2 of 3 tire shops refused to balance my tires

[Tom Boehm]

I have a 1973 Dodge Dart Swinger. It had a vibration between 40 and 50 MPH that I suspected was a tire(s) out of balance. Two tire shops refused to balance the tires. The first said my tires were over six years old and they are not allowed to work with them.(he said this just seeing my car out the window) The second said they did not want to risk damage to the stock rally wheels on my car. (she said this seeing my car out the window). The third shop did it while I waited and only charged me $23.00 for about an hours work. This actually did get rid of the vibration !  !  I called them back and thanked them for the successful job. 

 

What is going on here?   Balancing tires is the most simple thing they do next to putting air in. I have had several experiences lately with poor service at car repair places with my modern cars. They are getting really picky as to what they want to do. Stuff that was routine just a few years ago. 

Edited February 16, 2023 by Tom Boehm (see edit history)

[Matt Harwood]

My very reliable local tire shop recently turned away some of my work for the same reason--tires older than 7 years. Surely a liability thing. I found an independent shop who was happy to do the job.

[erichill]

No money in it for them  They just gave you excuses. Of course now you know where to get your next set of tires.

[NailheadBob]

WOW, I am amazed at what’s going on in automotive repair shop’s recently.

 

thanks for sharing the stories 

 

Bob

[John Byrd]

Tom Boehm, I thought perhaps because I live where I do (Hawaii) that stuff like this was just a local thing. I've had the same thing happen as you, but what really "took the cake" was all our local shops except one refused to put tubes in my new 2 piece wheels with new tires !!!  Know why ?  They all said something similar to this, "Nope, can't do that sir, tubes are too dangerous for us to handle".  I should have been dead or maimed YEARS ago, lol !

[ia-k]

My space saver spare in my K-Car had a very, very slow leak. Pump it up to 60 PSI and down to 30 come the following spring. May have been that way from the factory?? Anyways, took it to the tire shop I usually go to (part of a small chain) and they said they wouldn't touch it, too old. The tire looked new, never been on the car, never exposed to sunlight, etc... Okay, sell me a new spare in this size. Can't get one. Finally I had them look up my account and the number of tires I have bought through them over the years and causally mentioned there are 6 other tire dealers within a 10 mile radius, maybe I should check and see if they can help me? "Well....we will make and exception this time". They said they found a bit of rust on the rim is why it was leaking. 

[Gary_Ash]

A local tire shop, part of the Town Fair chain in Massachusetts, refused to mount tires on my freshly-painted standard steel wheels since I didn’t buy the wheels from them. Of course not, the wheels were made by Budd in 1963. I had bought many tires from them over the years, but refuse to go back. Their loss. Another local shop was happy to do the job, including balancing. However, mounting and balancing on my Rudge-Whitworth wire wheels (18x4, 72 mm hub) for the Indy car needs a visit to a specialist 75 miles away who charges a mint for the service, but there are not any other options. He does a good job.  

 

[37_Roadmaster_C]

I have had the same thing happen to me also. Tires to old, not the proper size/rating for the vehicle etc... These excuses from both BIG chain stores and small independent operations.  It frustrates me to no end, BUT I understand it. It is a simple liability issue. The insurance carriers have coverage rules that MUST be followed or they will not pay a claim. Period.  Weather we like it or not, agree or not we live in a sue happy society. In this day and age, a liability lawsuit is more likely than not if there is even a small chance of a payout.  These companies refusing old time service is a simple act of self preservation. One loss in court costs more than the profit gained with 1000 happy customers. I am VERY happy that I no longer work on other peoples stuff in any capacity!!!

[Joe Cocuzza]

That's why I have my own tire mounting and balancing machines

[prewarnut]

8 hours ago, Gary_Ash said:

A local tire shop, part of the Town Fair chain in Massachusetts, refused to mount tires on my freshly-painted standard steel wheels since I didn’t buy the wheels from them. Of course not, the wheels were made by Budd in 1963. I had bought many tires from them over the years, but refuse to go back. Their loss. Another local shop was happy to do the job, including balancing. However, mounting and balancing on my Rudge-Whitworth wire wheels (18x4, 72 mm hub) for the Indy car needs a visit to a specialist 75 miles away who charges a mint for the service, but there are not any other options. He does a good job.  

 

Gary, The same chain is in CT with the same policy. I had certain tires I would order online, or in one case had performance snows from Finland I needed mounting and they wouldn't do it. Arggghhh. They really limit options in some places due to their monopoly. Where are the state legislators when you need them?

[avgwarhawk]

Finding the independent shop or gas stations with bays for working on cars seems to be the best way to go. These bigger tire store chains are not real friendly with installing tires they didn't sell.  If a tire is ruined during installation they are on the hook for getting a replacement.  Concerning not wanting to touch old stock rims .....the Mag tire machine was designed to not damage rims during dismount and mounting tires.  Not to disparage tire changers (I was one for several years) most today have minimal training and care even less. I had four Coopers installed on my daily. The car returned minus the valve stem caps. Rims scrapped up.  The lug nuts hammered on so tight it took me three different lug nut removal tools to loosen the lug nuts. If I was on the highway with a flat I would need to call a tow truck for service. So yes, Jimmy in the back there is not touching tires that the store did not sell or touch a rim that would be hard to replace.  

 

I purchased a bubble balancer.  Wish I had a tire mounting machine.  No space for one. 

[playswithbrass]

I use balancing beads. They work great. As an added bonus they balance the complete rotating assembly ie brake drum etc. cheers pete

[TAKerry]

I am so glad I have an old school repair shop 3 miles from my house. They do all of my service work with no problems or excuses. I have even taken old rims with 30 yr old tires there for removal only. They happily oblige. I even use them as a receiving address when large parts are ordered that need a commercial address. For my dd I have bought tires online, paid for the in home/drive way installation which was stupidly cheap! They brought the tires with them with no added sales tax as a bonus. Guy puts 4 tires on in jiffy, has a balancing machine in his van, uses a torque wrench to set the nuts. Could not be happier.

[TTR]

I completely understand why many tire shops won’t work on over-aged tires or specialty (vintage) wheels, etc.

Too much liability (thanks to our legal system).

 

OTOH,  as I’ve made it previously clear, I refuse to drive/operate/ride in any road use vehicle, modern or vintage, with tires older than 6 years (from the manufacturing date, not when they were installed, which could’ve been earlier today).

Safety of myself and those around me on the road, including vehicles, is too important to chance it by being cheap and stupid. 
But then again, I have same “rule” on everything else mechanical related to operational safety of vehicles and believe anyone who doesn’t take these types of basic, common sense safety precautions seriously, just isn’t a good/respectful/responsible representative of this hobby and probably shouldn’t even have a privilege to operate motor vehicles, modern or vintage, on public roads to begin with.

P.S. My long term, go-to independent tire shop closed down few months ago due to owners desire to retire (plus his business location was one of the most sought after in the city and after selling it, he’s probably very comfortable), but I kept track of his (former) right hand guy (who always did my jobs), who promptly got a job at another local independent general automotive repair shop as their tire specialist, so my mounting and balancing needs are still covered. 

 

 

Edited February 17, 2023 by TTR (see edit history)

[dship]

I use a local auto garage whenever I've had to change/replace tires on my '91 Reatta's white wheels.  They're always very careful to not damage/chip the wheel paint. 

[TexRiv_63]

This has been the case for national chains like Discount Tire for years. I go to a local shop in my town that has been there for 40 years. They do a lot of big rig, agricultural and specialty work and they have no problem dealing with old stuff.

[Joe Cocuzza]

Not trying to hijack or change the thread subject BUT........

 

Speaking of how these shops use the air-driven ratchet guns to install the lug nuts....

I cannot tell you how many times I have had to remove a tire from a car and found that the shop(s) 

cross-threaded the lug nut onto the stud using the air gun and then they snapped when I tried to remove them.

It only takes a few seconds to hand-start the lug nuts onto the studs to avoid cross-threading

But NOOOOOO..... they put them on by putting the lug nut into the socket first and then use 100+  PSI of air to tighten them - whether they go on correctly or cross-threaded. Too much of a hurry to do it right I guess.....

This is one of my pet peeves and it infuriates me to no end. 

And then I get to have to either fix the broken stud or pay to have it replaced. GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!

 

[TAKerry]

49 minutes ago, Joe Cocuzza said:

Not trying to hijack or change the thread subject BUT........

 

Speaking of how these shops use the air-driven ratchet guns to install the lug nuts....

I cannot tell you how many times I have had to remove a tire from a car and found that the shop(s) 

cross-threaded the lug nut onto the stud using the air gun and then they snapped when I tried to remove them.

It only takes a few seconds to hand-start the lug nuts onto the studs to avoid cross-threading

But NOOOOOO..... they put them on by putting the lug nut into the socket first and then use 100+  PSI of air to tighten them - whether they go on correctly or cross-threaded. Too much of a hurry to do it right I guess.....

This is one of my pet peeves and it infuriates me to no end. 

And then I get to have to either fix the broken stud or pay to have it replaced. GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!

 

I was impressed when the guy that did the tire change in my driveway used an old fashioned lug wrench. Then he pulled out the torque wrench for final tightening.

[rocketraider]

1 hour ago, Joe Cocuzza said:

Speaking of how these shops use the air-driven ratchet guns to install the lug nuts....

It only takes a few seconds to hand-start the lug nuts onto the studs to avoid cross-threading

But NOOOOOO..... they put them on by putting the lug nut into the socket first and then use 100+  PSI of air to tighten them - whether they go on correctly or cross-threaded. Too much of a hurry to do it right I guess.....

 

That's why air impacts have a pressure adjustment valve on them, and also why torque sticks were invented.

 

For tightening lugs I set the pressure valve at its lowest setting, snug it and then torque the lugs. Lot of times I'll leave it on lowest setting to remove them too. Let the hammer action do the work, and increase pressure if needed to break one loose.

 

Yup. Too much of a hurry, and a lot of these young knuckleheads apparently fancy themselves as part of a NASCAR pit crew.

[Barney Eaton]

To many lawyer involved.     Don't blame the service guy he is just following instructions and wants to keep his job.  

[Joe in Canada]

How good is the bubble balance??? I have never used one and I see them for sale for $50. to $100. I do have a Snap on rim clamp machine and was told the digital balance can by a pain using so I never bought one of those. 

[Barney Eaton]

A bubble balance is fine if the item is one plain.    Take a circle of cardboard and it works fine but when you add depth,  you know where the heavy or light side is but you do not

know if it is uniform thru that point or if the top or bottom has the extra weight.     I worked fine up into the '30's and "40's with narrow tires and slow speeds.

When I was working at a shop and had the time,  I would balance the rim (find the light spot and add weight until it balanced)  and mark that point and log the weight. 

Then balance the rim and tire together.   If the heavy spot then took more weight to balance, rotate the tire on the rim (180 degrees) and then check the weight.  I was using a bubble balancer.