Bent wheels from the factory?

[mjoiner]

My 2005 DC has 33000 miles. I put on Michelin 265/70/16's on the original steelies about 6000 miles ago. All seemed good until I went in for a rotation and balance. The guy put on weights and them cut them up with a chisel on all 4 wheels inside and out. When I drove it it vibrated some. Not really bad but some.
I took it back and voiced concern and sug. it might be the strange way all the weights were cut up. Same guy drives it, says he doesn't feel anything, but rebalances, and changes the weights on the outsides. Manager admits that some of the tires were out of balance. I drive and this time its really bad. Take it back and go with new guy to test drive. Its even worse on the pass. side. He says he feels it and re spins all tires. He finds 2 out of balance. Machines have been recalibrated since the first two times I was there. He then tells me that all 4 of my steelies are bent/warped and that they probally came that way form the factory, and that I should go and get a road force balance as thats how Toyota gets away with putting bent wheels on at the factory. Anybody heard of anything like this? I swear I didn't have this problem before the rotation at 6000 mi.

Thanks,
M Joiner

[duffyatkinson]

All four? Not likely.

It is MORE likely that the knucklehead running the balancer doesn't have the first idea how to run the thing. If the guy balancing MY tires pulled out a chisel and started banging away, I'd be more than a little concerned. I'd be pi$$ed, and have the manager on it in a heartbeat.

I'd go somewhere else.

[HOGWILD]

Road force balance will measure run out on rims and it will also allow you to match balance tire to rim for best balance! Toyota rims are noted to have little run out but anything is possible. I had a bad Michellin from Tire Store and they replaced it with another new Michellin now vibration is much less! Sounds like you need to find new tire store that has a CLUE and a Road Force balancer!

[vmwerks]

Were the weights scattered all over the wheel? Chances are the guy doing the balance was not very well trained. We use a Hunter Road Force balancer on everything as BMW's are more susceptible to balance issues.

[Tundraman10]

stupid tire place.

My local tire shop bent 2 of my buddies brand aftermarket rims on his 87 RX-7. The owner even denied it say that's from hitting a pot hole 2 days later after they were installed. This same tire shop scuffed one of my American racing wheel when they were taking the wheel off the tire. There were scuff marks on the outside of the rim about 4 in long. I showed it to the owner and he said they we always replaced those rubber tab to protect the rims from getting bent or scuffed. I ended up taking the rims of anyways because I just got bored and went back to my stock setup.

[barron64]

This problem always bugged me. Millions of dollars spent in tire design and manufacture, same on wheels, vehicle and balance equipment...Smooth ride comes down to flunkie making minimum wage with no training or common sense trying to balance your tires. Guess what happens?
Get your tires balanced using a road force balancer, most Toyota dealers have them. Also, I will bet that the same flunkie that screwed up your balance probably used an impact gun to over tighten your lug nuts...Which will distort your wheel causing vibration. Make sure all the lugs are tightened in a cross sequence to 85 ft/lbs.

[mjoiner]

Ok, since the first post I took it yesterday to really good alignment shop. They said they have this complaint coming in all day long. But, they say that most likely the problem is that the tires are out of round and will need to be shaved. They didn't have time to get me in to check. I really don't like the sound of this. I may have to get a 3rd opinion. Thanks for all the replies.
Mitch J

[HOGWILD]

Hunter GSP9700 Wheel Vibration Control System
Read and look around here it will explain ROAD FORCE Balance and any Tire Manufacturer can make a bad tire and they will make it good if you address their problem with your tire. I had a bad Michelin LTXAT2 and they replaced it no problem because it would not Road Force Balance! I seriously doubt you have a bent rim unless you curbed it! Toyota is known to have true rims!!
"Tire Conicity" or the lack of, i heard DJ speak of this about tires a couple of times! http://www.aa1car.com/library/tires2.htm

[Boosted27606]

I agree with HOGWILD

99% of the balance issues with tires is:

A tire out of round and/or ignorant technician trying to balance it.

ALWAYS install tire with a ROAD FORCE HUNTER balance machine, you will find out exactly how far out of round the tire is, and then insist on getting a new tire if that one is bad.

I have bought 4 new tires from TIRERACK last year for my car and I ended up returning two of them. Tirerack sent me 2 new ones and paid for the shipping both ways and the balancing and installation twice.

BTW, it is easy to see if the wheel is bent. Look at it while it is rotating on the balance machine. If it is wobbly you will see it easily.

[mjoiner]

Ok, had tires road force balanced yesterday. They found one front tire grossly out of balance and no bent wheels or bad tires. But, I still feel vibration through the wheel and the seat. My sun visors and dvd monitors (hanging on head rest) are visibly shaking and the monitors are making noise. I starting to wonder if I'm feeling something vibrating besides tires. The roads are so screwed up its hard to find a smooth spot to test it at speed. Seems like I remember reading where these trucks were prone to vibrations that started after a few years and miles. Once again, none of this started until I rotated and balanced at 6000 miles. Of course the first shop was absolutley positive that the road balance was a waste and that the only way I would get a fix was to shave the tires back into round. Any ideas?

Mitch J

[Boosted27606]

This shop is full of $hit. If the problem started after they "balanced" your tires, I wonder where the problem could possibly be................!!


They messed it up and now they want to shave the tires so you can get about half the mileage you should ! great idea indeed.

I would find a decent tire store WITH a road force balancing machine, and forget about those losers............

[mjoiner]

NO,
Tire Kingdom sold me the tires and they couldn't balance them after 3 trys when I rotated and bal. at 6000 miles.(They were fine for the 1st 6000) I did have them road forced bal yesterday at a different independent type shop. The shop that wanted to shave them was the 2nd place I went. This guy has been around for years and he didn't even get out of his chair. He said the road force was not worth spit. I was just saying its still vibrating after the road force, so either the 2nd guy was right about the shaving, or maybe its something besides the tires.

Mitch J

[Boosted27606]

well if the tires/wheels were fine before somebody re-balanced them, it seems to me that somebody goofed up in that process

now you have to find out what they did !

[HOGWILD]

So post up your Alignment numbers so someone might help with your issues, if your tires have been corrected not too many places that it can be and an alignment should tell you when you get your total toe number. that will indicate worn suspension issues? Alignments should be done once a year!