OKC metro tire shop

[SlugSlinger]

That’s some crazy damage if a tire shop did it. The tire shop must have dropped something on the wheel. Probably nothing to do with the actual mounting and balancing process. There is no reason to pry on the wheel at those locations. Usually the damage is at the bead area where the tools used to remove and replace the tire are not covered with a synthetic sleeve and the metal tool comes into contact with the wheel when they pry the tire. Also the tire machine should have a sleeve on it as well to help protect the wheel.

And a low profile tire is a lot more difficult to r&r than a standard tire. It’s not the rim diameter that makes it more difficult. It is because the sidewall has very little flexibility to stretch over the wheel. And again, there is no reason there would be damage at those locations from removing or installing the tire, even with a low profile tire, unless the tire tech was doing something stupid.

I have found if you drive your car, the wheels are likely going to get damaged no matter how careful you are.

I got tired of dealing with tire shops and bought my own mounting and balancing equipment.

View attachment 209032
View attachment 209033


To me it looks worse than it appears in the pictures.

You can see where they pried against the powder coated spokes at least 3 times with a tire bar or something. Of course they didn’t say anything to me. I had to find it on my own.

 

[Mad Professor]

That’s some crazy damage if a tire shop did it. The tire shop must have dropped something on the wheel. Probably nothing to do with the actual mounting and balancing process. There is no reason to pry on the wheel at those locations. Usually the damage is at the bead area where the tools used to remove and replace the tire are not covered with a synthetic sleeve and the metal tool comes into contact with the wheel when they pry the tire. Also the tire machine should have a sleeve on it as well to help protect the wheel.

And a low profile tire is a lot more difficult to r&r than a standard tire. It’s not the rim diameter that makes it more difficult. It is because the sidewall has very little flexibility to stretch over the wheel. And again, there is no reason there would be damage at those locations from removing or installing the tire, even with a low profile tire, unless the tire tech was doing something stupid.

I have found if you drive your car, the wheels are likely going to get damaged no matter how careful you are.

I got tired of dealing with tire shops and bought my own mounting and balancing equipment.

If they dropped something on it, they did it 3 times based on the angle and locations. The wheel was brand new. I personally test fit the bare wheel on my card prior to taking it up there for the tire to be mounted.

And yes, usually the damage is on the bead area like they did to this wheel when I had the original set mounted in December. I hit a massive pothole last month and broke a wheel. I bought a replacement.

I realize they will sometimes will get damaged from driving. That’s the reason I actually bought 2 replacements this time. But there is still no reason to accept careless handling of them by a shop. Particularly an accessory shop.
My car will get a few door dings and rock chips on it also from driving it the next few years. I’d be just a pissed at damage from a mechanic dropping his tools on the tops of the fenders while working on it too.


Nice setup. I had a manual machine and balancer at one time. 35 years or so ago and not near as nice. But there is no telling how many race car tires I mounted with it.

 

[Mad Professor]

Merle's seemed like the only shop run by techs who care, the last time I used them.

Hmmm. I hadn’t thought of them. I’ve used them since the early 80s for alignments.

 

[MacFromOK]

And a low profile tire is a lot more difficult to r&r than a standard tire. It’s not the rim diameter that makes it more difficult. It is because the sidewall has very little flexibility to stretch over the wheel.

You don't actually stretch the tire much (if any). The bead is steel reinforced to prevent stuff like that (burn a tire and you'll see what I mean).

Wheels have a drop center where the diameter is much smaller than the rim diameter. Placing one side of the bead in that low spot makes it possible to get the other side of the tire over the rim without damage.

FWIW, good shops have tire machines that don't actually touch the rim. Operator error is still possible though.