tire store refuses to rotate tires on Minivan.

[Sayjac]

Can't comment on whether front or rear is appropriate, but iirc DT store did have sign regarding the rears being more appropriate.

As for DT rotations I've had many, most on tires purchased at DT but some OE that were not and never had the OP's experience. I do know that DT SOP is to take the tread depth gauge to every tire before a rotation. I try to keep up with rotations so that may explain some of the difference. Would like to know what OP's the depth difference was between the fronts and rears.

While selling tires is obviously DT's main business, as standard practice they do free rotations and plug/patch repair on all tires whether purchased at DT or not. I've not had better service anywhere and won't buy tires elsewhere.

 

[stephen9666]

Originally Posted By: martinq
Originally Posted By: NMBurb02
Seeing as the OP's sister-in-law replaced the front tires, I would assume that they were pretty worn in one way or another. Not many people would replace two tires simply because they could not be rotated.

The way it sounds to me was, 'we cannot rotate be we have a solution' and bingo, new tires were sold. A technicality and opportunity rolled into one.

These were 1yr old tires that mostly drive, "an 8 mile round trip commute.". This does not sound like dangerous, worn-out tires. More like, freshly broken in.

We won't know more unless InhalingBullets gives us the details which he may not have.


Originally Posted By: martinq

You're missing the whole point. The van didn't need new tires (from what we can tell) it just needed rotation.


I would guess it did actually need two tires, or why would the owner of the van purchase two new tires? If it didn't have two tires that were worn out, why not just leave them be? Did the owner of the van just replace two perfectly fine tires so they would have the satisfaction of getting a tire rotation? That doesn't seem to make sense.

I think the information that it had four new tires last year may be incorrect. I would guess it got two new tires last year, and the two that weren't replaced then were just replaced because of this incident.

Unless we know the tread depth of the tires, we can't really judge the anecdote in the first post or really make any judgement about the tire shop's actions. The most critical piece of info in this thread (how much tread all the tires had) is missing.

 

[martinq]

Originally Posted By: sayjac
Would like to know what OP's the depth difference was between the fronts and rears.

That's the key piece we're missing. Also if we had the make/model of tire and the mileage we'd be able to make a good guess.

The mystery continues.

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: martinq
Originally Posted By: sayjac
Would like to know what OP's the depth difference was between the fronts and rears.

That's the key piece we're missing. Also if we had the make/model of tire and the mileage we'd be able to make a good guess.

The mystery continues.
It's not as simple as tread depth, because TIRE CONSTRUCTION is an important controlling factor in what slip angle a tire will run at for a given loading. Thus "some" assume that the "good" tires, so called, because they are "new" must ALWAYS function as well under loading as the ones they replace. I have personally seen otherwise when a "reputable" tire vendor put a pair of no brand JUNK tires on the back of a front wheel drive vehicle. Gross oversteer. The "Road Mangler 500s" were in NO way as good as the just average OEM tires on the front and every shift of the steering wheel would get the rear wiggling. Yeah, the "good" tires went on the back, and the car handled like BLEEP, when I suggested to the owner he have them switched, things got back to somewhere near normal, though after that he complained that he had to turn the wheel MORE to get the same steering action. Yeah, those back tires were "premium" tires, do YOU trust a tire store hack to MATCH the junk he's pushing THIS WEEK to the behaviour of what's ON there? Even if you DO refer to the tire gradig numbers (for example "450 A A" found in tire sidewalls in the US, it isn't really enough info. If you are buying a brand name, such as Michelin, Pirelli, Conti, Bridgestone, Yokie, or BFG, ect, that's one thing, but there are a lot of "Road Manglers" being sold to the "it's a lease, I don't wanna spend a lotta dough" types.

 

[PZR2874]

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Anyone who puts the better tires in front should have his licence revoked unless and until he passes a college-level course in the physics of vehicular motion. This is basic physics, people!


"better is subjective"

And so is "every tire is different"

Not all cars perform equally, heck.... even the same cars with 2 different drivers handles differently.

But a blanket statement like this .... interesting to say the least.... Are you SkyShip on a separate user ID?

 

[George Bynum]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
But just because DT gives the rotation to you for free, doesn't mean it is free. They are still paying the tech and SM. That costs money. If they can minimize unbilled hours, and help push a sale down the line, that's what they will do. They are in the business of selling tires, not giving out "free" (expensive to them) rotations.
I've not personally checked, but with specific pressure sensors in specific locations, does the tire shop reset the body computer so that right front(etc) notification is still correct? Seems a shame to bleed out that nitrogen to check .

 

[martinq]

Originally Posted By: HerrStig
... do YOU trust a tire store hack to MATCH the junk he's pushing THIS WEEK to the behaviour of what's ON there? Even if you DO refer to the tire gradig numbers (for example "450 A A" found in tire sidewalls in the US, it isn't really enough info.

AhMen. And + all of this!

 

[RiceCake]

Lol, that first video. "Here's a police chase, watch the car crash".

Yeah, because when you're racing from the cops in a stolen car/car full of drugs/getaway vehicle, better make sure those tires are on the rear so you always make a clean getaway.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

The Costco by me wouldn't rotate my brother-in-laws CRV because there was 3/32" difference on Michelins that they installed. Fronts between 7/32 and 8/32, rear at 10/32. Told him he would need to buy 2 new and put on rear because it was "more than" 2/32". They were right 2.5 is more than 2 just like the curly brown hairs are a bit thicker than the curly red ones.

He didn't have the cash to by 2 new on what was obviously not needed if rotated. Sometimes life gets in the way of making it back to rotate at 5k instead of 7k.

He kept driving the car and of course fronts wore faster THEN his center diff fluid took a [censored] and cost him $1k to fix. Dealer pointed out that the now 4/32" difference caused his "real time 4wd" (sensing slip between front and rear) caused it to burn up. System thought fronts were slipping because they were spinning faster and forced it to try and kick in burning up fluid etc.

Who's fault?

Steep driveway, not mechanically inclined, able to pay for service, always used Costco prior and rotated often (this was his 3rd full set). Kids schedules, wife (my sister) getting Chemo for breast cancer, etc. 500 mile/week commute and 5k turns to 7k real quick.

He won't even shop at Costco anymore. I stopped after they wouldn't sell me 4 17" tires because my 4cyl Sonata came with 16". It didn't matter that I got 4 factory rims/tires off of a V6 with 17".

Manager came and upheld techs decision saying GLS is 16" and that all that's listed in book. There is NO LIFEGUARD AT THE GENE POOL.

 

[Sayjac]

^^^^^Interesting post, looks like the OP's DT store is not the only one that won't rotate with a front to back tread differential.

Agree about 5k turning to 7k+ quickly with busy life, has happened to me lately with a few vehicles to keep up with. Fortunately hasn't resulted in rotation denial experience. Guess if it did happen with all tires not to wear bars, even if it cost me a little I'd try and find someplace that would rotate.

If that Costco is representative, they sounds really anal about their rules.

Sorry for your bil's travails.

 

[Virtuoso]

The last two times I've bought tires, in sets of two, I had the new one's put on the front and old ones on the rear. (The rear suspension was harder on the tires, thus I wanted the old ones there). Both times (at Wal-Mart, and then a small, local indie shop) said they *should* put the new ones on the rear, but would do as I requested, anyways.

I was supposed to sign a wavier at Wal-Mart stating I knew the risks (same ones that Discount Tire stated to the OP). The indie shop said the same things as well, but no waiver.

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: Sequoiasoon
The Costco by me wouldn't rotate my brother-in-laws CRV because there was 3/32" difference on Michelins that they installed. Fronts between 7/32 and 8/32, rear at 10/32. Told him he would need to buy 2 new and put on rear because it was "more than" 2/32". They were right 2.5 is more than 2 just like the curly brown hairs are a bit thicker than the curly red ones.

He didn't have the cash to by 2 new on what was obviously not needed if rotated. Sometimes life gets in the way of making it back to rotate at 5k instead of 7k.

He kept driving the car and of course fronts wore faster THEN his center diff fluid took a [censored] and cost him $1k to fix. Dealer pointed out that the now 4/32" difference caused his "real time 4wd" (sensing slip between front and rear) caused it to burn up. System thought fronts were slipping because they were spinning faster and forced it to try and kick in burning up fluid etc.

Who's fault?

Steep driveway, not mechanically inclined, able to pay for service, always used Costco prior and rotated often (this was his 3rd full set). Kids schedules, wife (my sister) getting Chemo for breast cancer, etc. 500 mile/week commute and 5k turns to 7k real quick.

He won't even shop at Costco anymore. I stopped after they wouldn't sell me 4 17" tires because my 4cyl Sonata came with 16". It didn't matter that I got 4 factory rims/tires off of a V6 with 17".

Manager came and upheld techs decision saying GLS is 16" and that all that's listed in book. There is NO LIFEGUARD AT THE GENE POOL.
Went through that drill at Sam's Club with 15x7 Borbets on a 4 cyl Camry which came with OEM 14s, the shop guys new exactly what was going on but the moron "manager" recently promoted from women's clothing and well on his way back to Arkansas had a "rule" to enforce. I'm back to buying mailorder and have found a good local shop which can balance to my satisfaction.

 

[AlienBug]

Originally Posted By: Rolla07
i wont comment, when i removed my tires they are at about 1/32 tread...lol.. still great dry traction but forget about wet traction...

I think they should just do what you ask them to do and just list done as per customer request..


Problem is that after the crash, the plaintiff's lawyer will argue that the shop, as the trained professional, had higher obligation to protect the customer from themself.

If I still owned a shop, I would never, ever (not even think about) do something other than exactly by the book.

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: AlienBug
Originally Posted By: Rolla07
i wont comment, when i removed my tires they are at about 1/32 tread...lol.. still great dry traction but forget about wet traction...

I think they should just do what you ask them to do and just list done as per customer request..


Problem is that after the crash, the plaintiff's lawyer will argue that the shop, as the trained professional, had higher obligation to protect the customer from themself.

If I still owned a shop, I would never, ever (not even think about) do something other than exactly by the book.
Who writes the book? And, what does it say about putting a pair of Brand X bleep on the back of a car with Pirelli P 7s on the front 'cause the "good" tires have to go on the back".

 

[Sequoiasoon]

And what part of the book covers the "optional factory rims"? My Sequoia is an SR5 base model which came with 16". I ordered it brand new and it came from factory with the 17" nicer rims as part of one of the packages. Both my cars have winter tires on spare factory rims at the smaller diameter.

 

[Silverado12]

I knew someone who was killed in a hydroplaning accident. When I saw the truck (F-150 pickup), the rear tires had a good bit more wear than the fronts. It looked like they had been rotated to the rear from the front, because one of them had some unusual wear, but wasn't down to the wear bars. If you rotate the tires like you should and keep the front end aligned and in good condition, the tires will wear evenly over their life. I would do as the tire shop recommends and keep the good tires in the back.

 

[HerrStig]

When the fronts hydroplane you lose steering as well as braking and directional stability. They trick is to discard ANY tire below safe limits, not just throw it on the front.