Tyre store con? Non-round wheels?

[Patrolee]

This sounds like an attempted con, but I would like your views. I recently took my Patrol in to my regular tyre store to get a wheel balance – had a mild shudder at 90km/hr. After about an hour, my car was returned and I was told that my 4 wheels were no longer round and I should consider replacing them all. What the???? I asked for more info and was told that this happens to Patrols. (Really?) I pointed out that I found it hard to believe, given that these are the original wheels (4.2TD Oct 2000) and the vehicle is used for towing , not 4WDing and I have been bringing the vehicle to that same shop for the 9 years I have owned the Patrol and have never been told about any ‘non-round’ wheels (and now I have 4!). I said that I would be getting independent advice before making any decision. Is this a con? Also sus, because I was the last person in the shop late on a weekday afternoon. Incidentally, the wheel balance was no help – now shudder starts at 85kmh and ends at 95kmh. I plan to go back, but would like to hear your thoughts first.

Thanks, Patrolee.

[nissannewby]

Sounds like it. I have given some wheels a hard time and they still balance and rool fine. As for your shudder i would be looking elsewhere wheel bearings, brakes, bushes etc.

[megatexture]

they sound like idiots to me, unless you have bias-ply tyres or drive around locking up your brakes you wont get flat spots next they will want to charge you for a spare wheel alignment !

[Silver]

when I had an MQ, I also had a factory MQ wagon manual. It stated the permisible vertical and lateral run-out for split rims, and I think also for safety well rims (non splitties).

I was having problems with 5 brand new tyres causing shaking lower legs while driving, an indication of out of balance or other issues with rear wheels - and excuse number 3 was the one you were told. Number 1 was Patrols just do that, Number 2 was you have weak king pins, number three was the rims are defective (well, dealer, you sold me the rims)

I had access to a dial gauge, and set it up. As a back yarder I could only test with the wheel and tyre bolted up to the wheel studs. The issue with that is it introduces factors from the hub, wheel studs, wheel stud holes etc etc.

Anyway, all measured, as best I could, with the rims well within specification.

At the end of a process that wasted half a Saturday over several weekends the dealer finally conceded that the tyres themselves were out of round - brand new from a very respectable brand - who gave me five new ones, but nothing for my wasted time and petrol.

MQs centre rims on the hub by relying on the taper in the wheel stud holes and on the nuts, and a certain amount of care in doing them up evenly. GQs have a little ridge machined onto the face of the hub, and little bumps on the inside edge of the large centre hole in the rim, to centre same. Or at least that is the case on the ones I saw.

I don't know what GUs have to centre the rim, but it would be interesting to check whether it is working properly. I wonder too, whether on a previous change, some crud was trapped between hub and rim that held the rim and tyre at an angle to the hub, causing the tyre, not the rim, to wear unevenly. But, you would have felt that from the beginning.

[BillsGU]

I had the same problem a couple of years ago with a suspension dealer (name starts with a P). They said my upper control arm bushes (on a Toyota), which are the most difficult to get to, were worn - so I had them replaced. Twelve months later when I went back for another wheel alignment they told me the same bushes were worn again, and that all four wheels were out of round.

I took the car to another repairer and asked him to check the bushes and the wheels. He did and said they were fine and why did I want them checked as they looked fairly new. I told him what dealer P said and the guy started laughing. He said they say that to everyone just to drum up business and I said that it must be fraud.

He said that technically - NO, IT WAS TRUE. A new part in a car wears the minute you start using it. Its just the degree of wear that determines if it needs to be replaced. P only told me it was worn - it was my decision whether to replace it or not. This guy also said there is no such thing as a perfectly round wheel - so again P was telling the truth. Its just again the degree of how far it is out of round and again it was my decision.

I used to take my cars there regularly for wheel alignments and repairs - but after this con I have never been back and I have let all my friends know what they tried on as well.