Shaving tires

Big Al

Veteran Expediter
Charter Member
Have not used this process for decades; however, this used to be SOP in the 60' & 70's with polyglass. Did it all the time on my 69 Torino Cobra:)

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billg27

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Bought a 1968 Camaro Z/28 in 1971 when I turned 16. Never got around to selling it. Still driving it.
 

RETIDEPXE

Veteran Expediter
I've always looked at shaving the tread as last resort. I have had luck by always checking the out of round with a block of wood. If more then an 1/8th of an inch or so, take the wheel/tire and reinstall 180 degrees, always seem to be much less doing this. I also us tru-bal budded lug nuts for hub pilot wheels.
 

tknight

Veteran Expediter
They told me the miles I lose in the shave will be a lot less than the wear on an untrue tire so I'm not gonna worry as my ride is absolutely better than ever!
 

RETIDEPXE

Veteran Expediter
I well balanced and tru steer is heaven compared to one that is not. Shaving will true it up, but is this a long term fix? My lack of faith in hub piloted wheels, even with the use of the tru-bal lugs, leads me to believe the next time the wheel is removed and re-torqued on a rotate for example, you loose the benefit of the shave. Couple this with severe pot holes (and/or curbs) that can and do bend wheels out of round.

Don't know if good or not, but with the learning curve over the last 1,003,000 mi.s, thru differing tire brands and one bad bent wheel replaced, my XZA3 Ener + steers are at 241,000 mi.s w/ 13 to 14/32nd's left wearing nicely (new has 19/32nd/s). I run centramatics, Monroe Gas shocks and Donvel airsprings, front end still original, hangers, kingpins, tie rod and trailing link and isolators still good and drives like a dream without a shaved tire.

Outside of convention, I also run the glass beads in the drives, originally without the centramatics as recommended, but found a slight bounce around 65mph plus. Threw the centramatics back on combined with the beads and bounce is gone. Played with doing this with the steers and found the bead/centramatic combo didn't work well, removed the beads and have the steers balanced before mounting with centramatics, this is the way for me here on out.

Just an ole shade tree's experience.
 

rollincoal

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
If you shave a tire and happen to take that wheel off later better remount it exactly to the studs as it came off. Mark the stud ends and holes with a paint pen or something. That's if you have tru balance centering pins. If you don't have those any benefit will be lost as soon as the wheel is dismounted. Amazing how much slop there is on "hub centered" wheels. I have tru balance on the studs on all 5 axles. Excellent product I read about it from a blog here and glad I did.

Also run dynamic balance beads in the drives. I found the exact opposite as you in that centramatics actually caused bounce in the drives with those beads. Centramatics are gone from my drives and steers. Had problems with them on steers too. Still have centramatics on the trailer, next tire rotation they're coming off and the lot is getting sold. Mine look to have a lot of play in how they fit over the studs. How the heck can they accomplish anything if they are not true?

So my steers are shaved and the whole front wheel assembly on both sides was balanced while on the truck. That balances wheel, tire, drum the whole rotating mass. But again, removing the steer wheels to rotate will negate the balance. Aggravating that there is no end all, be all solution to maintain good wear and ride with big truck tires.

I like balance beads in the drives. They will be going in trailer tires also. I like tru balance centering sleeves on all 5 axles. I like balancing the steers still on the truck with lead although it has to be redone when they get rotated but only cost $25 a side. I don't like shaving tires but if they are bad out of round you do what you gotta do. After much trial and error the past few years this seems to work good for me. Not bouncing, shaking, shimmying down the road.

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