So I Go To Get My New Tires.... OMG !

v10enomous

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Went Saturday to get my new Goodrich KDWs installed. Local tire guy with a great reputation and a thriving business as a result. He has done a lot of work for me in the past.

So after a week he finally got me a newer set of tires than the originals that came in with a born on date of the 8th week of 2008. The first problem is that he can't get the car on the lift because it's too low. So the hand jack the rear. They dismount and remount the the first tire and it won't balance. I give them credit because they went through the entire manual and tried every setting on the machine but they have just never balanced anything so wide. Damn rim looks like a keg of beer on the tire mounting machine:rolaugh:

So seeing as how the help line for the balancing machine manufacturer is not available on weekends he just mounts the raers and tells me to come back during the week to balance the them.

So now we move to the front and he can't even get the hand jacks underneath so they start scowering around for wood blocks. By now we are over 2 hours into the process only to find that the fronts won't balance either.

So after nearly 3 hours my tires are installed but still not balanced and I have to come back during the week when he can get the balancing machine help desk involved.

I give him credit though because he still gave me the $100 discount for combining the sale for the Viper tires with a set of BFGs for my wife's car. Plus there is a $60 mailin rebate on each set.

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V10 PWRD

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You need to find a speed shop that specializes in mounting wide tires. I had the same problem and was directed to a shop that specialized in mounting and balancing wide tires on monster wheels. A regular tire machine at a tire store won't do the job you're seeking. A special adapter is needed. Do some research and find a shop that mounts dragster tires. JMO :dunno:
 

jmillsUT28

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I just bought the KDW's too today! But I always take my wheels off then take them to the shop. A lot of the shops do not have the low low jacks that my car needs. Hope the KDW's work good for me!!
 

CitySnake

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You're in NW Jersey?

TATOR'S GARAGE!!!

He's got the TOL Hunter Smart Balance / Road Force system.

Geeze....this one would have been easy.
 

TheMilkman

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I ordered a set of Nittos from Discount Tire and it took 3 days for the tires to show up, and 3 weeks for the adapter for the balancing to arrive. I wasn't in a rush so I waited for the adapter to get the job done all at once.

When I finally got the tires switched out the tech asked if I was sure I wanted to switch tires because I had "at least 10 to 15 feet of tread left on them" :D He also told me one of the rears had a nail in it.

I then confessed that I was at an empty office building "using" what was left of the tread just before I came in. :2tu:
 
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v10enomous

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That's funny... When I told my friend up the street that I was getting new shoes for the Viper he requested that I give the old Michelins a hardy farewell right up the street. :rolleyes: I'm not into that so much anymore but there are people on my Facebook page that still remember how I circled my entire High School with with a black marker on the right rear corner of my 70 GTO in 1977...:omg::rolaugh::headbang::nono: People actually came up to me the next day and asked if I had blown the engine because the carwas smoking so bad... The same car once delayed racing at Island dragway for almost 15 minutes because I smoke out the tower. Whose I dea was it to put 14" 70 series tires and an open rear on a car with that much torque anyway..:lmao:

I ordered a set of Nittos from Discount Tire and it took 3 days for the tires to show up, and 3 weeks for the adapter for the balancing to arrive. I wasn't in a rush so I waited for the adapter to get the job done all at once.

When I finally got the tires switched out the tech asked if I was sure I wanted to switch tires because I had "at least 10 to 15 feet of tread left on them" :D He also told me one of the rears had a nail in it.

I then confessed that I was at an empty office building "using" what was left of the tread just before I came in. :2tu:
 

robisaacs

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Ordered my tires from parts rack...shipped to the local Firestone...installed in 3 hours. Took them over an hour just to figure out how get the car on the lift. Guess I got lucky on the balancing. Care Rides great up to 120.
 

RTTTTed

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All I could get in AZ was KDW 2s last spring. Drove through a blizzard and a few rainstorms on my way through Nevada and Seattle and the tires were fine.

Bought a set of PS2s for my Roe GTS and got them installed in an hour. Drilled the VR1s (it was tough) and installed the TPMS sensors and brackets. Had 4 guys working on my car. Awesome tires!

Ted
 

bvk

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another vote for bringing the old and new tires to them. Once I told them what they rims were from the tire monkeys seemed very disappointed that they missed the chance to pick up the lunch order in it.

this was a pretty normal large-chain tire shop, they had no problem balancing, but I did call to make sure their machine could handle tires that wide beforehand.
 
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v10enomous

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I called and asked as well and he made it sound like it would be no problem. He said he does a lot of Vettes. I am hoping to get this resolved tomorrow.

another vote for bringing the old and new tires to them. Once I told them what they rims were from the tire monkeys seemed very disappointed that they missed the chance to pick up the lunch order in it.

this was a pretty normal large-chain tire shop, they had no problem balancing, but I did call to make sure their machine could handle tires that wide beforehand.
 

plumcrazy

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i have a shop in pompton plains right off rt23 for work and can mount viper tires. he has a nice set of aluminum ramps i custom made for his lift too.

just let me know if you need his info
 

Treviso

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Can't Five Star Dealerships mount these tires for you? What if you buy them from Parts Rack and just bring them the tires? Shouldn't they have the proper equipment to do this?
 

bluesrt

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thank goodness i do 100 percent all my work to my car... i could not let those monkeys even try to figure out how to get in my car..:crazy2:
 

JohnnyViper

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:2tu:i went to a local shop called fasttrack, they had no problems doing the wide tires and the mounting and balancing was 17 each wheel, plus they let me in the garage the whole time they worked on my car, i was like a nervous parent that could not be kept in the waiting room and the are true cars guys so the understood
 

plumcrazy

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Can't Five Star Dealerships mount these tires for you? What if you buy them from Parts Rack and just bring them the tires? Shouldn't they have the proper equipment to do this?

there isnt one 5 star dealership around here other than tators garage who is a good 1 hour and 15 minutes away who id trust to change the oil, let alone tires and alignment.
 
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v10enomous

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Finally done after spending 2 Saturday mornings. The place that installed the tires and couldn't balance them did an alignment for me. I drove about 30 highway miles to get the tires fine balanced at a place recommended by Plum. They had no problem with what seemed like a much more compact and simple wheel balancing machine. I drove the car another 35 miles of mixed driving back home and I couldn't be happier. What a difference replacing 8 year old hockey pucks with a fresh set of BFG KDWs and a good alignment and fine balancing. With the cats gone and a tight new feel on the road the car is even more of a joy to drive.

Time to start saving for a Gen4 coupe now:D
 
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