Tire balance
Tire balance
I had my tires rotated and balanced yestderday. Free service @ Sears for the life of tires. In order to keep my warranty I have to bring it in every 5K. My question is before I went in I had no vibrations in the steering wheel at all. Now I do. I'm thinking they didn't even balance them at all. It's not that bad, but I'm thinking I should bring it back. Any comments? Just wondering if I'm being over picky. But concerned the out of balance tires will wear faster? Or make the suspension wear faster? By the way I have 10K on the tires, second rotation and balance. Yokohama 550A 225/60/15 V rated 380 tread wear 1531 load.
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greg_atlanta
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- Car: 2008 G35 Journey Sedan, silver/black (no sunroof), 1992 Q45 (in a past life)
Did the car sit for a long time before they balanced them? If so, the tires could have gotten flat spots and then they were balanced based on the flat spots... and once you drive again and the tires are warmed up the flat spots are gone and the balance is off.
Always good for tires to be fresh and hot when they hit the balance machine. But of course that's hard to coordinate when every car place runs a little behind schedule.
Of course if you tell this to the tire place they'll think you're crazy.
Always good for tires to be fresh and hot when they hit the balance machine. But of course that's hard to coordinate when every car place runs a little behind schedule.
Of course if you tell this to the tire place they'll think you're crazy.
Greg,
The tires were cold.....sat for about 4 hours before they got to it. I'm just wondering if I should bring it back, or if I'm being to picky. I don't want them to think I'm a jerk trying to take advantage of a free service. As I can deal with it, however, if it increases wear on any suspension parts?.....I'm just going to take it back.Thanks,Robert
The tires were cold.....sat for about 4 hours before they got to it. I'm just wondering if I should bring it back, or if I'm being to picky. I don't want them to think I'm a jerk trying to take advantage of a free service. As I can deal with it, however, if it increases wear on any suspension parts?.....I'm just going to take it back.Thanks,Robert
Take it back, and just have them rebalance at least the front 2 tires. I work for Sears automotive, and sometimes out balancers are off a bit. They're suppose to be re-calibrated weekly, but no one seems to keep that schedule. You're not being picky at all, it happens. Just go in, and have them rebalance them. No biggie.
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greg_atlanta
- Posts: 1111
- Joined: Tue Jul 23, 2002 4:37 pm
- Car: 2008 G35 Journey Sedan, silver/black (no sunroof), 1992 Q45 (in a past life)
Out of balance tires won't hurt anything.
If you go back, make sure they don't rotate again!!!
Sometimes free services like that are a curse if they don't do it right. I used to think paying $40 to T-3 or $50 to the dealer was scandalous -- but now it's chump change given the on-going annoyance of out of balance tires.
If you go back, make sure they don't rotate again!!!
Sometimes free services like that are a curse if they don't do it right. I used to think paying $40 to T-3 or $50 to the dealer was scandalous -- but now it's chump change given the on-going annoyance of out of balance tires.
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Q45tech
- Moderator
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- Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2002 3:19 am
- Car: 1990 Q45 342,400 miles 22 years ownership with original engine
1995 G20t 5 speed 334,000 miles 16" 2002 wheels - 205/50/16 Sr20ve vvl
"Out of balance tires won't hurt anything."
Other than to add extra wear to the rubber suspension components, shocks, and wheel bearings.A 13 HZ vibration resonates with the body components adding wear stress to every seam and component.
No car is designed to operate with tire vibration at a steady speed as this just widens the already worn clearances.
Same with out of round driveshaft, it just builds and adds to problems if not replaced!
Not to mention the vibrations effects on the human body/hands torso, etc.
Vibration resolution and correction can be expensive in that vibration free tires/wheels/rotors need constant attention by experts.............and there are few experts even in Atlanta and fewer still owners who can pay for absolute solutions!
What is causing the tires/wheels/rotors from getting out of balance? Internal or external....bearing/KPins/suspension/roads?
Other than to add extra wear to the rubber suspension components, shocks, and wheel bearings.A 13 HZ vibration resonates with the body components adding wear stress to every seam and component.
No car is designed to operate with tire vibration at a steady speed as this just widens the already worn clearances.
Same with out of round driveshaft, it just builds and adds to problems if not replaced!
Not to mention the vibrations effects on the human body/hands torso, etc.
Vibration resolution and correction can be expensive in that vibration free tires/wheels/rotors need constant attention by experts.............and there are few experts even in Atlanta and fewer still owners who can pay for absolute solutions!
What is causing the tires/wheels/rotors from getting out of balance? Internal or external....bearing/KPins/suspension/roads?
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AZhitman
- Administrator
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- Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2002 2:04 am
- Car: 58 L210, 63 Bluebird RHD, 64 NL320, 65 SPL310, 66 411 RHD, 67 WRL411, 68 510 SR20, 75 280Z RB25, 77 620 SR20, 79 B310, 90 Z32, 91 GTi-R, 92 Silvia Qs, 98 S14, 23 Z.
- Location: Surprise, Arizona
- Contact:
Had Quella in to Discount Tire Friday (early morning) for a GOOD rebalance. It was my day off, so I planned to be there awhile.
Informed them I would be driving to the DFW area at triple digits for the holidays (a small fib) and asked that they be balanced down as well as possible. Got to talking with the visiting Hunter tech who had JUST calibrated it, and he showed me how the machine works. He stuck around, had the tech pull all 4 tires, balanced the rims alone, indexed them, then balanced with the tires, and clipped the weights down to 1 gram increments, and even showed me how they put the weights on the inner vs outer edge of the rim. When finished, they asked me to go drive it (at speed) and return. I took I-17 NB for about 8 miles at 100 mph and it felt PERFECT, until I threw a weight (sounded like a brick hitting the wheelwell). Returned to the shop and they rebalanced all 4, replaced the thrown weight, and then road-force tested all four tires. On top of all this, the manager popped in to say hi and looked at my Yoko's. He says "They're wearing a little quicker than we expected." (DUH) Asks me to come in after the holidays and he'll swap 'em out for me (COOL!) Dropped a $20 on the guy who did all the work (never seen a tire tech so happy) and took another nice long freeway run just to feel the smoothness. Not a bad way to blow 3 hours...
Informed them I would be driving to the DFW area at triple digits for the holidays (a small fib) and asked that they be balanced down as well as possible. Got to talking with the visiting Hunter tech who had JUST calibrated it, and he showed me how the machine works. He stuck around, had the tech pull all 4 tires, balanced the rims alone, indexed them, then balanced with the tires, and clipped the weights down to 1 gram increments, and even showed me how they put the weights on the inner vs outer edge of the rim. When finished, they asked me to go drive it (at speed) and return. I took I-17 NB for about 8 miles at 100 mph and it felt PERFECT, until I threw a weight (sounded like a brick hitting the wheelwell). Returned to the shop and they rebalanced all 4, replaced the thrown weight, and then road-force tested all four tires. On top of all this, the manager popped in to say hi and looked at my Yoko's. He says "They're wearing a little quicker than we expected." (DUH) Asks me to come in after the holidays and he'll swap 'em out for me (COOL!) Dropped a $20 on the guy who did all the work (never seen a tire tech so happy) and took another nice long freeway run just to feel the smoothness. Not a bad way to blow 3 hours...
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AZhitman
- Administrator
- Posts: 54538
- Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2002 2:04 am
- Car: 58 L210, 63 Bluebird RHD, 64 NL320, 65 SPL310, 66 411 RHD, 67 WRL411, 68 510 SR20, 75 280Z RB25, 77 620 SR20, 79 B310, 90 Z32, 91 GTi-R, 92 Silvia Qs, 98 S14, 23 Z.
- Location: Surprise, Arizona
- Contact:
Guess it's all in the presentation...
They know (from experience) that I'm reasonable but assertive. They ate the cost of my wife's 33x12.5x15 Michelins last year because the asst manager got all aggro with her (and later I) for no good reason...
I'd love to see what their little computer file says about us.
They know (from experience) that I'm reasonable but assertive. They ate the cost of my wife's 33x12.5x15 Michelins last year because the asst manager got all aggro with her (and later I) for no good reason...
I'd love to see what their little computer file says about us.
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Q45tech
- Moderator
- Posts: 14296
- Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2002 3:19 am
- Car: 1990 Q45 342,400 miles 22 years ownership with original engine
1995 G20t 5 speed 334,000 miles 16" 2002 wheels - 205/50/16 Sr20ve vvl
You have to tip in advance then they begin to understand grams!$20 is the minimum to get somebodies attention.
Members who expect superior service and precision better be prepared to pay for it generously.
Just think how many tires they can balance for the typical uneducated customer vs the time it takes to do it right much less the time to perfection..........Time is money!
You wouldn't want me to balance your tires if I spent 3 hours breaking them down to wheels then filing the wheels down to perfect, then match mounting etc at $90/hr..........each balance might cost more than the cheapo 15" tires many use.These $70 tires would be out of balance within a week.....because they are not built/designed to take the stress a Q generates!
Members who expect superior service and precision better be prepared to pay for it generously.
Just think how many tires they can balance for the typical uneducated customer vs the time it takes to do it right much less the time to perfection..........Time is money!
You wouldn't want me to balance your tires if I spent 3 hours breaking them down to wheels then filing the wheels down to perfect, then match mounting etc at $90/hr..........each balance might cost more than the cheapo 15" tires many use.These $70 tires would be out of balance within a week.....because they are not built/designed to take the stress a Q generates!