Tire purchase at Walmart - great price, poor service

Status
Not open for further replies.

cos

Joined
Nov 21, 2004
Messages
1,519
Location
Metro Detroit
I recently purchased a set of General Grabber (235/65-18) tires at Walmart on line. Price was reduced from $140 a piece to $100, so the usual long wait for install/balance was worth it. What upset me was when I saw the tire tech brushing anti-seize lube on my clean/rust free wheel studs. I immediately asked that they stop and was told it's corporate policy. I then asked to speak to a manager and was allowed to sign a waiver and then they cleaned off the studs. I did explain that lube on the threads results in increased torque on the lugs nuts but it fell on deaf ears. To make matters worse three of the four tires weren't balanced properly. I later had them Road Force balanced at Discount tire, now they're nice and smooth.

Last time.

Rant off.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by cos
I recently purchased a set of General Grabber (235/65-18) tires at Walmart on line. Price was reduced from $140 a piece to $100, so the usual long wait for install/balance was worth it. What upset me was when I saw the tire tech brushing anti-seize lube on my clean/rust free wheel studs. I immediately asked that they stop and was told it's corporate policy. I then asked to speak to a manager and was allowed to sign a waiver and then they cleaned off the studs. I did explain that lube on the threads results in increased torque on the lugs nuts but it fell on deaf ears. To make matters worse three of the four tires weren't balanced properly. I later had them Road Force balanced at Discount tire, now they're nice and smooth.

Last time.

Rant off.

Yep its corporate policy. I doubt it hurts considering Walmart sells hundreds of thousands of tires a year. IF there was a problem they would have figured it out by now. At least they don't tighten down the lug nuts with the impact. I have had one person since 2017 tell me the exact same thing you just told me. Apparently most don't care, and neither do I.

Balancer issue is a whole different deal.
 
What's wrong with anti-seize on wheel studs? Sounds like a sound policy.
 
Anti-seize on wheel studs is controversial, and it sorta depends on the vehicles application. For a daily it's probably fine, but for an aggressively driven and or performance car with alloy wheels, it's not ideal. The lugs should be torqued to spec and anti-seize makes that impossible to accurately achieve. It also makes it easier for them to back themselves off under very high load cornering, although loosing all 5 at once is still exceedingly unlikely. However anybody who has ever auto-crossed or raced will tell you it is better to fight getting a wheel off while a car is on jack stands then have it come off unexpectedly at 80+ mph.
 
Last edited:
I think it makes good sense for Walmart to use anti-sieze. Broken studs from galled threads are a headache they don't need when they have several customers waiting in line to get tires installed.
 
If Walmart is putting anti-seize on wheel studs, they will have rock-solid evidence that it's acceptable to do and won't cause issues, especially since FordBroncoVWJeta says it's corporate policy.
 
I get my Walmart tires put on first thing in the morning. They open at 7 am and I'm waiting for them. I usually am in the first two or three and the service is excellent. They even torque the wheel lugs. Great shop. I would get bent out of shape over them putting anti seize on wheel studs. The rating of wheel lug torque values is quite wide. Ed
 
Originally Posted by cos
I recently purchased a set of General Grabber (235/65-18) tires at Walmart on line. Price was reduced from $140 a piece to $100, so the usual long wait for install/balance was worth it. What upset me was when I saw the tire tech brushing anti-seize lube on my clean/rust free wheel studs. I immediately asked that they stop and was told it's corporate policy. I then asked to speak to a manager and was allowed to sign a waiver and then they cleaned off the studs. I did explain that lube on the threads results in increased torque on the lugs nuts but it fell on deaf ears. To make matters worse three of the four tires weren't balanced properly. I later had them Road Force balanced at Discount tire, now they're nice and smooth.

Last time.

Rant off.

You get what you pay for. Personally, I don't want any of my vehicles serviced by some tatted up nitwit who was just promoted into the automotive service center from the men's underwear section.
 
Originally Posted by cos
To make matters worse three of the four tires weren't balanced properly. I later had them Road Force balanced at Discount tire, now they're nice and smooth.


I would go back to WM and ask for a refund on the balance job, since you had to take it somewhere else. You'll lose the lifetime balance, but it sounds like you wouldn't be using it anyway.

When Walmart adjusted the pay scale so that an 18 yr old check-out chick working in the AC makes the same green as the tech out in TLE who is sweating his cojones off and getting burned and busted knuckles daily, they showed how much they want talent out there.
 
Originally Posted by dishdude
What's wrong with anti-seize on wheel studs? Sounds like a sound policy.



Torque specs based on dry threads are drastically off when the threads are lubricated. Anti-seize allows the threads to travel easier, which means it's possible to over-torque the lugnuts.


OP - Next time, if you have a way, just take the wheels to WM to get new tires installed. Don't let the techs get near the studs if you want to control how things are done.
 
Refund on the balancing - I'll look into that.

Taking in the wheels only - I have done that in the past.
 
Originally Posted by Reddy45
Originally Posted by dishdude
What's wrong with anti-seize on wheel studs? Sounds like a sound policy.



Torque specs based on dry threads are drastically off when the threads are lubricated. Anti-seize allows the threads to travel easier, which means it's possible to over-torque the lugnuts.


OP - Next time, if you have a way, just take the wheels to WM to get new tires installed. Don't let the techs get near the studs if you want to control how things are done.



What I plan to do to mine....
 
While it is 100% correct that anti- seize is a no no with lugs and studs, whenever I tell someone that they always say...I've been doing it this way for 30 years and I've never had a problem. And I'd say they too are 100% correct.

I know factory certified Audi techs, automotive instructors, and ASE master techs, that have no idea about the anti-seize thing (and these are top notch techs), so I wouldn't sweat a little anti-seize on your wheel studs.
 
Originally Posted by FordBroncoVWJeta
...Yep its corporate policy.......
I'll say when reading threads like this, it's kinda cool and good information to know what really is and isn't WM TLE "corporate policy".

I have all my tire work done at DT so not a concern for me. However seems like signing a waiver for no anti seize, not a huge deal.
 
Next time buy the cheap tires at WM and take them to DT to be balanced and mounted. You'll then have DT's lifetime rotation/balance program.
 
Quote
Next time buy the cheap tires at WM and take them to DT to be balanced and mounted. You'll then have DT's lifetime rotation/balance program.
That is one option. The other would be to take the proof of price to b&m DT store for the purchase price match. That way, not only does one get the same price, but the treadwear warranty with the purchase starts and stays with DT. I've done similar several times.

The one caveat could be if a tire not sold or available at DT, but those few and far between. Topic tire sold at DT
 
You know when you assemble engines properly a lubricant is applied to the threads and under the heads in order to get the correct torque. I imagine rod cap bolts have stresses that may exceed wheel studs. I'm in the camp that says wire brush the threads and brush on a little Kopper-Kote for everyday drivers, especially in any environment where rain/snow/salt/sand may be encountered. If you are racing the car it may be a different story.
 
Originally Posted by Fawteen

You get what you pay for. Personally, I don't want any of my vehicles serviced by some tatted up nitwit who was just promoted into the automotive service center from the men's underwear section.


It's honest work.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top