What do you pay for balancing tires?

toximus

toximus

I live in my Jeep
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I was hoping to find a new place closer to me for balancing tires so I called and setup an appointment at the Ford dealer for Roadforce balancing a set of 35" tires 2 weeks ago. They quoted me $35 for the work over the phone.

I brought the Jeep in today and they told me it's $140. And aren't happy that they aren't stock tires...

I told them that I called ahead, and if that is important to them they need to ask. I have 2 Jeeps and get my tires balanced several times per year. If they aren't interested in my business I'd be taking my business back to the place I was and am disappointed in the way they quote their customers. We settled on $80 for the balance because I do actually want them balanced today and not get booked out again by my other shop.

I don't have a Discount Tire near me, but whenever I have gone they haven't so much as blinked honoring their lifetime balance on 35" tires.

What do you guys pay for balancing?
 
$15 a tire for 33's. I'm in a small town, so it's Mom/Pop shops. Only have one shop that roadforce balances. Think they charge $35 a tire.
 
Depending on how long this takes it might be worth driving to discount tire... 5 hours round trip away. We'll see...
 
bobthetj03 said:
$15 a tire for 33's. I'm in a small town, so it's Mom/Pop shops. Only have one shop that roadforce balances. Think they charge $35 a tire.
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I figured the $35 quoted to me for all was a bit low. They said that's how much it costs for a normal balance.
 
Local place charges 25 bucks to throw it on the machine. It doesn't matter if that is for dismount and mount, or just mount. 35 total if you want balance after that. 140 to mount and balance 4 tires is dumb. I took in 4 rims to have the tires yanked off, stock size, 100 bucks. I take them 4 rims with tires and new tires to put on with balance, 35 bucks each.
 
mrblaine said:
Local place charges 25 bucks to throw it on the machine. It doesn't matter if that is for dismount and mount, or just mount. 35 total if you want balance after that. 140 to mount and balance 4 tires is dumb. I took in 4 rims to have the tires yanked off, stock size, 100 bucks. I take them 4 rims with tires and new tires to put on with balance, 35 bucks each.
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No mount, only balance for $140.

The other place I have been going to was $80 for 4 (already mounted) tires roadforce balanced. And they treat me like a human even if I bring them beadlocks. But they are 2 hours round trip away. This Ford dealer is 30 minutes round trip so it was tempting especially for $35. For that, I'd be happy to have them balanced every other oil change...
 
toximus said:
I was hoping to find a new place closer to me for balancing tires so I called and setup an appointment at the Ford dealer for Roadforce balancing a set of 35" tires 2 weeks ago. They quoted me $35 for the work over the phone.

I brought the Jeep in today and they told me it's $140. And aren't happy that they aren't stock tires...

I told them that I called ahead, and if that is important to them they need to ask. I have 2 Jeeps and get my tires balanced several times per year. If they aren't interested in my business I'd be taking my business back to the place I was and am disappointed in the way they quote their customers. We settled on $80 for the balance because I do actually want them balanced today and not get booked out again by my other shop.

I don't have a Discount Tire near me, but whenever I have gone they haven't so much as blinked honoring their lifetime balance on 35" tires.

What do you guys pay for balancing?
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I pay nothing for balancing, never do it. use these when buying/installing new tires:
https://www.counteractbalancing.com/applications/

edit:
This must be a little secret that tire shops don't want you to know about? I'm sure someone will tell you that these don't work, (tire shop). I have 33" x 12.5 tires, got maybe 15 -20K on them, still nice and smooth down the highway.
 
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Oh, and of course they have to charge me another $10 for shop supplies... for a balance job? So $90, not $80 and they told me it'll be $159 (plus shop supplies?) next time. I'm just glad they're balanced again at this point.
 
I've bought countless tires from the local Discount Tire. Took the Jeep in to get a nail hole fixed. They rotated for free but wanted $40 to balance at the same time. I did not buy the tires there. PO had the tires put on.
 
Hook_62 said:
Read the link. They work. Have them in my tires, never balance again... Waisted $$$.
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I did some looking of course but I guess I will have to go back. I went through high school balancing tires at my Dad's store. The spin balancer was a big improvement back then.
 
Hook_62 said:
I pay nothing for balancing, never do it. use these when buying/installing new tires:
https://www.counteractbalancing.com/applications/

edit:
This must be a little secret that tire shops don't want you to know about? I'm sure someone will tell you that these don't work, (tire shop). I have 33" x 12.5 tires, got maybe 15 -20K on them, still nice and smooth down the highway.
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I read about it a while back when you or someone else posted on the forum. I have been intrigued ever since, but haven't looked into it. Did you do the install yourself or have someone do it for you? What was the cost for the beads/install if you can recall? It looks simple to install by removing the valve stem, but it also appears from reading their website that you need to go to a Counteract distributor to get it done. We have a few around here (mostly truck fleet places like Love's), so I may check it out when I get a chance. I know I have one wheel that is out of balance currently (my spare), so I would use that one as the guinea pig, remove the existing weights, and throw in the beads!

OP, this actually sounds much better than rebalancing all the time. Especially with off-road dirt throwing off the balancing periodically. These things wouldn't miss a beat for something like that.
 
I pay $10 a tire at Walmart Auto Center. And it comes with lifetime rotation. It's about the only thing I'll let them work on. But they do a good job. As they sell alot of tires at discount prices. They also worked their ass off getting my TPMN sensors working on my Yukon.
 
Buy tires at Discount, $60 lifetime rotations and balance. It’s 50 minutes away so I do my own rotations and take in for balancing only occasionally. They’re always prompt and good, though I noticed the other day when I had them mount and balance a new spare that they did not put on a super short valve stem as I requested.
 
moab said:
Walmart Auto Center
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94978
 
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toximus said:
View attachment 94978
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Hmmnnn. I'm no expert in wheel weights. But that looks like someone that simply had no idea what they were doing. Did you take it back or just bale?

It must depend alot on which one you go to. Mine is great. I used to have them do all my tire and wheel work on my old classic VW's. And my SUV's. But they've got a good kid running the place. He goes out of his way to make sure your taken care of right. I didn't have them do my Jeep as my tires and wheels were separate. And I didn't have anything big enough to take them in one load. It's way down south of me in a fairly crappy neighborhood too.

Same goes for Sears Auto Centers. Not that there gonna be around much longer. But I had one in Seattle that was a really good all around mechanic shop. That was run by a really professional manager. I went there for years. They had the national chain to back up anything that wasn't right. So they could afford to spend the money redoing anything that wasn't right. Unlike alot of local shops. I don't recall ever having to go back to have them fix anything though. But the ones here in Socal aren't so good. I think it's just hit or miss.

4WP's on the other hand couldn't find their own ass if they tried. I asked for all the lead to be on the inside too. And they got 2 on the inside and 3 on the outside. And then they stole my new lug nuts I brought in to have them swap out. AND overcharged me. I wouldn't buy bailing wire from them. I even wrote a letter to their managers and corporate customer service. Never heard back.
 
moab said:
Hmmnnn. I'm no expert in wheel weights. But that looks like someone that simply had no idea what they were doing. Did you take it back or just bale?

It must depend alot on which one you go to. Mine is great. I used to have them do all my tire and wheel work on my old classic VW's. And my SUV's. But they've got a good kid running the place. He goes out of his way to make sure your taken care of right. I didn't have them do my Jeep as my tires and wheels were separate. And I didn't have anything big enough to take them in one load. It's way down south of me in a fairly crappy neighborhood too.

Same goes for Sears Auto Centers. Not that there gonna be around much longer. But I had one in Seattle that was a really good all around mechanic shop. That was run by a really professional manager. I went there for years. They had the national chain to back up anything that wasn't right. So they could afford to spend the money redoing anything that wasn't right. Unlike alot of local shops. I don't recall ever having to go back to have them fix anything though. But the ones here in Socal aren't so good. I think it's just hit or miss.

4WP's on the other hand couldn't find their own ass if they tried. I asked for all the lead to be on the inside too. And they got 2 on the inside and 3 on the outside. And then they stole my new lug nuts I brought in to have them swap out. AND overcharged me. I wouldn't buy bailing wire from them. I even wrote a letter to their managers and corporate customer service. Never heard back.
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The reason that is wrong is because the weights are opposite of each other which counters the other weights. Additionally, there is no reason to have weight in more than 2 locations (1 location is possible if you rotate the tire on the rim).

That picture was from 2 years ago and I paid and cut my losses and stopped going to that location. That was after a several year history with them that felt like playing the lottery. I got tired of driving back and having to explain that it's not my wheels but their balancing after several times leaving with worse balance than I arrived with. The first time I can shop but the second time I have to sit around and wait for them while my ice cream melts. I'd try another Walmart.
 
toximus said:
The reason that is wrong is because the weights are opposite of each other which counters the other weights. Additionally, there is no reason to have weight in more than 2 locations (1 location is possible if you rotate the tire on the rim).

That picture was from 2 years ago and I paid and cut my losses and stopped going to that location. That was after a several year history with them that felt like playing the lottery. I got tired of driving back and having to explain that it's not my wheels but their balancing after several times leaving with worse balance than I arrived with. The first time I can shop but the second time I have to sit around and wait for them while my ice cream melts. I'd try another Walmart.
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Your a lot more forgiving than me. For sure. :)

I really wanted to like 4WP's. It's very close to my house. And there aren't many 4wd or Jeep mechanics close to me. Plus you can get parts delivered to the store for free. But between the terrible customer service at the desk. (Wish I could remember the guys name. What a pompous ass. Yes. I used the word pompous. That's how high and mighty this guy thought he was. And how out of place his attitude was.)

Lied to me every time I went in. Never followed through with any request I made. Just went in one ear and out the other. Then when I actually have the service done it's so messed up you can tell the mechanics don't care either. I was over that place - first go around. And then when I wrote a letter (email) to a few key people in the company. And never heard back. I'm convinced no one there cares. Which is unfortunate. Because I'd love to have a great 4wd place near me.

I'm moving back to the PNW in the next year or so. Maybe I'll find one in the Seattle area or north - thats worth a damn. :)
 
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