New tire wierdness at discount tire

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moparmat2000

moparmat2000

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Ok so i come out of work yesterday and my DD 2008 chevy HHR has a low left rear tire. A roofing nail jamned in it. It and the RT rear are pretty much shot. Fronts are at about half life. So i air it up, and head to discount tire for 2 new tires. I tell the guy to put swap the half life fronts wheels and tires to the back, and put the new tires on the front. No biggie, all the same rims right?

Well he gives me some bullshit story about how the new tires always go on the back because of stopping reasons. I tell him the front does 80% of the stopping power, and is the drive axle end of the vehicle because its FWD. I'm shaking my head thinking WTF !!

Then he mentions the RT rear rim has a small bend in it. Did it balance out w the wheel weights? Good? I only do about 75 anyways. If i need a replacement steel rim i will get it at the wrecking yard. He then wants to sell me a set of aluminum wheels. I tell him look at this car. Its loaded with hail damage, and its 10 years old why would i want to put blingy wheels on it. Its a get to work and back car.

Anyways its late, all the lug nuts are on, and i want to just get outta there, since i been there almost 2 hours waiting. I am driving to work and this thing drives wonky as ****. I know its acting this way frrom not having the new tires on the front. Because it didnt drive this way until they were installed. Tire pressure is normal as well so its not tire pressure induced stagger. So tonight i gotta jack it up and swap the new ones to the front. I guess that gives me an excuse to look at the brakes in the front and pull the drums to look at the rears.
 
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In the past, it was always recommended to put the better tires on the front. Now, according to "new" research, it is being recommended to install the better tires on the rear. Both theories are probably wrong (meaning it don't make any difference?).
 
It is more work for them to do. Discount tire sucks. They did the same thing to me last year with my 2001 GMC Sierra. They ask if I wanted to upgrade my wheels and ask if something was wrong with the ones I had. He said nothing is wrong. I told him then why in the hell would I wanna replace them.
 
I'd be willing to bet that our local "big" tire seller with dozens of stores, called "Town Fair Tire", would have insisted on selling you 4 new tires. And if you didn't want to put 4 on it, they would have told you to go somewhere else. That's just how they are. Also, won't even touch a "mag" wheel if you did not buy it there. The customer is always wrong. They think they are "too big to fail". Well, we all know how well that works.
 
moparmat2000 said:
Well he gives me some bullshit story about how the new tires always go on the back.
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That is the story of the LAST time I ever bought tires at Costco too. Went straight home and rotated them myself. What a crock of ****. Front wheel drive Tempo no less.
 
dibbons said:
Both theories are probably wrong (meaning it don't make any difference?).
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Having them where you want them makes it right.
I think maybe the most important thing is for the operator to know their respective positions.
I wonder how confused they would be with snow tires.
 
I would have spun around on one foot and walked out.... while he was still speaking even..
I'm just an ***, I guess. Too many tire shops out there to put up with that..
 
'63GT said:
I would have spun around on one foot and walked out.... while he was still speaking even..
I'm just an ***, I guess. Too many tire shops out there to put up with that..
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I FINALLY found a small non-chain store here that I go to.

Been TWO chains I won't go to anymore. Les Schwab: Went in (when Mom was alive and driving) to get her summer/ winter tires and wheels swapped. Told them "be sure you check the pressures." "We ALWAYS check the pressures." Drove the car about 4 miles back into town to Mom's card pump, looked at a rear tire, it had about 10lbs in the thing. I was livid. This could have been Mom and could have blown on the road. Also, Scwab is fond of using torque wrenches...........and them "getting on top" of them and "reefing" on them repeatedly!!!

The other chain...............had left Schwab, and went in and TOLD them that's why I was "here." Told them "Here is your chance to gain a customer for a long time." Bought a set of 4 for the old 86 Ranger. Drove out to Post Falls, the front wheels felt like they were about to fall off!!! Had to go back........and sit..........and sit.........and SIT ........and WAIT........for them to rebalance the things. THAT WAS IT, last time.

I have an old "manual" changer, a bubble balancer, and a HF changer, which I bought for 20.00 for the tire tool LOL. Do some stuff myself
 
67Dart273 said:
I FINALLY found a small non-chain store here that I go to.

Been TWO chains I won't go to anymore. Les Schwab: Went in (when Mom was alive and driving) to get her summer/ winter tires and wheels swapped. Told them "be sure you check the pressures." "We ALWAYS check the pressures." Drove the car about 4 miles back into town to Mom's card pump, looked at a rear tire, it had about 10lbs in the thing. I was livid. This could have been Mom and could have blown on the road. Also, Scwab is fond of using torque wrenches...........and them "getting on top" of them and "reefing" on them repeatedly!!!

The other chain...............had left Schwab, and went in and TOLD them that's why I was "here." Told them "Here is your chance to gain a customer for a long time." Bought a set of 4 for the old 86 Ranger. Drove out to Post Falls, the front wheels felt like they were about to fall off!!! Had to go back........and sit..........and sit.........and SIT ........and WAIT........for them to rebalance the things. THAT WAS IT, last time.

I have an old "manual" changer, a bubble balancer, and a HF changer, which I bought for 20.00 for the tire tool LOL. Do some stuff myself
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Wow. I just kept shaking my head, when I read your comment.. What is going on here, anymore??
Where did all the good employees go ?? I see a lot of 'kids' working in places like this (at least they're working..) instead of good ol 'been there, done that' veterans.
I had liners put in a set of heads I was working on, at a very reputable shop, and the clearances were all over the place. I had to send them back. They said, 'it will be right' when I spoke to them. Good for them for taking responsibility, instead of blowing smoke..
 
69_340_GTS said:
I'd be willing to bet that our local "big" tire seller with dozens of stores, called "Town Fair Tire", would have insisted on selling you 4 new tires. And if you didn't want to put 4 on it, they would have told you to go somewhere else. That's just how they are.
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They aren't the only ones. Belle Tire won't sell and install 2 tires for any all wheel drive or 4 wheel drive vehicle. They have been sued on several occasions for drive units going out, rear ends going out etc, and yes they had to pay.

Maybe that shop you speak of is doing it for the same reason.
 

plumkrazee70 said:
@moparmat2000 Im no expert, but was a tech for some years and the tire rep told us the same thing. New tires on back when replacing two.

Here is an excerpt from tire rack. https://m.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=52
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I didn't read all the article but it's kinda what I expected.

The average dolt today can't control a vehicle that steps out even a little and they crash. So they want the best tires on the rear even if they don't move the car or do most of the work in stopping.

It's a sad testimony of how kids are taught to drive today. My dad made me and my brother drive in the snow, learn how to control the car when it steps out and deal with it.

My kid was taught to drive in the snow. Of course, mom couldn't be there because we both don't like the squealing. I taught him how to drive into a drift and all that. The good thing was he learned to do it very well.

The bad thing is he now does that crap when his mom is in the car just to hear her squeal. Then when they get home I'm the sonofabitch for teaching him all that.
 
New tires on the back. In a panic stop, if you must skid, you want the fronts to skid, not the rears, because if the rears do, the vehicle will swap ends and quickly.
 
ramenth said:
The rear is naturally light. Engine up front, putting weight on the front. The *** doesn't have that weight, needing the better grip of the tire traction to compensate.
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And in a heavy braking stop, the weight transfers forward making the back end even lighter.
 
magnumdart said:
Of course if the fronts are skidding you are completely at the mercy of whatever direction you are headed, which in a panic situation, is directly at what you are trying to avoid.
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That’s what ABS prevents. The rears with more tread provide an anchor while the fronts pulse faster and still allow full steering control because the ABS prevents locking of any wheel.
 
A lot of the big chains wont even sell tires that aren't the factory size for the vehicle. They are just salesmen and don't know anything about anything except what the boss told em.
 
ramenth said:
The rear is naturally light. Engine up front, putting weight on the front. The *** doesn't have that weight, needing the better grip of the tire traction to compensate.
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Rear shocks , rear suspension come into play ,here. What good are tires ,with dead shocks / worn out suspension?
Maybe multiple issues...
 
Abodybomber said:
Rear shocks , rear suspension come into play ,here. What good are tires ,with dead shocks / worn out suspension?
Maybe multiple issues...
Click to expand...

Good points.

Many people think that a brake inspection, as sold them by the big chains is just taking a look at the brakes. Hell, many of the people who work there thinking the same.

Rotor/drum condition, hydraulics and mechanics working, but carry it further.

Suspension and steering also have a lot to do with braking, also. Bad shocks/struts will throw rhe weight transfer off. Bad ball joint or tie rod end can lead to a pull.

Crap tires will cause crap braking no matter if your entire brake system is brand new.

It's all a system. It all has to work together for optimum performance.

Check one, check them all.
 
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