Tire shop: rant/question...

Getting new tires on my truck always ends up with me getting pissed off. Every shop I've ever tried just doesn't give a crap. If it's not my alloy dually rims being drug across the damn tire changer putting gouges in the wheels (which they always deny claiming it was already there, even when faced with pictures i took right before they changed the tires), or its tightening the lug nuts down with 'full impact power' instead of using a torque wrench making them way too tight threatening to strip or brake the lug bolts or worse warp an alloy wheel (yes this can happen).

Makes me mad, this is the reason I do all my own maintenance, i just can't affird to buy tire balancing and front end Alignment equipment or I would do it myself!

Anyone have a suggestion for a tire shop in Houston, TX, preferably on the south side around the gulf freeway (however i will travel for a reputable shop), that actually cares about the work they do?

Now I'm off to go pull all my lug nuts and properly torque them....

Thanks.





1993 F350 Crew Cab Dually
XLT
7.3 Factory IDIT w/Banks Sidewinder
5spd Manual

I agree, looking back I see where I did the same things when I was working in the dealership. I'm older and wiser now!

I've worked in two different tire shops. They ALWAYS used a torque wrench. I HATE those torque sticks too. In my mind, a good, strong impact will still tighten the lug nuts tighter than an el cheapo model.

Do NOT GET ME STARTED

PERHAPS, throw a scattergun in the window rack, toss a 45 on the dash and bring a grumpy bulldog along...
Ok anyhow

Best I got is hunt down a shop that has expensive rides parked in the employee spots and nice clean workers in the bays

I would also try building a repore with the shop(I will spend ALL my money here) get the crew to like you, and ask to talk to the tire monkey FIRST.
DO NOT be afraid to contest the purtchase on yer c.c. if **** is dicked up.
Ask me how I know...

Oh and tourque..... um yea fukkkk the idiots not using a bar for final install.
Impact look up the definition, now torque!

IDIBRONCO said:

I've worked in two different tire shops. They ALWAYS used a torque wrench. I HATE those torque sticks too. In my mind, a good, strong impact will still tighten the lug nuts tighter than an el cheapo model.

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They didn't even use the torque sticks, socket directly on the impact gun....

1993 F350 Crew Cab Dually
XLT
7.3 Factory IDIT w/Banks Sidewinder
5spd Manual

I'm not in that area, so can't help there, but another suggestion is find a local owned tire shop. Not the "Tire Shed", Or Discount..... whatever, or Wally World. A shop that name on the sign out front is more than likely on a couple desks inside.... I have one of those, and they are who I use. Last several sets of tires have come from them. Not had any damage to the vehicle/rims, they put a floor mat and seat liner down.... and they wash the blue off the letters.........

I even see a couple of the tire guys on a regular basis, at the local gas station. Martin always exchanges pleasantries, and knows which vehicle is mine...... I even mentioned something in passing, and he said bring it down, we'll take a look at it!

I also agree with the real torque wrench. My oldest (almost 24) would always give me a hard time about using the torque wrench when I had a wheel off. Recently, on one of his trucks, he had a strange issue and asked me to look at his truck. It would occasionally make a funny noise, and had a transient vibration. I tool it for a quick drive, heard where the noise was coming from. I hopped out and let the truck roll, and it was instantly obvious what happened. He was sitting in the cab and asked what was wrong. I showed him, I reached down and took one of the lug nuts off, by hand and tossed it in his lap...... "Oh.... that't what was causing that". He had recently swapped wheels, and just put them back on and gave them a couple ugga duggas each, "thats just fine......" I handed him the torque wrench and told him "They go to 100 lbs....." EVERY LUGNUT was loose...... Guess who doesn't make fun of Dad for using the torque wrench, and grabs it every time a wheel is off......

I won't lie, I seldom if ever use a torque wrench on lug nuts. That being said I NEVER tighten them with the impact. I snug them gently with the impact and tighten them up with a lug wrench. I've never had any loosen up that way, but I do get them plenty tight. I'm pretty sure my arms are reasonably calibrated by now.

I don't fear the cheap tire shops, but I also just take my wheels in and have them mount the tires. I mounted them on the truck myself. Sadly shops like that one are why I hardly trust anyone to touch anything on my vehicles. I've learned a lot over the years though for sure.

snicklas said:

and they wash the blue off the letters.........

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That's a HUGE pet peeve of mine. As much as new tires cost, WASH THE DAMN BLUE STUFF OFF!!! it amazes me when I see how many people drive around with it still on their tires.

I use torque sticks. Never had an issue. The instructions do say to use an impact with a certain level of torque to ensure they work right. I did check them with my torque wrench the 1st couple times I put wheels on.

I don't use wally world or chain stores. I use my local tire shop that just does tires. I've had good luck with them. I'm not doing high end wheels either. Just run of the mill stuff.

I know I'm in the minority here, but I absolutely always use my big dewalt impact for my lugnuts. And yes, they probably end up slightly overtorqued, but I haven't had issues with them coming loose doing that.

Unlike when I was changing tires on my landlady's truck. I thought that since it was for someone else, I'd go 'by the book' - looked up the torque(it was like 85 or 100 ft-lbs), torqued them to spec, double-checked each...

A week later, we found a lug nut in the driveway. And found the matching spot on the truck where it had evidently come loose.

So, yeah, after that - Ugga dugga it down tight!

I've also had another couple times where (on my own rigs), I've not used my impact and had issues with things coming loose.
So, yeah, now... Everything gets the rattle gun till it's not coming off by itself.

i got a manual tire changer a few years ago and have not looked back! i payed about $50 for it at a tractor supply and have done dozens of sets of tires myself. i was fed up when i payed $37 to change one tire i carried in for them.

if you have alloy wheels you can make or buy guards for. it is not perfect but i have done all my and my friends trailer tires 12" to 15" to my 16" 285 series tires with no issue. it is great having the freedom to change on my schedule and time.

i finish them up with a bubble balancer i got from my grandfather. they can be had at the horrible freight store though for not to much $$$.

I think part of the problem is for most people tires are a one and done purchase. Buy a car, go through a set, replace tires, trade car. That is not to say the customer service level for a lot of purchases now a days does not suck, nor should a "one and done" purchase be the cause of a lower service level. I've been in customer service my whole life. Currently I process payroll for 34 companies. I view the 1050 people I pay each week as my customers though. I realize a mistake on my end or even my client's end effects someone's livelihood.

That said, I use a major chain (Firestone) followed the management team from my local store to one north of me. The top techs followed the manager soon after. They get a majority of the routine maintenance items, all tires, alignments for 4 vehicles. They have written off over $900 on goodwill for me. 2 weeks ago they dismounted, patched, remounted and balanced for free a tire for my son and the tire was not even one of theirs. I talk to the techs and they recognize our vehicles.

For me I think I am loyal to them, they are loyal to me. No hard upsells or anything.

Macrobb said:

A week later, we found a lug nut in the driveway. And found the matching spot on the truck where it had evidently come loose.

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They do say to retorque them after a few days to a week. Walmart even puts that in the notes that you should return to get them retorqued within a week, or something like that.

On the other side of the spectrum, I broke a lug bolt on a Corolla trying to change a flat tire. It's only 4 lug so yeah, 1/4 of the bolts ended up gone. Tire shops had overtorqued, stretched and/or cross threaded the nut so many times over the years that a factory size lug nut wrench broke it off when trying to change a flat.

pafixitman said:

2 weeks ago they dismounted, patched, remounted and balanced for free a tire for my son and the tire was not even one of theirs.

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A random Discount Tire I stopped at once remounted a trailer tire for free for me that had an air leak from a bead leak, just a poor seal. No tire or rim damage. It was a brand new tire in fact that had very few miles before I saw it flat. It wasn't a tire I had bought from a DT either, nor did I say it was. I was ready and willing to pay but the tech said no charge.

subway said:

i got a manual tire changer a few years ago and have not looked back! i payed about $50 for it at a tractor supply and have done dozens of sets of tires myself. i was fed up when i payed $37 to change one tire i carried in for them.

if you have alloy wheels you can make or buy guards for. it is not perfect but i have done all my and my friends trailer tires 12" to 15" to my 16" 285 series tires with no issue. it is great having the freedom to change on my schedule and time.

i finish them up with a bubble balancer i got from my grandfather. they can be had at the horrible freight store though for not to much $$$.

Click to expand...

+1
I bought a manual changer and never looked back. I put beads in mine to balance. Highly recommend using beads even if you have a bubble balancer!