FYI... All this talk about tires & tire sizes...

[TundrastruckDave]

"ISN'T" worth a tinkers-damn... if you "DON'T" get a GOOD REPUTABLE shop to do the work (i.e. install, rotation, balancing, etc.)... PERIOD!!!!

Most of us, have either read or asked questions regarding tires and tire sizes here on the TS boards. All... well worth the asking... but worth "ABSOLUTELY NOTHING"... if you don't buy from and/or get a GOOD shop to "DO" the work. Allow me to explain...

I've owned a '95 Tacoma now for the last 7 years. It's been one HELL-OF-A-GOOD truck! Heck... for that matter... "ANY" Toyota truck... I would consider the same... as I ALSO own an '04 DC as Well! Anyway, I use my little Tacoma as a daily commuter and it has done me well over the years! When tire replacement time rolled around about 2 years back now, I knew I'd be replacing the stock 31x10.50 Goodyears with a set of 31x10.50 BFG A/T's. I had these tires on 2 other trucks and I "KNOW" how well they've served me! I guess that's why I keep going back to them every time, it's time for replacement rubber!

But like EVERYONE ELSE... I'm looking for the best price! I found that price at a local "Wally World" (a.k.a. Wal Mart) which also included lifetime rotation and balancing. In all honesty, I bought these tires at this Wal Mart because I knew the shop foreman and he ALWAYS worked on my truck when I carried it back for rotation and balancing. Turth is... I just didn't TRUST the other shop techs! Most of them, looked as though... they didn't want to be there in the first place... and that "air" about them, was just enough for me to ask for the shop foreman to do the work when I carried my Tacoma in.

But like most good things... that soon came to an end as the shop foreman moved on to bigger and better things... leaving me with NO ONE to depend on but those "wonderful" (I don't care techs)! Well, after 3 different trips to this "Wally World" for regualr 5,000 mile rotation and balancing, I was beginning to wonder if the work was EVEN BEING DONE! Yeah, the shop techs DID at the very least... rotate the tires... but the tires began to vibrate and shake bad enough, that it was DEFINATELY noticeable to the eye on the streering wheel! At first, I chalked it up to the tires... then after realizing it was time for new rotors... I began to "think" maybe the warped rotors might be the problem. About a 1,000 miles later and after another new set of rotors, I began to wonder... "if"... maybe... it was the tires?! The shop that replaced my rotors said that some of the shake I was noticing "was" actually due (in part) to the tires!

So, when my next 5,000 mile rotation and balancing rolled around... I decided to test that theory out! I called one of our local "better" tire shops here in town and carried my Tacoma there for a rotation and balancing. The difference was... IMMEDIATE!!! Like... NIGHT AND DAY! I could NOT believe it! The tire shake was... GONE! The noticeable vibration in the steering wheel was ALSO... GONE! These guys did such a great job... I actually went back by the shop and asked... if they'd put "NEW" tires on!! Then... I began to wonder... WHAT... IF ANYTHING... (other than rotating) did the tech at Wal Mart "DO"? The more I thought about it... the madder I got! These techs (at Wal Mart) did... just enough... to make me "think" they'd done the work... and NOT ONE THING MORE! I can't even begin to tell you "JUST" how noticeable the difference REALLY was!!

Now... for the duration of this set of BFG's... I'll be taking my Tacoma to this tire shop for EVERY rotation and balancing. Heck... it's WORTH paying $33.00 every 5,000 miles! At least I'll have the privalege of knowing that I'll be getting EVERY BIT of mileage out of my tires!

So... the moral of this thread... it doesn't matter WHAT "type" or "size" of tire you get. Unless you get them from a GOOD REPUTABLE shop... you will... simply put... be... GETTING WHAT YOU PAY FOR!!!

[triggs75]

Nothing against you bro, But I wouldn't take my truck to a walmart to get worked on period. Thats like going to McDonalds to get a filet steak. Like I said nothing against you, just my opinion, and I do agree with you 100%.

Chad

[Bbbutch]

TundrastruckDave, Well said!
You sure can get a better price at Wall Mark or kids that will run out to your car and greet you at Les Schwab. But an old grouchy mechanic is worth every penny.

[DJ]

Two cliches are appropriate:

"The bitterness of poor quality lasts longer than the pleasure of a low price."

"You can go broke by saving money."

[Johnny Law]

I'd invest that money you spend in paying someone to rotate your tires into a good floor jack and a set of jack stands. Do it yourself, you'll know it's done right.

[TundrastruckDave]

Originally Posted by Johnny Law

I'd invest that money you spend in paying someone to rotate your tires into a good floor jack and a set of jack stands. Do it yourself, you'll know it's done right.

Got 'em both!

Fact is... I "DID" do that (and on occasion, still do ) ... BUT... when it comes to "BALANCING"... the "pros" are the ONLY way to go... at least in "my" case. Matter of fact... I have EVERY reason to believe... that this is EXACTLY where my problem was originating from, in the first place! When you consider that the majority of a shop's pricing is based on "balancing" and not necessarily "rotation" (since just about ANYONE can rotate a set of tires with a little know-how)... it just stands to reason to let a REPUTABLE shop do it all, since they're already doing the "balancing".

Of course now... if you have a... "balancing machine" for sale at a "low-down-n-dirty" price, well ...

[DevinSixtySeven]

if you travel with your truck, this is a great reason to get tires from a reputable nationwide source, with a good hazard warranty. there are three or four national chains i can think of off the top of my head, and afaik they all carry the major brands, but an original purchase at a national chain (generally) means you can go to any of their other stores if you dont like the place you originally bought them, or you can go to a store out of state if youre traveling.

the experience you have at a particular shop really depends on the people there, not the brand (to a certain degree like dj said).

-sean

[TundrastruckDave]

Originally Posted by DevinSixtySeven

the experience you have at a particular shop really depends on the people there, not the brand (to a certain degree like dj said).

-sean

Couldn't agree with you more Sean...

It CERTAINLY wasn't the tires in this case! Matter of fact... I can't remember "when" or "if" it EVER was the tires. My daily commute is about 40 miles round trip, which carries me from one city to another. Unfortunately, the city in which I work, is the ONLY one around for ANOTHER 30 miles (one way), which has a Wal Mat with a tire center! That kinda sucks and it (more importantly) narrows down my "choices" (in-so-far-as) going to another Wal Mart tire center.

With today's gas prices... it isn't worth another 40-60 miles+ (round-trip)... to "try out" another Wally World tire center... might as well go to a local shop and give "them" the money I'll save in gas.

[KLS]

I've never owned a set of tires that needed balancing after the initial balance unless they threw a weight. Or a big deposit of mud inside the rim that just needed washing away.

I rotate tires in the spring when I take off my snows. I keep uneven tire wear to a minimum by watching for front end alignment changes and by keeping the inflation pressure at the pressures I've found for good results.

Regular tire rotation doesn't reduce tire wear, it just spreads the wear out. Tire wear is reduced by maintaining good alignment and inflation pressure. I don't understand folks urge for the frequent rotations and balancing.

And, I've read so many stories and heard from folks that work for Wally about how the workers are treated poorly and underpaid that I only shop there when there are no other choices. Anyway, Costco has better tire prices if you want Michelin or Bridgestone tires.


Ken

[jim65wagon]

Originally Posted by KLS

And, I've read so many stories and heard from folks that work for Wally about how the workers are treated poorly and underpaid
Ken

Don't believe all the stories, I've never worked for a better company and the pay ain't bad for the type of work it is- we aren't rocket scientists after all, just retail employees. If you shopped there more often my profit sharing would go up some more! Help a brother out!