Wheel Rash from a Tire Shop

[Rory]

All,

Got a question for those with experience mounting and balancing tires to an alloy. My wife picked up a nail in one of the snows last week and I got it repaired this past weekend. The wheels are brand new as of December and are spotless. To make a long story short, when I got it back from the tire shop there was a lot of rash on the lip (Borbet Type H). Of course the shop tried to tell me that it was curb rash and was there before they did any work on it. Even though I had a conversation with the Manager before the work was done pointing out the wheels were flawless. The owner also said the rash could not possible be from their highly trained employees, but a minor scene in front of 12 potential customers in a waiting room changed their tune. So my long winded question is how on earth do you rash up a wheel so badly installing a tire on it? Would the rash have marks in a certain direction (parallel to the wheel lip)? Would it likely be a certain thickness? Would there be anything unique about rash from a mounting or balancing machine?

For anyone in the Boston Area that needs tire or auto work done, I suggest you think twice before taking your car to Direct Tire and Wheel. In the end they are refinishing my wheel this summer, but the experience and effort it took to get what I deserve was not pleasant. Of course YMMV. Thanks for the bandwith.

Best,
Rory

[Tiger]

That BS tire shop... any tire shop are potential for that. I had that happened to me too... it ended up that the tire shop bought me 4 new wheels. Tell them to buy you a new wheels... unless they gave you money already. No professional paint job will match the factory finish. Remember that.

HIghly trained my ass... why do you think tire shop got super high turnover rate on employees? I know it is scary... but you know... tire shop is totally responsible for any damages they done as long as you did what Rory did... both inspected and then work is done.

[Derek A.]

I have everything done at my local indy. They are hooked up with Tirerack.com and are very careful not to scratch up or damage wheels. The majority of the mini-van rubber slinging joints just don't have the desire to be a premium service provider. Yes the indy charges more for the service, but you get what you pay for.

[Warren N.CA]

The Tire store was TREAD SHED, in Pittsburg, CA (SF Bay Area).

Happened while mounting Michelin Pilot Sports on a '97 Z3.

In this case the damage did not have the appearance of having been scraped by a curb. It looked like the finish had been cleanly cut with something like a razor blade. I sent a digital photo to the manager, and he then admitted that they had done the damage with their machine. He paid us $150, the cost of refinishing a rim.

Now, I try to get my tires at WalMart. They have a better staff there. Not to mention lower prices, in most cases

All,

Got a question for those with experience mounting and balancing tires to an alloy. My wife picked up a nail in one of the snows last week and I got it repaired this past weekend. The wheels are brand new as of December and are spotless. To make a long story short, when I got it back from the tire shop there was a lot of rash on the lip (Borbet Type H). Of course the shop tried to tell me that it was curb rash and was there before they did any work on it. Even though I had a conversation with the Manager before the work was done pointing out the wheels were flawless. The owner also said the rash could not possible be from their highly trained employees, but a minor scene in front of 12 potential customers in a waiting room changed their tune. So my long winded question is how on earth do you rash up a wheel so badly installing a tire on it? Would the rash have marks in a certain direction (parallel to the wheel lip)? Would it likely be a certain thickness? Would there be anything unique about rash from a mounting or balancing machine?

For anyone in the Boston Area that needs tire or auto work done, I suggest you think twice before taking your car to Direct Tire and Wheel. In the end they are refinishing my wheel this summer, but the experience and effort it took to get what I deserve was not pleasant. Of course YMMV. Thanks for the bandwith.

Best,
Rory

[Warren N.CA]

The Tire store was TREAD SHED, in Pittsburg, CA (SF Bay Area).

Happened while mounting Michelin Pilot Sports on a '97 Z3.

In this case the damage did not have the appearance of having been scraped by a curb. It looked like the finish had been cleanly cut with something like a razor blade. I sent a digital photo to the manager, and he then admitted that they had done the damage with their machine. He paid us $150, the cost of refinishing a rim.

Now, I try to get my tires at WalMart. They have a better staff there. Not to mention lower prices, in most cases.

All,

Got a question for those with experience mounting and balancing tires to an alloy. My wife picked up a nail in one of the snows last week and I got it repaired this past weekend. The wheels are brand new as of December and are spotless. To make a long story short, when I got it back from the tire shop there was a lot of rash on the lip (Borbet Type H). Of course the shop tried to tell me that it was curb rash and was there before they did any work on it. Even though I had a conversation with the Manager before the work was done pointing out the wheels were flawless. The owner also said the rash could not possible be from their highly trained employees, but a minor scene in front of 12 potential customers in a waiting room changed their tune. So my long winded question is how on earth do you rash up a wheel so badly installing a tire on it? Would the rash have marks in a certain direction (parallel to the wheel lip)? Would it likely be a certain thickness? Would there be anything unique about rash from a mounting or balancing machine?

For anyone in the Boston Area that needs tire or auto work done, I suggest you think twice before taking your car to Direct Tire and Wheel. In the end they are refinishing my wheel this summer, but the experience and effort it took to get what I deserve was not pleasant. Of course YMMV. Thanks for the bandwith.

Best,
Rory

[Anthony (M5 in Calgary)]

I clipped a curb with the right rear wheel on my M5 one sunny spring day in 2001. The damage was extremely minor - no more than a 2" long scrape on the very outer lip of the rim. Rather than accept permanent evidence of a momentary lapse, I took the wheel to the local (and highly reccommended) wheel repair shop.

Two weeks later (!) they called to inform me that the wheel was ready. When I arrived, the rim was repaired but bare.

"Where's my tire?" I asked innocently. "Oh, the tire was damaged beyond repair due to the curb impact" sez the young girl behind the counter (looking a bit furtive) "There was no tire damage when I brought it in. Show me the tire" I demanded.

After a protracted delay, the tire was produced for inspection. There was 12" long tear in the sidewall near where it met the tread. After a brief heated exchange (and a small discount for the work), I left with the wheel and damaged tire.

Another tire shop advised that the damage was caused when the bead was broken incorrectly. The shoe from the tire machine slipped out of the bead area and punctured the tire.

That rim now looks like hell as the clear coat has failed and is peeling. The other three rims had been re-finished by a shop in Vancouver in 1999 and still look perfect.

Now, whenever people ask where to get wheels re-painted, i tell them to send them to Vancouver.

Grrr...

Anthony

[JR'Z 525]

This past Jan, I had 4 new Dunlop A2's mounted on my car by the local shop here in the small town I live in. When I got home I was looking everything over and discovered the two young tire busters had gouged the lips (even the interior lip of one wheel) on all 4 of my e38 wheels. I drove back to the shop, showed the manager the damage. He replied "what the hell did they do?The tire machine's tool should have never touched the rim. Tell me what I need to do to correct this..." I wound up with a set of new Rondells 58's and the tire shop got a new machine. The manager and I also agreed there is only one person in his shop who will work on my car in the future which is both good and bad. Hope fully he will train the others. The bottom line is he knew I have 3 cars, 1 truck, 2 trailers and a say over the 4 vehicles at the plant. I don't think he wanted to piss me off.
JR