New tire purchase - lessons learned

[pavementends]

I bought new tires at a major national chain recently and want to share my experience and some lessons learned. The intent of this post is to educate and prepare other consumers and auto enthusiasts, not to throw anyone under the bus. The company took care of me after I escalated the issue to the manager (in a friendly/cordial manner)...

I've had 4 pickup trucks in my life and always put Cooper tires on them. Never had a single issue with Coopers. This time, on my nicest/most expensive truck (so far) after A LOT of research went with Yokohama Geolandar G015 AT tires, size LT285/70/17 on 17" Gen1 Raptor wheels. The price was a big factor. Ended up right at $1,000 with tax. This was ~$300-400 less than most other options. And $800 less than Les Schwab's house brand tire - they quoted me $1,800 ? Anyway...

The Yokohamas went on and I drove home happy. ~400 miles later I felt some abnormal vibrations that I didn't like. I brought the truck back to get all four tires rebalanced. The tech said, "yeah one tire was way off, I think the tape weights fell off or something. I rebalanced it but it took a lot of weights to get it in spec... 7.5 ounces". I asked him if the tire is defective then and he said, "nah, some tires just take a lot to balance". I didn't know what "7.5 ounces" of tape weights looks like, but I found out later...

I drove home happy until I pulled into the neighborhood and heard a new rotational metal scraping/rubbing noise from the same troubled tire/wheel - right front. I grumbled and knew what it was: the thin metal brake rotor dust shield is probably rubbing. Really annoyed at this point, I crawled under the truck and was able to bend the dust shield away from the rotor with my finger tips. Drove the truck again and the noise was better, but not gone. While under there I learned what 7.5 ounces of tape weights looks like...

That does not look right. Not happy. So I called the tire shop, explained the two issues (defective tire and new noise after rebalance) and the manager immediately ordered a replacement tire for me. It arrived the SAME DAY - wow. They got me in immediately, pulled all four wheels and checked the brake dust shields all around, installed the replacement right front tire (which took 3 ounces of weights), and rechecked balance on the other three. I challenged the manager whether this was a training opportunity for his techs and he said, "yes, that tire should have been flagged as defective and they know better than to let the wheels drop straight down off the lugs because that can hit/dent the brake rotor shields".

Take aways: if you buy new tires, ask if any of them took an abnormal amount of weight to balance. If so, demand a replacement. And if you hear a new rotational scraping noise, it's probably the thin metal disc brake dust shield. I am hopeful that I don't have any more issues with these Yokohamas. Not a good start, but these things happen. Probably not indicative of their QC, but again never had issues with Coopers. You get what you pay for?

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[FirstFord]

A thousand years ago, I worked at a full-service gas station in high school (there wasn't any such thing as "self serve" in those days), and we did our fair share of tire work. On occasion, we would find a tire that required an unusual/unacceptable amount of weight to get it to balance. The solution was to break the bead of the tire from the wheel, rotate the tire on the wheel about 180 degrees, and then reset the bead. As I recall, it worked every time. It demonstrated to me that the tire is only part of the formula; that the wheel had its own weight/balance contributions, and sometimes it's just a mismatch that can be rectified.

 

[pavementends]

A thousand years ago, I worked at a full-service gas station in high school (there wasn't any such thing as "self serve" in those days), and we did our fair share of tire work. On occasion, we would find a tire that required an unusual/unacceptable amount of weight to get it to balance. The solution was to break the bead of the tire from the wheel, rotate the tire on the wheel about 180 degrees, and then reset the bead. As I recall, it worked every time. It demonstrated to me that the tire is only part of the formula; that the wheel had its own weight/balance contributions, and sometimes it's just a mismatch that can be rectified.

Good catch. I actually volunteered that option to the manager but he said policy is to replace ?‍

 

[Babbage]

Road force balance is better if you care and can get it.

Here's how it works: a road force tire balancer ($) uses a load-roller to simulate the force of the road and gather data on the combined uniformity of a wheel and tire package.


Road force balancers measure the force variation and runout of the whole wheel and tire assembly. It also measures the radial and lateral runout of the wheel and tire individually, providing a more accurate picture of how your tire and wheel combo are working together.

The road force balancer then tells the tire technician what steps to take to compensate for any inconsistencies. This may include simply adding weights or even remounting the tire and wheel.

 

[FirstFord]

manager but he said policy is to replace

What a waste. Sad.

 

[Facemelter]

A thousand years ago, I worked at a full-service gas station in high school (there wasn't any such thing as "self serve" in those days), and we did our fair share of tire work. On occasion, we would find a tire that required an unusual/unacceptable amount of weight to get it to balance. The solution was to break the bead of the tire from the wheel, rotate the tire on the wheel about 180 degrees, and then reset the bead. As I recall, it worked every time. It demonstrated to me that the tire is only part of the formula; that the wheel had its own weight/balance contributions, and sometimes it's just a mismatch that can be rectified.

Yep, same here. Worked at Michael Tire's Plus in High school and did my fair share of tire changes. First thing to do when its a large weight, break it back down and rotate it 180.
Remember the old school Coats center post tire changer with the metal steel bar you slapped over the post? Hah, man that thing was sketchy. But super fast at changing tires.

 

[Old Hat]

I've only had one disastrous tire replacement incident in all my years. When picking up my Jeep I noticed one of the plastic center caps was cracked. Continued checking and found another one cracked and one missing! The tech said nothing to anyone... expecting the owner wouldn't notice? I went inside and showed the manager. He agreed to pay for new caps.

On the ride home I heard something hit the inner fenders and bottom of the vehicle. I thought I must've run over something but when I got home I noticed a wheel weight hanging loose! Pulled it off and went back to the shop. Manager looks and says the tech put the wrong style weights on (!) that's why they fell off. They pulled it in and rebalanced all four wheels with the correct weights. So in the end they made it all right. Glad your shop did too.

In my teens I worked at a Value Shop mounting and balancing tires for a brief period so I know first hand these places would hire anybody! But yeah, even I knew about the dismount and remount rule if a wheel required an extreme amount of weights.

 

[Spiffers]

The very first tire shop memory I have is when me and Dad got tires for the 86 Bronco II that he bought. It was a special order vehicle and the dudes loan fell through. Dad's childhood best friend was a salesman there and made him a good deal on it. It had the prettiest set of rims I've ever seen on it. We went to get new tires whenever it needed them and the dude hammered a weigh on the outside of the rim. Probably the first time I ever saw lose his shit on someone. The manager ran over and asked what was wrong. Looked down and saw what the dude did and then he lost his shit on him. He explained to him in words I could understand as a kid that you only did that for cars with beauty rings or hubcaps.....not mag wheels.

 

[HammaMan]

Who was the shop? I only use discount because all they do is tires and their service as a whole is second to none including using plug patches to fix ANYONE's tire FREE OF CHARGE. I maybe abuse their free auto air machine but it's too damn handy to get all tires inflated to whatever I want whenever I want no questions asked. @Discount Tire

 

[Thunderchief]

Isn't there a blue or red dot on the tire that marks the lightest spot and that should go by the valve stem?

 

[Buyer2021]

So I called the tire shop, explained the two issues (defective tire and new noise after rebalance) and the manager immediately ordered a replacement tire for me. It arrived the SAME DAY - wow. They got me in immediately, pulled all four wheels and checked the brake dust shields all around, installed the replacement right front tire (which took 3 ounces of weights), and rechecked balance on the other three. I challenged the manager whether this was a training opportunity for his techs and he said, "yes, that tire should have been flagged as defective and they know better than to let the wheels drop straight down off the lugs because that can hit/dent the brake rotor shields".

Sorry for your initial woes but it reads to me like this shop manager did all he could to make things right as promptly as he could upon being made aware of the situation. These days I have some pity the managers of such service facilities - trying to hire, train, and retain good techs to work those jobs is not a task I envy.

Yeah, some 'lessons learned' (maybe for both parties) but IMO given the follow-through I'd not abandon that shop. 'YMMV'.

 

[Eighthtry]

This is humorous, not pissed comment on Discount Tire. I have six vehicles that we put lots of miles on. I have probably bought40 or 50 sets over the years. I am always missing something when I come out. Most of the time it is the valve caps. They will replace my metal ones with rubber. Invariably they will lose just one.

Once they lost a Gorilla locking lug. How does one lose a locking lug while changing tires? They had to fork over for a new set. The locking lugs come 5 per wheel.

Another time I bought a set of BFGoodrich Radial TA's. Although they say they are appropriately aired when they are through I always check. Each was aired up to 40+ lbs. Max on any Radial TA is 35 lbs.

The crown jewel was when I picked up my car and made a very short trip to home depot. I came back out and one tire was flat. I carry a compressor so I aired it up. Two things went wrong on this one. First they did not tighten the valve insert so it was leaking from the start. Second, surprise, surprise, surprise (to quote Gomer Pyle), they had not tightened my nice metal valve cap down, which happens to have a rubber insert that will help seal the valve stem.

No one else to use for tires in town, so now I do a walk around marking how many valve caps and lug nuts I have. They put it on the ticket. I also ask for their best installer. One that has a little pride in their work.

Problems are fewer now, but not eliminated. I just shake my head and grin, happy that I don't have to stock a store full of gorillas.

 

[GIjoe]

Sorry but my favorite is when these tire shops balance and re-balance over and over and over before they give in or you check yourself for one that’s out of round, then they give in for a new tire, finally after going back week after week. DT is no different sorry. I wish tire shops would give you print outs like they do for alignments.

 

[JJSnell]

Well this has absolutely nothing to do with anything other than he mentioned Les Schwab in the original post...
I had a 2001 Ford Expedition with auto adjust airbags that I needed to swap my snow tires on. I mentioned the auto airbags and told them to turn the switch off underneath the passenger side dash before they lifted the SUV up.
I returned hours later to see my SUV almost sitting on the rear tires like some ghetto,trash-mobile.
I went straight to the front counter and told him the problem. They swore up and down I brought it in that way and refused to do anything about it. I had to call the Portland head office or regional office or whatever it was and only through a major verbal threat to them "call my lawyer!!!" did they finally replace both airbags on my SUV that had about 4,000 miles on it.
Now granted that happened a hundred years ago but I swore up and down I would never go back to Les Schwab again... not because of the mistake that was made in the shop, but because of everybody fighting me to replace what they obviously damaged.
22yrs later, at least 10 autos with, me, wife and kids and they have not seen a penny from me.
I'll tell this story until Jesus takes me home... Still pi**es me off today...

 

[DannyGRT]

I've only had one disastrous tire replacement incident in all my years. When picking up my Jeep I noticed one of the plastic center caps was cracked. Continued checking and found another one cracked and one missing! The tech said nothing to anyone... expecting the owner wouldn't notice? I went inside and showed the manager. He agreed to pay for new caps.

On the ride home I heard something hit the inner fenders and bottom of the vehicle. I thought I must've run over something but when I got home I noticed a wheel weight hanging loose! Pulled it off and went back to the shop. Manager looks and says the tech put the wrong style weights on (!) that's why they fell off. They pulled it in and rebalanced all four wheels with the correct weights. So in the end they made it all right. Glad your shop did too.

In my teens I worked at a Value Shop mounting and balancing tires for a brief period so I know first hand these places would hire anybody! But yeah, even I knew about the dismount and remount rule if a wheel required an extreme amount of weights.

My friend dealt with the wheel weight issue on his last tire rotate and balance. Rookie tech mistake. Took about a month before the wheel weight become noticeable loose. He opt to get a new set of tires from 4Wheelonline and the shop gladly assisted him.

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