Curious About Discount Tire & Use of Jack Stands

[slow&rusty]

I was at Discount Tire this week peering through the visitor's window watching their guys work.

Things that really stuck out:
1) How fast the guys work
2) Ill placement of floor jacks
3) Not using jack stands

The Silverado in the picture below was supported only by 4 floor jacks and sat like that for about 2ish hours. I'm sure they have their floor jacks serviced frequently but surprised they didn't at least stick two jack stands under the frame...just in case.



I know on this forum you would feel the wrath of the members if you didn't use floor jacks.

[rwest]

If they are just doing tires and not crawling under the car, then no problem, even if the jack drops, I don’t think the truck would get damaged either. Of course it just takes a minute or so to put a stand under for the extra safety.

[cabmandone]

What kind of place doesn't have a two post or multiple two post lifts to do that work? Maybe up the price on those "discount tires" and put in some lifts.

[911_Dude]

They do have lifts. But when they get busy they jack and change tires everywhere. Ive seen them do it in the parking lot.

[fastfredracing]

I do this for quickie tire changes, or inspections when the lifts are full. I will not go under without stands though

[KNS]

I once watched a Porsche mechanic (indy shop I visited, since closed) removing rotors during a brake service. I guess he was in a hurry or didn't care because he used only a floor jack and left the caliper hanging by the rubber brake line.

[Por_sha911]

They have lifts but the mechanics FLY. I asked one once and basically you have to do every job super fast or you won't be there. I stand there and watch them when I get tires for the dd. I ask what torque he used and also check the pressures when I get home. Never a problem and they are the lowest prices.

[hcoles]

Considering what has been said over time on this forum I think we can agree that tire shops, in many (most?) cases, are not bastions of careful or fastidious mechanical work.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by hcoles

Considering what has been said over time on this forum I think we can agree that tire shops, in many (most?) cases, are not bastions of careful or fastidious mechanical work.

This.

For my 911 I just take all the wheels off, and take them to a local Porsche specialist shop for them to changed the tires and do a road force balance.

For the El Camino, before I go to a local tire shop I remove the trip rings and the plastic center cap. When I get home the tire pressures are usually off, and the torque of the lugs is not spot on. I then put back on the trip rings and center cap. The center cap is real easy to snap off a piece if they whack it whth a plastic hammer. And the trim rins are tricky to get centered just right.

[Nostril Cheese]

I cant recall seeing ANY tire shop ever using jack stands. There's simply no time to do so.

Its either a lift or floor jacks.

I dont think its anything to really worry about.

[Nostril Cheese]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

This.

For my 911 I just take all the wheels off, and take them to a local Porsche specialist shop for them to changed the tires and do a road force balance.

For the El Camino, before I go to a local tire shop I remove the trip rings and the plastic center cap. When I get home the tire pressures are usually off, and the torque of the lugs is not spot on. I then put back on the trip rings and center cap. The center cap is real easy to snap off a piece if they whack it whth a plastic hammer. And the trim rins are tricky to get centered just right.

That sucks. Even the used tire places here do a complete inspection and great job despite missing teeth. Not that hard to center an 80's trim ring.

[ted]

I stopped going there 10 years ago.
Appears they are still one jackoff. lol

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by fastfredracing

I do this for quickie tire changes, or inspections when the lifts are full. I will not go under without stands though

I had a car fall off a jack once, in the paddock at a race track with no good surface to jack the car up on. It didn't go straight down, the jack rolled to the passenger's side and the car went sideways about 2 feet as it went to the ground. Fortunately I was on the other side of the car.
On a hard surface you're probably OK, as long as you remember it goes over, not down.

[island911]

What's really crazy is when they put the wheels and tires back on and let the truck set on those! -that's just air and rubber!

Seriously, what's the big deal here?

[JackDidley]

Discount Tire is my go to place for tires . The guys are fast and good. I hope they make great money because they never close the overhead doors. 10° F or 100° F, thats what they deal with.

[group911@aol.co]

So, all you puritans are willing to wait 2 hours for a tire change at twice the price? I'm knocking.
Lifts for every tire change would require twice the space and twice the employees.
I'm just not seeing stacks of crushed bodies out back nor do the insurers.
I remove my Fuchs and have them mount tires for me and they are actually really good at it.
All the other cars I could care less how they do it as long as I don't have to take half a day to get it done.

[mattdavis11]

I noticed my discover card was not in my wallet this morning. I bought tires on Monday. Show nuff, Oscar down at the local tire shop has it. Will pick it up later. No discount tire in town, used to buy from them exclusively, no more.

As for the jack, I've done worse.

Heard a story last week. I think it was Virginia, some thief was trying to cut out a catalytic converter on a Prius. The owner caught him, lowered the jack and went back to bed. It was a casualty.

[hcoles]

Originally Posted by JackDidley

Discount Tire is my go to place for tires . The guys are fast and good. I hope they make great money because they never close the overhead doors. 10° F or 100° F, thats what they deal with.

Most of us here have handled wheel changes/etc. ourselves. Imagine being under a continuous time pressure. It is often hot or cold hard work (mentioned above) with many opportunities for injury. I don't think it pays very well. I can see that after changing tires on 500 cars you might easily fall into any pattern that saves time or effort. I can see treating the changing a tire on a clean, new/valuable car could be the same as on a rusted out pickup. You get what you pay for.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by mattdavis11

I noticed my discover card was not in my wallet this morning. I bought tires on Monday. Show nuff, Oscar down at the local tire shop has it. Will pick it up later. No discount tire in town, used to buy from them exclusively, no more.

As for the jack, I've done worse.

Heard a story last week. I think it was Virginia, some thief was trying to cut out a catalytic converter on a Prius. The owner caught him, lowered the jack and went back to bed. It was a casualty.

Hazards of the profession...life goes on.

What I want to know is how the CSI team figured that one out? I'm assuming that the guy got caught if you heard or read about it(?)

My other question, (bit of a highjack but otherwise I'll never remember to ask), what do they do with stolen cats? Take them apart for the precious metal? Because scrap yards don't pay anything for them complete, I tried to scrap one once and it was just "mixed metal." Worthless.

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by group911@aol.co

So, all you puritans are willing to wait 2 hours for a tire change at twice the price? I'm knocking.
Lifts for every tire change would require twice the space and twice the employees.
I'm just not seeing stacks of crushed bodies out back nor do the insurers.
I remove my Fuchs and have them mount tires for me and they are actually really good at it.
All the other cars I could care less how they do it as long as I don't have to take half a day to get it done.

Why would I do that? My local guy never makes me wait and places like Discount Tire can't touch his prices. I called Discount Tire to get a price on some tires. I already had a price from my usual guy but I like to price check. They give me their out the door price which is higher than my usual guy's price by enough to keep me from going there. The guy asks if I want the tires. I tell him I have a better price but I appreciate his time. He asks what the price is and that they'll match any competitor. I tell him "then sharpen your pencil" He says we don't do it that way. I say "and I don't give out prices from others because anyone can beat someone's price if they know the price" and got the tires from my friend. Price match? Nah.. I like the lowest price first.