Paranoia or Practicality?

[fred cook]

Whenever I have to send my '80 911SC to the tire shop for new tires or a balance job, I remove the center caps (polished with badge) and the new lug nuts before dropping the car off. When I get the car back, I reinstall the center cap and replace the old lug nuts with the new set. Of course this requires that I remove and replace each wheel twice in addition to the R and R at the tire shop. My wife thinks I'm being paranoid, I think what I am doing is practical. How about it fellow Pelicans? What's your opinion?

[Chuck Moreland]

Why not take the tires to the shop loose. Then you only need to R&R once.

BTW, I'd be more worried about what they do to the rims than the lugnuts.

[MotoSook]

I took my "new to me" Fuchs in for new tires when I got them, and what happened almost made me choke the guy mounting the tires.

When he was removing the old tire off the last rim (I was hawking him like a mofo), he must not have mounted the rim on the machine very well, and the rim and tire popped of the machine and went rolling 5 or 6 feet. I noticed it landed cleanly on the old tire so it was not so bad...

The guy picks the wheel up and puts it on the machine and starts. I'm thinking it is OK, it didn't look so bad and let him proceed. It happens again! At that point I am worried but don't make a move for the guy ("restraint Grass Hopper") (hey they're the most expensive thing I bought for the car next to the motor...and I'm a cheap SOB).

I let the guy finish and inspect the rim, no damage that I could tell, but a couple of small shallow scratches that I couldn't remember if they had been there from before.

I'll always take the rim in, but I will definitely be more instructive about their handling...hell I don't have 5 or 6 sets of Fuchs like some people I know (you know who you are ).

Plus, I get to torque them myself which gives me a warm fuzzy.

[Adam]

Originally posted by Souk:
(I was hawking him like a mofo)

Hahaha.. That's great! I feel the same way. When I got new tyres, the guys in the workshop told me not to worry and to go have a complimentary waiting-room coffee...*yech* I think they could tell I'm paranoid, too.

[Kevin Stewart]

I have been working in and around the tire business for over 20 years, and i wouldnt be suprised if these guys started that day, the turn over rate is incredible, if the tire popped off he didnt have the bottom claws on right or the bead wasnt loose, you bet your AS i would watch them like a hawk, the biggest deal i have is this, its a 993 style wheel or a high offset wheel, they mount the tire then stand it up only to watch it fall over on its face, example, we were swamped so i have other friends in the wheel business called a buddy that had been mounting a long time, i tell him i have a brand new set of chrome oe 993 wheels that need mounting that we cant get to, i take them down, we are chatting about racing, i turn and watch him stand it up as i dove to stop it from landing on its face i also hit the ground, left dents all over the face of the wheel, he was doing a favor so how could i ask this guy that worked at one of the biggest tire stores to replace it, i eat the whole package, so you bet hawk eye them suckers, i did get cost out the package in the end, Kevin

[john70t]

How about this one: go to a local tire/alignment place recommended by a local racing and watch the saga.

I remind the guy in a joking way "don't forget to use a torque wrench".

Hanging out front I see the guy put the pads under the floor pan and feel the kicker skipping a beat. Correct him.

There goes off the lug nuts. With the impact. O.k., I rationalize, the aluminum threads are strong enough for that.

Out of sight go the tires and back they come.

O.k. Not good. Tourque sticks on 1/2"impacts are not the same as a tourque wrench. Correct him again. I watch as the kid goes up to the front counter with the wrench in hand for an explanation of what all those numbers mean.
Hmmm. One front is on the back. "Can you switch that around guy's?". Blank stare. No speak english/stoned/"special case".

Hmmm again. These are directional tires that have to be in the same direction. Please remount. Another half an hour explaining to the tire gut why that is so and why he should do get the kid to do it.

Hmmm again. Fresh scratchs.

I mentioned it to the owner another day and got the full schpeal of how they are trained professionals and I'm not. I pulled out my own ASE card with 7 certificates on it which resulted in a 45 minute argument. I thought I heard all the lines before but this guy was as good as a shaky surgeon.

It just goes to show-A wall-full of certificates and a row of Snap-On tool boxes don't always add up to a correct job.

[thrown_hammer]

Last time I had tires put on my 17" Strosek wheels they had 4 guys working on them as I stood over their shoulders like impending doom.

[ChrisBennet]

I never go more than 6 feet away from my wheels when they are being mounted. I'm pretty picky about who lifts my car too. Crushed oil lines will do that.
-Chris

[rcwaldo]

"I stood over their shoulders like impending doom."

Those are the perfect words for what I feel like when I HAVE to have someone else work on something of mine. Its just hard to trust anyone.

I hate to bug these people, but I just want no damage to the car. I dont think I am alone here.

Chris

[Dantilla]

I throw the wheels/tires into the back of my pick-up for the trip to the tire store, and leave the car safe on jackstands in the garage.

[old_skul]

Do not hesitate to hover over your car while it is in a tire place.

I repeat, do not hesitate.

[RickC]

Had some tires rotated on the family car cause I wimped out in this latest cold. Had to go and re-torque anyway as I found some were way too loose and some almost impossibly tight. Don't think I'll let that happen to the 911.

[GSpreeman]

Here's a question, how much should a garage charge to take off my old tires and mount 4 new ones that I'll bring in? I can get the Yoko AVS online reasonably but obviously can't mount them myself.

[thabaer]

The local shop that I use is listed at Tire Rack as a drop ship destination. The shop will take delivery and mount for about $50 for all 4, but I only buy online when the local shop can't locate what I'm after. He usually gives me a competitive price including the mount that's on par with the total after going through the online method.

As far as keeping an eye on the monkey-boys, DO IT! Better yet, just take the wheels in, my once shiny red 996tt calipers got some nice scratches when I was in a hurry and just took in the car. I don't really care about the cosmetics that much, but the scratches went through to the metal; can you say corrosion ?

[masraum]

hmm, what like 2-3 per tire for the environmental impact fee, 2.50 each for valves, 10 each for balance...

probably 50-75 depending upon where you go

[kristian85]

You're unhinged. Ask them to take care, and they usually will, especially under pain of buying new parts. And, either trust the shop you take it to, or watch over them and ask if they know how to work on 911s.

[Superman]

I have no trust in tire and alignment shops. None whatsoever, unless they are recognized by local PCA and race guys. Even then.....

Taking a car in for tire change and alignment, it would not be unusual for the shop to:

damage the pan by not respecting the lift points
crush some oil lines the same way.
scratch the alloy lug nuts
scratch the wheels
fail to properly balance the tires
install the lug nuts at THREE TIMES the proper torque value
fail to properly align the wheels

If tire mounting is what I need, I'll take them the wheels but not the car, and I'll stand and watch them do the mounting and dismounting. As an aside, I had better luck with wheel balancing thirty years ago when balancers were static bubble balancers.

[RickC]

Chicago has 8 million people. So far, I trust only two shops that were recommended by PCA and one family run place a couple of towns over.

It is worth it to travel a bit if you can, and frequent the good shops. Taking the wheels off is a good backup strategy though.

[Jeff]

I was at one of the larger tire shops getting new tread on the pickem up. When they were done and I got into my truck I saw that they did not put my jack and equipment back under the rear seat. Don't know why but I checked both my daughter's car seats and they were unbuckled. I had my daughters with me that day. I was PISSED!

Luckily I have found a local guy who is great (with great prices to boot)

[kristian85]

To restate, I actually wouldn't understand why a caring 911 owner would take his/her car to, e.g. Les Schwab, or some other family wagon/SUV/Caprice shop. Now, Schwab does fine work on my '85 Volvo--but that's where it ends.

Simply take your cars to performance shops who know exactly what they're doing--there are skilled Porsche alignment/tire shops i every town. I happen to be lucky--we're flooded with them here in Seattle. One on every street corner.

Here in Seattle, anyone with fine Motorcars, Porsches particularly, can with great peace of mind take their cars to Group 2 Motorsports, @ 206.378.0900 for any sort of alignment/tire work. Really fine, caring buncha guys.