day I got the truck.

I am well pleased and money well spent.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

MONEY WELL SPENT !!!


The more miles I put on these Centramatics, the more I appreciate them = smooth as silk.


If I didn't already have mine, knowing how well they work, I would sure be asking old Santa Claus for a set.

 

[OLDBULL8]

They are nice as you said and will add many more miles to your tires. I'd bet about 10K more. They pay for themselves.

 

[snicklas]

I may look into a set of these..... my truck already runs fairly smooth.... but smooth as silk + more tire life.......

Plus at this point... I think you said for a SWR truck to was ~$250 for a set.... and now that tire prices have gone up again..... increasing tire life.... especially if it is tens of thousands of miles then @ 250 it is a value it it help save a $1000 set of tires.....

 

[hesutton]

Damon, you wouldn't happen to have any photos of these being installed or installed on the truck? Really want a set for both my IDI's. But, as I'm rebuilding the 6.9 in the crew cab........ I've got bigger fish to fry right now.

Heath

 

[RLDSL]

Ho much do the things space out your tires on the rear? I'm wondering because I can't get a set of single rail snow chains on my outer tires on mine as it sits. The chain wont quite go in between the rubber. Wondering if those things would give enough space to allow clearance.

 

[CaptTom]

Damon, you wouldn't happen to have any photos of these being installed or installed on the truck? Really want a set for both my IDI's. But, as I'm rebuilding the 6.9 in the crew cab........ I've got bigger fish to fry right now.

Heath

I think the Centrimatics website has an install vid on it.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Heath, I ain't got sense enough to do pictures, else I would post some.

There is really nothing to it; you just slide the balancer onto the studs and then slide on the wheel.

The rear ones for DRWs go BETWEEN the rear wheels.

Ho much do the things space out your tires on the rear? I'm wondering because I can't get a set of single rail snow chains on my outer tires on mine as it sits. The chain wont quite go in between the rubber. Wondering if those things would give enough space to allow clearance.

The part that sandwiches between the wheels might be 3/32" thick if that.

I don't see that the tube that contains the goodies would interfere with single-wheel chains, nor make matters any worse, on a DRW.

I have a pair of inch-thick spacers that I kinda thought about installing while I had the wheels off anyway; but, when I took a better look at how much stud-length I had, there is barely enough as it is for just bolting on the wheels.

It's kinda silly the way Ford put barely long enough studs on the DRW trucks and mile-long studs on the SRWs.


With my BIAS 7.50-16s, I have miles of space between the rear tires.

Your mention of chains reminded me that I somehow ended up with a big heavy set of chains that fit across both tires; I have no idea where they came from as they were just tossed in a corner under a pile of old used tires; I need to check those out and see if they are gonna work before I have to do it in the snow.

 

[RLDSL]

Heath, I ain't got sense enough to do pictures, else I would post some.

There is really nothing to it; you just slide the balancer onto the studs and then slide on the wheel.

The rear ones for DRWs go BETWEEN the rear wheels.






The part that sandwiches between the wheels might be 3/32" thick if that.

I don't see that the tube that contains the goodies would interfere with single-wheel chains, nor make matters any worse, on a DRW.

I have a pair of inch-thick spacers that I kinda thought about installing while I had the wheels off anyway; but, when I took a better look at how much stud-length I had, there is barely enough as it is for just bolting on the wheels.

It's kinda silly the way Ford put barely long enough studs on the DRW trucks and mile-long studs on the SRWs.


With my BIAS 7.50-16s, I have miles of space between the rear tires.

Your mention of chains reminded me that I somehow ended up with a big heavy set of chains that fit across both tires; I have no idea where they came from as they were just tossed in a corner under a pile of old used tires; I need to check those out and see if they are gonna work before I have to do it in the snow.

Right now if it looks like I might need to drive in the snow, I have to single out my rears so I can put my chains on. I've got some nice mudders on teh rear and they track nicely if I've got a loaded trailer on, but empty its pretty loose. If I ever wear out these rears, I think I'm going to look into a set of those bias ply jobs if I can find some. I bet the heavy truck tire shop can get me some. I always preferred the things on my big trucks anyway and it would be great to get some clearance in between so I could hang a single chain. Ive got those diamond pattern chains and really those things on an outer tire are plenty/ I've never needed dual chains before, and the blamed things are so heavy, id hate to have to get them just because of a clearance issue.