Tire balancing?

Rickf1985 · April 27, 2014, 05:47 PM

What methods have you used to balance your tires? I just put 6 new tires on mine and got royally screwed by the tire place. They quoted me a price for the tires installed, then it was 200.00 more when I went to pay! I asked about that since I have dealt with this place for years. Tax, tire disposal fee, New valve stems, Oh yea, there is another tax for each tire for some freakin' environmental deal! I paid and went home. Right away I felt the shake and being a mechanic I knew right away it was tire balance. I called when I got home and asked if they balanced them and the guy say's, "Oh, I meant to talk to you about that. They don't fit on our machine so they were not balanced". I didn't even answer him, just hung up. Didn't answer when he called back either. It is a tire place that deals in all tire up to and including tractor trailer. They don't fit on his machine, yea, right. Anyway I am leaving next weekend for a trip to Maryland and it is going to be a rough ride if I don't do something. To take it somewhere else and have them spun will cost me over a hundred bucks that I just don't have. To make matters worse................... I took the rears off to do the brakes, now I have only driven it 8 miles from there to here. Half the lug nuts were loose! PLUS, He did not even take off the old weights. Yes, I will be calling the owner tomorrow. OK, Rant over.
Have any of you used the balancing beads or Centramatics? I am leaning towards the beads for two reasons, time and money. I would not get the discs in time and I really do not want to hump those tires again!

Stripe · April 27, 2014, 07:32 PM

I just watched a whole bunch of vids on both systems, Centramatic and Dynabeads and they both work off the same principle. If money (or lack thereof)is a factor, dynabeads are far less expensive. Although they say the official stand by the manufacturers of Dynabeads is that they do not endorse auto use, here is a thread where folks chat about using them in 4x4's big trucks and Diesels.

http://www.thedieselstop.com/forums/f26/dynabead-wheel-balancing-bag-o-beads-100973/

ClydesdaleKevin · April 27, 2014, 07:49 PM

They used the bean bag type balancing when we put on all new tires last year, and it works great! I think the name brand they used was called Equal, but can't remember exactly. Its buried in one of my posts here...lol!

Kev

ClydesdaleKevin · April 27, 2014, 07:57 PM

Found it in my post about Samson Tires:

"Many miles later...from New York, to North Carolina, to Georgia, to Florida, then all the way out to Tombstone, Arizona.

The Samson tires are amazing, still look new in the tread with no unusual wear, and the ride is GREAT!

The Equal balancing works amazingly well...its even in the front tires and they seem to be perfectly balanced while driving.

I've gotta give the Samson tires a great big thumbs up!!!"

They used the Equal balancing bags, and they work great!

Kev

TripleJ · April 27, 2014, 11:45 PM

I take it that wasnt the owner that your were dealing with?

I cant believe they would let your situation go without making it right. Especially a place thats been around for a while. That is some horse pucky!

ramit · April 28, 2014, 07:53 AM

be the last time i went there

Rickf1985 · May 04, 2014, 05:12 PM

Well I balanced the tires myself at the place I work at part time on his old Hunter spin balancer. They fit his machine fine. Same machine we use for car tires and pick up tires. I am sure the tire shop has a much newer and just as capable machine. I will be calling them tomorrow and telling them they owe me some money back and that they will NOT be getting the sale for my dually pick up tires that they thought they were doing next week. If the RV tires don't fit the machine then the pick up tires must not either since they both have the same center hole and I want the pick up tires balanced. The rims were pretty out of round but nothing I can do about that, I doubt I will find any straighter ones in the junk yard. I sure as heck am not buying new ones! It rides nice now, not bouncing all over the place.

ramit · May 04, 2014, 06:56 PM

PwrWgnWalt · May 07, 2014, 05:21 PM

Glad to hear you got it fixed! Would you post the name of the shop? Although I won't likely be in your area getting tires, I sure would hate to spend the time and money on such an important thing only to wind up with something broken - or a wheel flying off...

Unbelievable!

ClydesdaleKevin · May 07, 2014, 10:50 PM

Awesome! Glad you got them balanced.

Kev

Rickf1985 · May 16, 2014, 08:57 PM

Quote from: PwrWgnWalt on May 07, 2014, 05:21 PM
Glad to hear you got it fixed! Would you post the name of the shop? Although I won't likely be in your area getting tires, I sure would hate to spend the time and money on such an important thing only to wind up with something broken - or a wheel flying off...

Unbelievable!

After reading about a lawsuit that was filed for naming a bad business over the net I tend to not do that anymore but they are pretty close to New Egypt, NJ. I think after having this brought to his immediate attention and the fact that he is going to have to pull a couple wheels to put in stems that I was charged for and not given, PLUS, I will be showing him how to balance those tires on his machine, I don't think he will make this error again. He is a younger guy and is quite well aware of how fast social media spreads bad news. On top of that he lost a 1600.00 sale of six more tires for my pick up. It was scheduled for the following week and I told him to forget it. The tires use the same balancer and I need them balanced and since he could not do the camper then he can't do the truck.