grim

i was getting a wobble at hwy speeds so i took my truck into Kal tire for a wheel balance. i asked em to check that my rims werent warped too. they said nope. cost me almost $90 but the drive home i had no wobble so i was happy. Then befor i get home i feel something like a bullet hit the floor of the truck and i stop and notice that a weight fell off the rim. could have done some damage to someone behind me.

so i bring it back and they dont beleive me but after some arguing they agree to rebalance the wheels. Im listening to them work on the truck and i only hear them take off two wheels. the first balance took over an hour. this one took 15 mins. so i ask em why only two wheels and they said the rear end is fine. so i drive it home and wobble is still there.

bring it back in to get them to redo the rear in case more fell off that i didnt notice. after about 10 mins of arguing they finally do it, but then tell me my rear rims are both bent and ill never get rid of my wobble (even though the first balance got rid of my wobble and they said my rims were fine)

so i drive more and not suprising i have a wobble but i admit defeat.
then a few days late im adjusting my brakes and notice 2 of the rear weights are lifting and about to fall off again. So i bring it in and they are instantly defensive.

they said its cause i have mud tires and you cant balance big tires and the shouldnt have balance them in the first place. my response was "if you shouldnt have balance them in the first place then you shouldnt have balanced them in the first place! then id have my 4 hours and $90 bux still." so gave me half my money back and asked me to leave.

Is the guy right about not balancing big tires or should i go to a shop not run by 20 yr olds

BILTIT

You can balance big tires but attaching weights is not the best way.

http://www.innovativebalancing.com/index.php

It is done in many tire shops.

I had a similar experience with kal-tire and will not go back to them again.

brainfade

I had the same issue with a Discount Tire, they were using aluminum style wheel weights on my stock steel wheels. The clips are a different shape. I went to another branch and explained the problem and the second store took care of it. I think they liked the idea of making the first store look stupid.

Jklawinsky

Def the tire shop.

ChrisLib

They are probably using the wrong weight profile. There are serveral different profiles to fit different rim configurations. Speaking from experience they are NOT necessarily interchangeable. See here for a better explanation of my clear as mud description
http://www.estiwarehouse.com/store.html?CID=5

The wrong profile is probably why the weights are flying off when you get to speed

Aquah0lic

Large AT tires ARE harder to balance than normal ones, but thats why we go to professional tire shops. If they can't handle the tough jobs maybe they should open a flower shop instead. Bunch of pansies.

I've had very good service at Firestone shops. I don't think they hire lazy whiners.

Crossy's son

I had my 35's balanced by a local mechanic, and he used stick on weights on the inside, my wheels were brand new

I have seen them use steel old style wheel weights on aluminum wheels, and ruin the things.

Bogie

Try a different shop my 37" Super Swampers balanced just fine.

grim

thanx for the backup guys, i figured they were crazy.
ill find a good shop to do it.

ebteckx

I work at a tire shop and yes bigger tires are harder to balance especially since they have changed the weights from lead to steel, they dont fit the wheels very well... Another thing that a lot of people dont realize is that tires have a heavy side and a light side as well as wheels... they have dots that mark the heavy side on the tires. if you have a tire that does not have a slipped belt and wont balance well we always try to rotate the tire about 180 degrees on the wheel and it usually helps a bunch. find a real shop...

grim

not to speak too soon, but took it to another shop. guy said my rims are fine, 2 of my tires have a small flatspot but not bad. after first drive i have no wobble. lets hope it lasts!