Hello, I have a couple of questions about the SX's. I was talking with a buddy (not really) and he was saying that he had 36 SX's on his 1/2T Ram and had spent about $200 (?? I am not too sure of that!) trying to get them balanced (even had it on a Hunter 9000). He said they were terrible and could not get anyone to balance them. He did drive this vehicle as a daily driver, so offroad it wouldn't matter. I am planning on running 36-38 SX's on my SOA CJ8 (mostly trail...but driven to trails) and have never heard of this type of problem with TSL tires, yes they may take some weight but usually can be balanced. Anyone have any input on this subject?
Second question, about flat spotting. The SX is a bias polyester cord design (correct?) and has less of a tendency to flat spot, I know it will go away in a short while if it does flat spot. He also said this was terrible and not worth the trouble (?). These tires are supposedly a "no thump" design, does anyone have any input on this. Again, these are the tires I want to run but I would like to be able to balance them (even somewhat as not to wear out front end components...D44) and would like a "no thump" ride. Again, I can live with (because I understand.. the wife won't) the temporary thump but others might think "wow, what a pos", which really is not a concern to me either. Just want some opinions, thoughts, or input. Thanks. John

Originally posted by cj8scrambld
Hello, I have a couple of questions about the SX's. I was talking with a buddy (not really) and he was saying that he had 36 SX's on his 1/2T Ram and had spent about $200 (?? I am not too sure of that!) trying to get them balanced (even had it on a Hunter 9000). He said they were terrible and could not get anyone to balance them. He did drive this vehicle as a daily driver, so offroad it wouldn't matter. I am planning on running 36-38 SX's on my SOA CJ8 (mostly trail...but driven to trails) and have never heard of this type of problem with TSL tires, yes they may take some weight but usually can be balanced. Anyone have any input on this subject?
Second question, about flat spotting. The SX is a bias polyester cord design (correct?) and has less of a tendency to flat spot, I know it will go away in a short while if it does flat spot. He also said this was terrible and not worth the trouble (?). These tires are supposedly a "no thump" design, does anyone have any input on this. Again, these are the tires I want to run but I would like to be able to balance them (even somewhat as not to wear out front end components...D44) and would like a "no thump" ride. Again, I can live with (because I understand.. the wife won't) the temporary thump but others might think "wow, what a pos", which really is not a concern to me either. Just want some opinions, thoughts, or input. Thanks. John

First part. to properly balance a bias ply, you really need to have a tire company that knows what they are doing. not many seem to. what you want them to do is vulcanize a rubber patch on the light side of the tire to balance it. use the led clip on/glue on weights last if at all. It probably would cost around $50-75 a tire to balance like that and take a chunk of time doing it. (having to unmount/remount the tire a lot)

2nd part, SX's not get flat spots? bwaahahahahahhahaaa YEAH RIGHT! buddy of mine ran the 35 SX's and never aired them up beyond 4-5psi except on rare occasions. (trailered all the time) I jumped in it with the tires cold one morning... the flat spot made the nose of the jeep go up and down a good 2-3". But normally wouldn't take long to warm up and the flat spot to be gone.

LOL if you use your tires off road and ever air down they will never stay balanced dont even waste your time trying on Swampers they are made for off-road so why try and balance them, Oh well just my 2 cents:flipoff2: :rolleyes:

Balance Tsl/Sx.LOL you must be:smokin: .:D :D :D :D

I HAVE 38.5X14.5 ON MY DAILY DRIVER ....THEY ARE BALANCED WELL ENOUGH SO I DONT FEEL ANY VIBES......THE FIRST FEW MONTHS OF DRIVING SUCKED...NOW THEY ARE JUST FINE...I GUESS THEY HAVE TO BREAK IN A LITTLE........AMERICA TIRE CO...HAS LIFETIME BALANCING FOR LIKE 120$FOR 4 TIRES.......MINE HAVE BEEN BALANCED TWICE NO QUESTIONS ASKED ....

4wheel parts warehouse told me they have small sand bags 8oz or something, just put inside tire & it automaticly balances tire ???any body know about this ????I have 38s & yes I"ts like rideing abucking horse at start up!!!!

the bucking is all part of the experience. my 38's arent' even round much less balanced, although discount tire tried. One of them took 32oz which is crazy. any way you just have to find the right speed to drive, for me the only terrible speed is between 40 and 45 which is ok because i cruise around 65. Just letting you know my experience, you may be a little more particular if this is your only vehicle.

Geez! Sometimes you people read into a post too deeply. I am not asking if the SX's can be balanced as though they were not even there, like for cruising down the roadways and highways like you were in a Caddy! I was just asking if they were really that bad, as my buddy stated. I know Swampers are Swampers, I am only looking to see if they balance some what, again I am looking to drive to the trails and not chew up the frontend. I am not looking to tow this thing all over, I think my buddy was more a pavement pounder anyway. I see vehicles all over that are sparkling clean with Swampers (the ones you know never go off the pavement. So, they must be able to balance to a point or these people are just into personal self abuse! Again, this is not my daily driver, it will be my trail vehicle but used on road to get there. The thump I know will go away, I am not concerned with that, it is just an ok balance job I would like. Thanks. John

I wouldnt get any swamper tire for daily driving. I would just get some ATs for the road and swap them out for swampers.

As for the claims that Interco makes on their tires...

They claim that Thornbirds have the performance of a agressive mud tire with the ride of an all-terrain. I can testify that they ride like absolute shiot! I have ridden in trucks with boggers and I gaurantee that Thornbirds arent much better.

As for the powder crap for puting inside tires, that sucks too. I tried some of that in my thornbirds and it is worthless shit. Might as well cut your money up into little pieces and blow it into the wind, that is what ended up with my balencing powder.

Anyway, if you want any Interco tire to ride well on the road, get SSRs. My brother had them and so did a buddy of mine. The buddy had 33s and bro had 35s. They both rode and sounded as god or better than my 31 BFG ATs on my DD Tacoma. They are the only tire that I will give my personal gaurantee that they ride gggggggrrrreat!

Good luck!

Let me clarify again, I am not looking to daily drive!! Is this the balance powder you guys are talking about? Go to www.imiproducts.com

Wonder how that Equal works (performance). If it really lives up to what the company says. Have any of you Guys tried it or something similar to it? That might be something I'ed try in the wifes car.

Originally posted by cj8scrambld
Let me clarify again, I am not looking to daily drive!! Is this the balance powder you guys are talking about? Go to www.imiproducts.com

There seems to be a disconnect between your Newbie questions and your "extreme" attitude. For someone asking such JU crap you sure have an attitude.

They're Swampers. They are what they are. You can't change it with powder, weights or your mommy to wipe your nose.

Paul

I personally run the 38/12.5 SX's on my 4runner. Clifton runs the 36/12.5 SX's on his 90's excab. JayK also runs them. For some reason the 36's ride much nicer than the 38's. They are just mounted,no balance and they don't ride very bad. The 38's ride like crap no matter what you do. They are so horribly out of round, it is almost unbelievable that a company could make them and send them out the door. Of course they are incredible off the pavement, so it makes it worth it!:D
If you're looking for a better riding street tire, get something other than a bias ply tire. A radial like the SSR might be better suited for your needs, where I need all the beef and sidewall I can get. The 38's will vibrate the crap out of the truck at certain speeds and have the death wobble at certain speeds. Like was said before, you'll change the balance of the tire everytime you take it out and chunk it on the trail.
If you do get the SX's and they won't balance up, try golf balls in the tires. I run 6 in each rear tire and they let me cruise 65-70. I couldn't run more than 60 before the whole truck started to shake itself to death before them. Each golf ball weighs 1.9 ounces. If you have access to a tire machine, take the weight needed to balance it, divide it in half and divide that by 1.9. That'll get you close on how many balls to add. Don't knock it 'til you try it. And no you don't hear them rolling around unless you're really going slow, and you have to listen hard to hear them.

nasvik, welcome to the topic. You pipe in not with opinions or advise, you just pipe in to start knocking attitude! I have never run a Swamper before, although I have wheeled with them with a buddy (never had the "pleasure" on road). My question is based on the comments of someone, which seem to go against the grain. So, I am just doing some research and yes, I may be a "newbie" to this board but not in the woods. Why do the "seniors" seem to look down upon the newbies on this post, don't you think you would want to keep this "sport" alive? Where would it be when all you old farts die off, it would most likely go to some enviromentalist
Now, back to the subject. I may be a bit old fashioned tire wise, but what is the general consensus on the SSR? I know it is a radial and all but I have heard some favorable things about it

pmurf1, thanks for the interesting advise and the type of helpful comments appreciated here. And, I would not knock anything until tried. And again, I do not care much about street manners...just something that wouldn't tear up the frontend. I don't golf but my wife does, I don't think she will miss a few balls if I take a few at a time...LOL In my original post I reffered to a Hunter 9000, I was corrected...I guess it was a Hunter GSP9700? Supposedly a state of the art tire balancer written up in some offroad mags that will balance a 44"er (?). Thanks. John

I just took my 33x15.5 swampers off my truck and put them on the 4runner. They have been sitting for about a month in the drive way ( on the truck ). I drove it 1 mi and the runner would move up & down 3" from the FLAT SPOTS. I too only run 5 psi max, if I run anymore they shake the shiot out of the truck. I bought them used so I don't know if they were balanced before but they each took like 12-16 oz to balance and they still shake. I would never buy them for a dd , but for a trail rig only driven 10-20 miles to the trail they only shake until they are warm unless you got the psi up high. Then they will still lossen your fillings.

ive got a set of q78 buckshot mudders that i threw on some rims and tossed 3 golf balls in each tire. only got a tiny shimmy at about 50mph. they ran good at all other speeds, even up to 70mph. and im still runnin stock UCA's on my XJ. try the golf balls, you can always take em out and they are cheap.


Hunter

Thanks for all the helpful replies! If I have a problem I will try the golf balls, hell you won't know unless you try...right! It is like the "EQUAL" tire additive in a way. The flat spotting I know will go away and I more than likely won't leave it sitting aired down, or I will air up when I hit the road anyway to get to my trail destination. And, while out on the trail you can always undo the beadlocks and hit a few balls, especially if you happen upon a golf course! I know some people will read that remark and think I do my wheeling on golf courses....NOT! LOL

mine drive nice

I have 35s (radial mud terrains) on my toy, and am switching to 36s, either TSLs, or TSL/SXs, and have to drive it to the trails, including the 4runner jambo in JV, and thats a long drive from Texas, u guys are making me worry. Any suggestions, Ive heard about sidewall problems with the SSRs when used in the rocks. I read a magazine article last year about something called a centramatic, and its used on semis as well. Any body used them?? I know they mount over the brake, and under the rim.

i have 36" TSLs and they drive on the road like shit the front tires wobble side to side at least two inches. would not trade them for anything when it comes to offroad. they can be balanced and they still shake your filling out on the hiway. they shake so much it throws the balance weight off the rims. if you want some good tires and still drive daily i would go with the goodyear MTRs.

The 38.5 sx's I had were bought used and had the patch weights in them already. Other thant that I didn't balance them any. Once the flat spot went away (dependant on temp) they didn't ride too bad.
My 35" boggers I got new, never balanced them at all and same thing, once the flat spot went away they really weren't as bad as I thought they would be.
I know it takes a while for boggers to break in and flex well. I couldn't believe how much I had to air down to get them to flex. Once they loosened up they flexed better.
Now hopefully my 39.5 boggers will be the same.
The thing about most Swampers (especially boggers) that keeps me from using them on the road is they wear quick. Before I trailered it a lot, I would put on the street tires, 35" BFG MT's.
It always cracks me up to see poser rigs with anything but Thornbirds (cause that's what they are for). I talked to a guy with 44" boggers once and he was telling me how much they sucked and he would never get them again. (they were about bald)
I asked him how they were off-road and he said he had never been off-road.
:laughing:

First thing- bias Swampers flat spot- period! Get used to it!

Second- trying to balance them and keep them balanced is like chasing your tail. You'll never really get it right.

If you don't like driving a 4WD paint shaker, consider a radial for your DD.

Having said that- Swampers are the best/toughest off road tire available (yeah, I know but 37 MTR's are available:mad: ) You just have to take the bad with the good :skull: