Should I have performed a tire balance?

[garlic4runner]

Just returned from the dealer for my first 5K service. They rotated the tires and then asked me if I wanted to pay $50 to balance them. I declined, was this a dumb dumb move or were they trying to get more money? They stressed that a tire balance would be a good idea for the 10K service, any truth to that?

 

[backpacker1988]

I've never heard of such a thing, sounds like stealership upselling to me. I always rotate my tires at 5k when I change my oil, and have never had problems with uneven tire wear. The only times I had an alignment done was when I installed my lift and put the new tires on; anytime you mess with suspension components you MUST get an alignment. Other than that, I haven't had any issues. Someone out there correct me if I'm wrong, but this is the way I have treated all my cars.

 

[BucknutBob]

First to bp1988--the question was about balancing, not alignment. As to g4r, your dealer is DEFINITELY ripping you off--any time a rotation is done, the tires should also be rebalanced as part of the service, NOT as an extra cost option. That is one cheapskate dealer!

 

[backpacker1988]

Haha, WOW!!:wow: I don't know how I completely missed that so badly. G4R, I apologize for that utterly misleading post. Now I'm just gonna have to issue a self-imposed 5 minute ban for Negligence to Pay Attention, Class C Forum Infraction:biggrin2:.

 

[garlic4runner]

thanks for the opinions and I totally agree with you and thought it was a rip off. I will not be returning to that dealer!


sneaky sneak Westchester Toyota! :lasercannon:

 

[03_4x4Runner]

My 2003 4runner never had the original tires rebalanced for their whole life and it never had a vibration or anything. This was with the original Bridgestones that everyone said were junk. I have been getting my 2011 Avalon tires rotated at the dealer only becuase of the free 2 year service. I know they rotate the tires but I do not think they balance them when they do this.

 

[garlic4runner]

My 2003 4runner never had the original tires rebalanced for their whole life and it never had a vibration or anything. This was with the original Bridgestones that everyone said were junk. I have been getting my 2011 Avalon tires rotated at the dealer only becuase of the free 2 year service. I know they rotate the tires but I do not think they balance them when they do this.

oh crap, well i have the service manager about to call my home to speak to me. I'm sure he wants the new car business. So it's possible not balancing rotated tires is standard operating procedure and I am making trouble for nothing?

 

[BucknutBob]

Just to be clear about my viewpoint, I used to work at a dealership, and we always balanced the tires on a rotation. It's just the professional thing to do, and doesn't cost them much of anything (the tech is paid a set price for the service, and lead weights are pretty darn cheap). I still say it's a rip-off, regardless of whether others are just as cheap.

 

[TechWrench]

IMHO re-balancing tires that do not have a vibration, just because it is an included or free service, makes no sense. If there is no vibration problem, why take the chance that the re-balance will result in a vibration that wasn't there originally (balance not done properly). Sure, you could take the vehicle back, and make them do them again at the cost of your time and aggravation. But why put yourself through that possible agravation if it isn't necessary. I have 103k on my '03, with about 55k of that on the original Bridgestone H/T's, and they have never needed to be re-balanced and they still run true with no vibration problems.

Yes, if you do develop a vibration problem because of loosing a weight, or tire wear issues, then re-balancing is necessary and should be done as soon as possible.

 

[Qjake]

^Agreed, if you're not having any issues then leave it alone.

Did they really want to rebalance them after they already had taken them off and rotated them. :rockthrow:

 

[garlic4runner]

thanks everyone

 

[speedy car]

I happened with me also. When I went for my free car service the dealer recommended so many things for my car and offer me a bill of $500. So I changed my dealer.

 

[garlic4runner]

Okay now I am freaking out!


I have this feeling the dealer may have removed any tire weights that were on the vehicle from the factory.

Did the vehicle come from the factory with weights? Would I know if they removed them to screw me?

 

[TechWrench]

Okay now I am freaking out!


I have this feeling the dealer may have removed any tire weights that were on the vehicle from the factory.

Did the vehicle come from the factory with weights? Would I know if they removed them to screw me?

Ok, now this is getting too weird. Don't take this the wrong way, but it seems apparent you know very little about auto mechanicals, and tire/wheel mechanics in particular. When a shop balances, or re-balances a tire, it is normal to remove all existing weights first. A tech could try leaving the existing weights on, and spin the tire to see if there is a balance problem, but if the balance machine indicates a problem, then it will indicate where and how much weight is to be added to balance the tire. At that point, it doesn't make sense to add additional weights to what is already there to acheive proper balance. It makes more sense to remove all existing weights, start from scratch, and add only the amount of weight necessary to balance the tire. This is why I first suggested that if you are NOT experiencing any tire vibration, having the tires re-balanced doesn't make sense (IMHO).

They didn't remove the weights to screw you. It is normal proceedure.

 

[garlic4runner]

Ok, now this is getting too weird. Don't take this the wrong way, but it seems apparent you know very little about auto mechanicals, and tire/wheel mechanics in particular. When a shop balances, or re-balances a tire, it is normal to remove all existing weights first. A tech could try leaving the existing weights on, and spin the tire to see if there is a balance problem, but if the balance machine indicates a problem, then it will indicate where and how much weight is to be added to balance the tire. At that point, it doesn't make sense to add additional weights to what is already there to acheive proper balance. It makes more sense to remove all existing weights, start from scratch, and add only the amount of weight necessary to balance the tire. This is why I first suggested that if you are NOT experiencing any tire vibration, having the tires re-balanced doesn't make sense (IMHO).

They didn't remove the weights to screw you. It is normal proceedure

thank you for the continued help and yes I am a totally ignorant of all of this.

So let me ask you this. When I bring the 4Runner back in for the 10k service which includes a tire rotation, I should only consider having them balanced if I feel vibrations in the tires? I assume they will push the balancing on me anyway but do I only need it if I feel vibrations? What kind of vibrations and are there any tests I can do as a driver to know if it's tire vibration of just the road?

 

[TechWrench]

thank you for the continued help and yes I am a totally ignorant of all of this.

So let me ask you this. When I bring the 4Runner back in for the 10k service which includes a tire rotation, I should only consider having them balanced if I feel vibrations in the tires? I assume they will push the balancing on me anyway but do I only need it if I feel vibrations? What kind of vibrations and are there any tests I can do as a driver to know if it's tire vibration of just the road?

Though nothing is 100%, but in most cases a vibration caused by a tire out of balance will be noticiable at certain speeds and not others. There is no one exact speed for all vehicles. Many times you will feel a vibration at one speed (lets say 35 for example), then as you go faster the vibration will lessen and possibily disappear and then reappear at a faster speed (55 to 60). The vibration will be totally speed related, and not be effected by road surface. You may feel the vibration in the steering wheel, if it is a front wheel, but not if it is a rear one. You will feel the vibration in the vehicle, and in some cases, you may be able to isolate it to a specific corner of the vehicle. If you feel the vibration only when braking, you probably have a brake issue and not a wheel balance one. If you do develope a vibration in the vehicle while driving, then by all means have the wheel balance checked.

 

[garlic4runner]

Though nothing is 100%, but in most cases a vibration caused by a tire out of balance will be noticiable at certain speeds and not others. There is no one exact speed for all vehicles. Many times you will feel a vibration at one speed (lets say 35 for example), then as you go faster the vibration will lessen and possibily disappear and then reappear at a faster speed (55 to 60). The vibration will be totally speed related, and not be effected by road surface. You may feel the vibration in the steering wheel, if it is a front wheel, but not if it is a rear one. You will feel the vibration in the vehicle, and in some cases, you may be able to isolate it to a specific corner of the vehicle. If you feel the vibration only when braking, you probably have a brake issue and not a wheel balance one. If you do develope a vibration in the vehicle while driving, then by all means have the wheel balance checked.

thanks for a great guide :drummer: