Skip to main content

I wanted to get the tires balanced on the Spyder after some vibration on the highway. Small thing, low-cost and eliminates a cause. Mr. Tire has seen my car before, actually to do this very thing. I called them and set an appointment. They asked me which car because all of them are in their system.

I took time off of work, drove the car up and when I went inside; they said they wouldn't do it. Said it was a "liability issue" and that I should find a specialty shop. I told them they did the work before and he said that they wouldn't do it.

Shame really. I need all 4 for the wife's car and regularly go up there with all five of my cars. My time is money a*^holes!!

Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

I always went to  a friend's machine shop in PA  that would re-drill new blank rotors to GM pattern for me, the ......"last" time I went there he told me he can't do it because of the liability. I was almost at a lost of words but as I turned to the door I said,  " Has your work turned to shyt or do you think I would sue you"? and I haven't been back in 4 years.

The liability is probably in putting your car on a lift, not balancing your tires.

When I need new tires on my Spyder, I take the wheels off at home and take them separately. I'm currently getting an adapter made for my wide 5s so I can get them balanced. When that happens I'll do the same, and I'll be the one to remove the adapter and installing it on the next wheel. I'll use a rattle gun instead of their air gun set at max.

My Discount Tire uses floor jacks for my cars. I take a minute and show them the jack points on my cars. And tell them what the torque specs are  

I can’t praise them enough. With 4 vehicles, two with summer/winter tire sets, I’m generally in and out within an hour. They’ve repaired my Smart rear Vredesteins that I bought from Tire Rack twice for free. And the Spring/Fall swap is always N/C  

The only issue I’ve ever had with them is they won’t work on tires more than 6 years old, which I can understand.

Last edited by dlearl476

When I get my Vreds mounted I'll do like Carlos. I have a balance adapter and also have an old Snap-On dynamic electronic balancer. So you pay anyway but I can always check them.

If I could mount tires and do state safety inspections I would never go to a shop for anything, ever... I am the shop. I used to be have a NYS inspectors license in the 80s. It ain't that hard. It's just that NY now requires you to buy their computer if you do inspections.

Oh, and Mr. Tire? Dick move, that.

Last edited by DannyP

.

@Carlos G posted:
.

...When I need new tires on my Spyder, I take the wheels off at home and take them separately...



Me, too.

I'm probably going to be more careful than a tech working in a shop that's part of a national marketing operation, where productivity is usually the most important concern.

I may be slow, but at least I'm not required to record the number of minutes I spent on the job.

That tech has likely never had a 69 VW on his lift before. To him, the underside of the pan looks like a map of Namibia. And he won't know to chock the spring plates so the axle boots don't tear when the swing axles drop down.

So, I can understand his manager not wanting to risk complications from customer complaints and reprimands from higher ups. Refusing my job will put no discernible dent in his monthly numbers. But a damage claim on his watch will absolutely torpedo his chances of making district manager this year.

Liability law controls most aspects of our lives today, from the quality of our medical care to those little packets of silica gel that came inside the new microwave, warning us not to eat them (as tempting as they are).

Driving a Corolla is a heckuva lot less complicated than driving any of our cars.

.

Last edited by Sacto Mitch

.

@DannyP posted:
.

Huh? If they are installed properly, they won't tear.



Maybe not. Or maybe not until they get old and dry out.

In any case, Anthony does this just to be safe every time he puts the car on his lift.

Nothing can mess up your day more than expecting to just inspect some fitting and ending up having to pull an axle to replace the boot.

So, I've taken to doing this too, whenever I jack up the rear end. Just takes a few seconds, and cheap insurance:



SpringplateBolt

.

Attachments

Images (1)
  • SpringplateBolt
Post Content
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×