On Tue, 13 Dec 2016 19:46:10 -0500, advised:

Not ALL BBS wheels have the full caps . I was thinking the center
caps used on many BBS wheels that have their nuts exposed

Fair enough. But anyway, the tire shops I've been to don't even carry the
five-dollar BBS plastic hubcap wrench. You know what they do instead of
twisting off the plastic hubcaps?

They tear them off with a screwdriver.
Ask me how I know.

Every mechanic that ever worked for me removed all the weights before
removing tires, and ballanced from scratch. We ballanced to 1/4 ounce

Fair enough. That's how it's *supposed* to be done.
But it isn't always done that way (ask me how I know).

By far not everyone does that. A LOT of people have summer and winter
rims, and when one set gets worn to the point they need replacement,
they drop those rims off at the shop to have new tires installed when
they are removed to install the other seasonals.

I know that. I used to live in cold country.
It makes sense to keep a set of rims around for that purpose.
It also might make sense to mount and balance your own tires for this
purpose, as it would vastly make the payback period sooner since you don't
have to spend money on four wheel rims (depends on the cost of the rims, of
course).

So they inflate them to 100-140PSI, do they???? That's what their
compressor puts out.

C'mon. Don't take me for a fool.
There are things called R-E-G-U-L-A-T-O-R-S on the compressor output.
Even you must be aware of that.

Like I said, if that's the service you are getting that's the service
you are paying for. Go to a better level of shop.

These are *all* either Costco, or Tire Rack Recommended Installers.
My theory is that they *know* how to change tires, but they also know that
almost nobody who comes to them knows how tires are supposed to be changed.

They skip steps to save time, where, for them, time is money.
It's that simple.

The mechanics make a hell of a lot less than that, and if you are
paying that much and not getting proper service, raise hell and vote
with your feet.

I *am* voting with my feet.

1. The 460/A/A tires were bought for $68
2. We didn't pay any shipping fees
3. I changed the first tire today
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!or...o/Xn6hZL2-CAAJ

What's next?
a. Change the other 4 tires (I have to move the spare off the rim)
b. Balance all five tires (including the spare)
c. Align the front camber, caster, and toe at home

I don't understand where you are getting your work done and why you
don't set them straight. You know how to bitch, so do it where it has
a chance of doing some good.

Heh heh heh heh ... I have *bitched* as you suggested, and gotten my tires
mounted for free. I even was instrumental in getting a tire shop kicked out
of the Tire Rack Recommended Program because I documented their foibles.

But I'd rather not bitch. I'd rather just get the job done right, at home.

A. Mounting and repairing tires
B. Balancing tires
C. Alignment

Those three things, I feel, everyone should know how to do since they only
require basic capabilities and basic tools.

BULL****. They have a chart with the torque specs.

Actually, they don't.
Long story, I once had a car that was older aligned at Sears and they
didn't do anything. They charged me, but they didn't do anything.
When I complained, a day later (after checking the bolts because I had
painted them after contemplating doing the alignment myself after replacing
the tierod ends, pitman arm, and idler arm), they found the only thing
correct was the toein, which I had done myself.

When they questioned the tech, he said he didn't have charts for such an
old vehicle, so he just didn't do anything.

How many people have they cheated?
Thousands I'll bet.

How many people are they *still* cheating?
Thousands I bet.

Why?
Because they're too lazy to look things up.

Basically all steel rims with a given stud size use the same torque,
and all alloys of that size another torque - and the torque goes up
with the stud size.

Dunno that. All I know is that my bimmer is 84 foot pounds for the lug
bolts.

Then bitch at them and vote with your feet - but I'm almost 100%
positive you will screw up more than they do.

It will be a steep learning curve, but I've already mounted my first tire
and I'm sure I'll just get exponentially better with the next four.
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!or...o/Xn6hZL2-CAAJ

Then I will balance them.
Then I will align the car.

Shouldn't be too hard, but as I said, there will be a steep learning curve.
I'm sure I'll have lots of questions when the time comes.

But right now, I'm giving back to the team, as all good Usenet posters
should. That is why I wrote this up:
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!or...o/Xn6hZL2-CAAJ

Again, bull****. You say $100 to $150 an hour - if they are on the
clock, they get paid, so why not take the time???

You don't seem to have any clue that management won't let them spend an
hour or two per vehicle to change the tires.

If it's flat rate, it's a different story - but they are not charing
by the "hour" but by the "labour unit" - which may or may not relate
closely to an hour.

What you seem to be completely ignorant of is the business model that the
management follows, which is that they need to get cars in and out of the
bays in order to charge for things done.

You amaze me sometimes.
Did you ever work in any company that charged for the job done?

Then find a good independent GARAGE to do your work, not a tire
"stealership" Find a garage to do the required repairs on your
vehicle that you can trust - then trust them to do the job. That
doesn't mean don't check up on them - it just means trust them to do
the job, and let them know you are happy with them when they do, and
that you are not when they don't

What you post is perfectly apropos for the ladies crocheting group, but
this is a home repair group, where people do their own stuff.

Nobody is telling you that YOU have to change your tires yourself, but it's
perfectly apropos to ask here.

Plus, I'm clearly doing the job since you can see the photos.
How many people are that good that they give back to Usenet with well
documented step by step photo filled how tos?

I'm one of the best.
I just haven't changed tires before.

Then I will balance them.
And then I will align the vehicle.

It's not rocket science but it does take a team, which is why I am here
asking those of you who have done it before for advice.

And you are getting ****ty work for that price.

Which is why I am doing it myself.

I didn't say how much you pay necessarily has a bearing on the
quality - only that if you just shop by price, don't be surprized if
the oats have already been therough the horse.\

What's the difference between a Nexen NPriz AH5 sized P225/75R15 from Tire
Rack, SimpleTire, or (assuming Costco sells it), Costco?

Answer?
Price.

That's about it.
Especially if I am going to install them myself.

One price could be double the other.
The price has absolutely no bearing on quality.

Anyone who says it does, knows absolutely nothing.
They just use price because it's an easy number to compare things.

They simply assume that if TireRack sells the tire for $100 and Costco
sells it for $120, then Costco must have a better quality tire.

But it's the same tire no matter where you buy it.
The price has nothing whatsoever to do with the quality.

The quality has everything to do with quality.
It's really that simple.