Car tire question Cancel The title field is required!

1. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   11/20/2012 7:11 AM

   Thought I would put this here since it's not really about work. We are getting ready to visit relatives for Thanksgiving so we took our C-RV in to Sear for a tire rotation on Sunday, (we go there because it's free). Got in the car and noticed it really pulled hard to the right, didn't really have time to go back in with our son finishing up the school musical, so I took it back yesterday. They checked it out, the alignment was still good, but they could feel it pulling to the right also, so they suggested cross rotating the front tires to see if that would help, well then it would pull hard left, they said it sounds like radial bias or something like that, they say it's not a safety issue and we could get credit of about $22 per tire, well with about 60 to 70 percent thread life gone (we've put on almost 50,000 miles) and it not being a safety issue we are going to wait and probably shop tires before drum line season kicks off. We decided to rotate tires again (or unrotate them) since we didn't' have any pulling before, they did and it rides fine.
   
   Why I bring this all up, after Sears, I went to Honda to get the oil changed, (we have Honda do all the other maintenance) my wife asked me to get tire prices for the heck of it, and I mentioned to our service guy what Sears said and it didn't believe them, he thought it might be a tire pressure issue. My question is has anyone heard of radial bias? I could possibly see tire pressure, but with two different service techs at Sears handling the work, and the second one knowing of the complaint, I would have thought that would be the first thing they check.
   
   Just curious of others thoughts on the issue?
   
   Thanks!
   
   Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
2. Wahlin Scott B

   
   11/20/2012 8:11 AM

   I go to the dealer for everything. In my area anyway, their tire prices are the same. I hand them the keys and say, "Fix it!" They give me a ride anywhere I want to go and when I come back the car is washed and ready to go. I like that.

   
   
   
   
3. Niemier Rick A

   
   11/20/2012 9:11 AM

   Melvin Waldron, CGCS said: Thought I would put this here since it's not really about work. We are getting ready to visit relatives for Thanksgiving so we took our C-RV in to Sear for a tire rotation on Sunday, (we go there because it's free). Got in the car and noticed it really pulled hard to the right, didn't really have time to go back in with our son finishing up the school musical, so I took it back yesterday. They checked it out, the alignment was still good, but they could feel it pulling to the right also, so they suggested cross rotating the front tires to see if that would help, well then it would pull hard left, they said it sounds like radial bias or something like that, they say it's not a safety issue and we could get credit of about $22 per tire, well with about 60 to 70 percent thread life gone (we've put on almost 50,000 miles) and it not being a safety issue we are going to wait and probably shop tires before drum line season kicks off. We decided to rotate tires again (or unrotate them) since we didn't' have any pulling before, they did and it rides fine.
   
   Why I bring this all up, after Sears, I went to Honda to get the oil changed, (we have Honda do all the other maintenance) my wife asked me to get tire prices for the heck of it, and I mentioned to our service guy what Sears said and it didn't believe them, he thought it might be a tire pressure issue. My question is has anyone heard of radial bias? I could possibly see tire pressure, but with two different service techs at Sears handling the work, and the second one knowing of the complaint, I would have thought that would be the first thing they check.
   
   Just curious of others thoughts on the issue?
   
   Thanks!
   
   Mel

   
   
   
   I'd be heading back to Sears or where ever you bought the tires. Or just leave the problem wheel on the back and hope for no problems.
   
   http://www.agcoauto.com/content/plugins ... icleid=181

   
   
   
   
4. Canedo Alberto J

   
   11/20/2012 9:11 AM

   I take my car in to the dealership for everything also, except for tires. I have a good tire shop for that. Good luck with the tire problem.

   
   
   
   
5. Wildt Douglas M

   
   11/20/2012 10:11 AM

   Mel,
   Did Sears balance and rotate your tires or just rotate your tires?

   
   
   
   
6. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   11/20/2012 11:11 AM

   Sears balanced and rotated, well I hope they balanced them. We have always bought the road hazard warranty with the life time balance and rotation. I also wonder if the one that is having an issue was the one we had plugged a couple of years ago.
   
   Like I said, it was funny that after the rotation on Sunday, the car started pulling, when we took it back yesterday, they cross rotated and it pulled the other way, so I had them move them back to where they started and it was all good.
   
   I have gotten tires at Sears for many years (usually because of the 6 to 12 months no interest), and once got some Good Years at Wal-mart and those lasted me a long time too. Our dealer said they could compete somewhat but the manufacturers make tires specifically for the Wal-marts and Sears of the world. Although I have also heard that the manufactures are just going to start making one model or brand, (well the different mileages) for all customers, it would be easier on them.
   
   Still just wondering if Sears was correct on the diagnosis or our dealer?
   
   Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
7. Andy Jorgensen

   

   1 posts
   
   11/20/2012 11:11 AM

   Alberto Canedo said: I take my car in to the dealership for everything also, except for tires. I have a few friends that handle that for me at the shops they work at. The dealer always gives me a loaner car when the service will take a few hours. Got to love that. But then, that is how Mercedes Benz operates in San Diego when you spend $250 to service your vehicle.

   
   
   
   I let my Lamborghini dealer handle all issues as well. I spend close to $25,000 a year on payments, they ought to be able to handle everything I can throw at them. And I get a loaner as well.
   
   Seriously though Mel, you might have a ball joint going out causing the tire to toe in or out causing premature wear on the one side. My truck was driving like crap and I thought my alignment was out and took it in when they noticed the upper ball joints were bad causing the tire to wear on the one side and make the truck pull off the road. Unfortunately though, I waited too long, and even with the rotation after the new ball joints and re-alignment, the tire was shot. I stuck it on the back and drove it for another 10,000 miles or so before I plunked down $650 and put on a new set.

   
   
   
   
8. Larry Allan

   

   0 posts
   
   11/20/2012 12:11 PM

   I've had belts(or something like that) in the tire separate. To the naked eye nothing looks wrong but if you put them on the steering end of the car, they won't track right. Sounds similar to your problem.
   They will self destruct one day soon so be prepared

   
   
   
   
9. James Schmid

   

   1 posts
   
   11/20/2012 1:11 PM

   Larry Allan said: I've had belts(or something like that) in the tire separate. To the naked eye nothing looks wrong but if you put them on the steering end of the car, they won't track right. Sounds similar to your problem.
   They will self destruct one day soon so be prepared

   
   
   I have replaced sets tires on 2 vehicles within the last year. The second set I let go pretty long. First, I had that pulling to one side thing, then the steering wheel started to develop a slight wobble, and then like Red mentioned, they pretty much self destructed.

   
   
   
   
10. Jon Gansen

    

    1 posts
    
    11/20/2012 5:11 PM

    I agree with Larry and James. If a belt is ruptured the tire will not balance. I have experienced it working for Sears years ago and was told to get it close. Just one reason I will not take my car to Sears.
    Good luck with it.

    
    
    
    
11. Melvin Waldron

    

    43 posts
    
    11/26/2012 8:11 AM

    Thanks for all the help.
    
    We were able to travel without any issues (about 1,300 miles over the holiday). We are now going to start looking at the deals and such to replace them before winter drum line starts and more long distance traveling. 4 years and about 50,000 on an AWD vehicle wasn't too bad of an investment. I guess at our age, this would be a good Christmas present for us.
    
    Thanks!
    
    Mel

    
    Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
    
    
12. Andy Jorgensen

    

    1 posts
    
    11/26/2012 9:11 AM

    Melvin Waldron, CGCS said: Thanks for all the help.
    
    We were able to travel without any issues (about 1,300 miles over the holiday). We are now going to start looking at the deals and such to replace them before winter drum line starts and more long distance traveling. 4 years and about 50,000 on an AWD vehicle wasn't too bad of an investment. I guess at our age, this would be a good Christmas present for us.
    
    Thanks!
    
    Mel

    
    
    My wife is getting a new radiator for Christmas. I feel your pain, and I'm not even that old!

    
    
    
    
13. James Smith

    

    112 posts
    
    11/30/2012 2:11 PM

    Hey let me chime in here, I have worked for tire companies in my distant past and have some good advice for you.
    
    The pulling is the indication of an issue as you noticed. When you swaped them out from one side to the other and it started pulling the other way it is basically telling you that your front end is basically not the problem (it would pull the same direction as well as pull when you had the other tires on the front). the reason you do not feel it pull when they are on the back is because the rear wheels are in a fixed position but with newer cares today a lot of them have independent suspension on the back also which means a bad tire could cause wear on any joints back there. I believe that when he was saying bias tire he was actually referring to belts in a tire as bias is actually a type of make of tire like steel belted is a type. some tires are made to be rotated from one side to the other which reverses the direction the tire has been rolling. some tires cannot be rotated in this direction but rather strickly from front to back keeping the direction the same. If you look in your owners manual they will generally show you the type of rotating you can do with your stock tires.
    
    That being said it is most likely you are seeing a belt seperate in the tire. when this happens is basically breaks like a cable can break and you may notice a bulge in the thread section of the tire. once a belt breaks the tire needs to be replaced becuase it is a matter of time before it will blow. there can be many reasons for belts to break. under inflation or over inflation or simply a bad belt in the process.
    
    I am not sure why the guy at sears told you it was not a safety issue. This was the wrong thing to say or imply. Any time you have an issue with a tire it is automatically a safety issue. if the tire is out of balance it can hop around enough to heat up and blow out. is it normal for an out of ba,ance tire to blow out? no but if it can not be rebalanced for some reason it may blow out. slinging a belt in the tire (which I have heard it called) can cause a blow out also. Why in the world would anyone imply that it is still safe is beyound me. Will it blow? maybe not but that is not what you should tell a customer who may have family members lives at stake in the vehicle.
    
    I am not posting this to scare you are try to make this seem like dooms day. As a customer you deserve to know the facts about that tire issue before you trusted the companys word and place your family at risk. If I had been there I would of advised for you to replace the front two tires (the ones that pulled), if that was not in your budget I would of then told you to place them on the back where they are less likely to do as much damage if or when they blew out. At least then you would know what was up on your car and would be more vigilant about watching for newer signs of trouble with the tires.
    
    I hope this helps clear up sone thoughts on tires and issues. You should always know the type of tires on your car as to how they are to be rotated (direction) and you should make sure the place rotating them knows it also. the wrong rotation on certian tires will make the sling a belt and end up blowing out. When getting a new set of tires always check the pressure in them after you get home. I put a brand new set on my wifes 4runner to find out the guy had 48psi in one tire wheil the rest where 32psi. never leave your lives in someone elses hands if you can help it.