EquineRunner97
New member
I don't usually have great experiences with car or tire places. Being a woman, most places with mechanics and techs tend to think I am stupid. Sorry, but I do know something about cars and, in this case, tires and wheels. I'll admit I don't know everything or even close to anything, but I know far more than the average girl with a 4Runner.
Okay, so here's the scenario.
Yesterday I get my used 245/75/16 Toyo Open Country M/Ts and used 16" 2005 Toyota Tacoma wheels and take them in to a cheaper tire company to have them mounted and balanced. They charge $4 to mount and $15 to balance. Fair deal for a lifetime balance (especially since Mr. Schwab wanted THIRTY TWO DAMN DOLLARS EACH for mounting and balancing).
Since I didn't want my car's interior dirty (okay, so there's some prissiness there), my dad drove his truck with the tires and wheels in the bed, and I followed him over. They began to mount and balance, all is good. They finish. We head home. I know M/Ts have a lot more noise and vibration, but MAN, it was like I was offroad when I was on the nice, smooth, paved street at 45 mph. We got home and took another, closer look at the work, and there was a LOT of weight on the wheels. We decide that today I would go back and have them check.
So today I head over by my lonesome, and walk in and let them know what the problem is. "You have M/T tires. They're louder than street tires". I'm like, okay... I know that. This is more than that- I don't feel safe driving the car. "Since you have a lifetime balance, we'll do it again and go from there." Okay, sounds good. The tech comes out to take a look. "Oh, well look at the back tires. There is feathering and that's what's causing the noise and bouncing." Can you please just do the rebalance? I don't feel safe driving the car, and my dad said that the excessive weight is the issue. I'd like to make sure. "Okay, fine, we'll do the rebalance." (in a not so pleasant tone). So they take my runner in, and do the rebalance. The guy comes back in a few minutes later- "So we actually got in a new balance machine today, and hell- you were right. They were a little tweaked and wobbling, and took less weight when we rebalanced them." I said thanks, graciously, but on my drive home, I was like, No Shit, Sherlock.
Just because I am female doesn't mean I'm stupid. I know what imbalance feels like. Oh, and my Runner now is as smooth as it was with the street tires- just makes a little more noise
Okay, so here's the scenario.
Yesterday I get my used 245/75/16 Toyo Open Country M/Ts and used 16" 2005 Toyota Tacoma wheels and take them in to a cheaper tire company to have them mounted and balanced. They charge $4 to mount and $15 to balance. Fair deal for a lifetime balance (especially since Mr. Schwab wanted THIRTY TWO DAMN DOLLARS EACH for mounting and balancing).
Since I didn't want my car's interior dirty (okay, so there's some prissiness there), my dad drove his truck with the tires and wheels in the bed, and I followed him over. They began to mount and balance, all is good. They finish. We head home. I know M/Ts have a lot more noise and vibration, but MAN, it was like I was offroad when I was on the nice, smooth, paved street at 45 mph. We got home and took another, closer look at the work, and there was a LOT of weight on the wheels. We decide that today I would go back and have them check.
So today I head over by my lonesome, and walk in and let them know what the problem is. "You have M/T tires. They're louder than street tires". I'm like, okay... I know that. This is more than that- I don't feel safe driving the car. "Since you have a lifetime balance, we'll do it again and go from there." Okay, sounds good. The tech comes out to take a look. "Oh, well look at the back tires. There is feathering and that's what's causing the noise and bouncing." Can you please just do the rebalance? I don't feel safe driving the car, and my dad said that the excessive weight is the issue. I'd like to make sure. "Okay, fine, we'll do the rebalance." (in a not so pleasant tone). So they take my runner in, and do the rebalance. The guy comes back in a few minutes later- "So we actually got in a new balance machine today, and hell- you were right. They were a little tweaked and wobbling, and took less weight when we rebalanced them." I said thanks, graciously, but on my drive home, I was like, No Shit, Sherlock.
Just because I am female doesn't mean I'm stupid. I know what imbalance feels like. Oh, and my Runner now is as smooth as it was with the street tires- just makes a little more noise
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olice: But really, tires guys are usually not mechanics but wish they were. It's a lot like security guard syndrome. I've had troubles with alignments and balancing and I finally found a shop that does it right (happens to be a Goodyear store), but even dudes have to be pushy sometimes. 
