Tire installer DESTROYED my wheels

[monteperformanc]

I had set of new BFG tires installed yesterday at BJ's wholesale club. I was watching the guy through the glass and I could see he was having a lot of difficulty removing the old tires from the wheels. He was using a large pry bar. It took him about an hour to get the old tires off the wheels. Then when he tried installing the first new tire, he was having all sorts of problems again! And then the pry bar comes out again! He still can't get it, so he decides to try a different machine and the tire pops right on.

So when he's done I take a look and I see all of my wheels have small bends all around the edge of the rim. I tell him and he denies it! He said there's no way the tire machine could damage steel wheels. He says I brought it in that way. He was all by himself working in the tire shop, so I got the manager of the store and explained what happened. She came over and took pictures. While this was going on I noticed the front tire also has a bulge in the sidewall and I told her but she was really just chasing me out of the bay saying I wasn't allowed in there. She said the corporate office would be in contact with me.

In my entire life I have never had this kind of experience. I have had dozens and dozens of tires mounted and never a scratch. Even on soft aluminum wheels like Drag Lites. Has anyone seen anything like this ever?

Now I don't know what to do. It's not like I can just go and buy a new set of stock wheels.

I have some pics I will post tonight when I get home.

 

[49-blues]

87 GN rims havre to be mounted from the back side of the rim cause there is a very deep section, you take off and put the tires on from the rear of the wheel-mounted on the machine back side up not front side up. i have a couple extra sets of wheel/tire combinations if you need them.Matt 347 680 8642 -i work in JFK Airport so no problem delivering to your area. There is always small claims court $15. application for up to $3000. in damages ,you may want to tell them this is your option and maybe they re rectify the situation. GN wheels are getting more and more expensive to replace. nice set about $800. www.GBodyParts.com sells reconditioned gn wheels like new.

 

[Pronto]

As Grumpy says, "Pay peanuts, get monkeys."

 

[monteperformanc]

I figured a place that only installs tires would be able to install tires. I had installs done there before with aluminum rims no problem. I guess I was lucky enough to get the ace of the staff last night. I won't be going back there again.

Matt I may get back to you on those wheels. I put in a claim with my insurance we'll see what happens.

 

[turbofrank]

As stated tires mounted wrong side of rim. An experienced installer would know this. Good luck.

 

[V8Assassin]

Did you consider applying said Pry Bar to the head and shoulder areas of the tech and the manager

 

[monteperformanc]

Did you consider applying said Pry Bar to the head and shoulder areas of the tech and the manager

Lol, I wish I could. I'd probably get locked up for that.

As stated tires mounted wrong side of rim. An experienced installer would know this. Good luck.

I never knew of this. I wish I did yesterday I would have told the guy.

Is it possible to have these straightened at a wheel repair place? I called one and the guy said he would have to look at it first. So I might go this weekend.

 

[Grumpy]

Is it possible to have these straightened at a wheel repair place? .

I'd say so.. post up a pic of the damage

 

[Brer Rabbit]

Little advice..

I had set of new BFG tires installed yesterday at BJ's wholesale club. I was watching the guy through the glass and I could see he was having a lot of difficulty removing the old tires from the wheels. He was using a large pry bar. It took him about an hour to get the old tires off the wheels. Then when he tried installing the first new tire, he was having all sorts of problems again! And then the pry bar comes out again! He still can't get it, so he decides to try a different machine and the tire pops right on.

So when he's done I take a look and I see all of my wheels have small bends all around the edge of the rim. I tell him and he denies it! He said there's no way the tire machine could damage steel wheels. He says I brought it in that way. He was all by himself working in the tire shop, so I got the manager of the store and explained what happened. She came over and took pictures. While this was going on I noticed the front tire also has a bulge in the sidewall and I told her but she was really just chasing me out of the bay saying I wasn't allowed in there. She said the corporate office would be in contact with me.

In my entire life I have never had this kind of experience. I have had dozens and dozens of tires mounted and never a scratch. Even on soft aluminum wheels like Drag Lites. Has anyone seen anything like this ever?

Now I don't know what to do. It's not like I can just go and buy a new set of stock wheels.

I have some pics I will post tonight when I get home.

Try to be super calm when dealing with anyone on this matter. Try not to bad mouth the installer or the manager. I hope it works out for U good luck.

 

[pacecarta]

Walmart destroyed my gn wheel - TurboBuicks.com

 

[88 CuttyClassic]

sometimes a pry bar is needed but you have to know how to use it.. what an idiot. the pry bar should never touch the lip of the wheel if you know what you are doing.

 

[pacecarta]

and hate to tell you but if he installed the new tires with rim face up then those tires are probably garbage too

 

[monteperformanc]

and hate to tell you but if he installed the new tires with rim face up then those tires are probably garbage too

Look what I found when I got home today:

It's not my responsiblity to tell them how to install the tires, right? How do I bring it up to them that they installed them the wrong way? I want to return all the tires now but I don't want them touching my wheels anymore. So I guess I'm going to have to take all the wheels off and bring them somewhere else & pay to have them dismounted. I can't even drive the car like this. I guess I'm lucky I made it home last night! I have been calm with them so far but they don't make it easy. The installer and the manager were pretty rude so far.

Here are the rest of the pics of the bends. The last two are the worst.

 

[V8Assassin]

That Blows!!

 

[87geeinn]

I would have bent someone's neck back over that bull$hit.

 

[regal454]

Sorry to see that! Just keep working your way up in management until you get it resolved (new wheels!). Good Luck.

 

[jwheelz1212]

i have seen it before! they bent it with the bry bar when they took the tires off

 

[phillyturbosix]

WOW! You have a heart of gold. I would have never left that place and most likely wound up in jail in the end. What a sin. Then again with that amount of damage maybe you could have called the police and filed a report on them destroying your property like that.

I was a store manager for Pep Boys for many years. You would not believe the horror stories I could tell you that I had to deal with just the service end of it. And 90% of it was the tire installers! That is a bottom of the line minimum wage job and they just don't care. If they get fired they move to the next place.

Something like this the store will most likely fight you as when they have to pay for damage like this is effects the managers bottom line and his bonus so the last thing they want to do is give your money back and pay for new rims.

There is a place in Colorado you could send your rims and they will cut the hubs out and throw those bent rings away and replace them but it's going to cost about 200 a rim. It's going to be an uphill battle that's for sure goo luck with it!

Like the others said above for anyone watching this thread... never never never let them dismount or mount the tires on GM rims on a generic tire machine with the shiny side up! Shiny side ALWAYS down! If the tire clown is doing it wrong stop him or you'll wind up with destroyed rims. And if your rims don't get destroyed you'll wind up with marks all over the chrome ring from the tire machine.

 

[monteperformanc]

Now that I have been really looking at these wheels I can see how they are built the opposite way most other steel wheels are. I am pretty new to the GN scene, but I have been doing research for over a year now and I never came across this info.

Maybe the proper procedure should be made into a sticky in this brake, wheel & tire section. Whether it's a chain store or not, I doubt many shops encounter GN wheels very often. It would be good for all owners to be aware of exactly how tires need to be dismounted and mounted before getting tires installed. These sort of things can be prevented.

 

[8UWITH6]

An installer that halfway knows what they are doing would recognize immediately that the drop center on that wheel is wayyyyy too far on the front side to remove, let alone install the tire without serious issues. As a manager of vehicle services for firestone, every single tech or general service person not only knows the basics of mounting/dismounting, but knows when they are having trouble to STOP what they are doing immediately and get a manager!

Was it worth going to a wholesale place for the cheaper price on those BFG's? Next time find a corporate chain in your area that is reputable and have them order what you want, even if they dont carry it. Or have them install them after you buy them.

Im sorry to see this. It shouldnt have happened. But, it did. If something looks bad in the future, stop that person earlier. Hell, I dont need to say anymore to you, you know what Im saying. Sorry to see this again. Raise hell, hope you get new wheels. If that happened at my store, you would have new wheels and tires, and probably something more. Theres no excuse for that damage! Let us know how it ends up.