Tire changing routine?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 368
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From: Orange County, CA
Tire changing routine?
I hopefully wont have to worry about it for a while, but what is your routine when changing tires?
Do you put the car on jack stands and take the wheels in to get new tires (to avoid incorrect jacking etc)?
Do you just hope for the best that the tire place will know how to jack up your car and let them handle it?
Other?
Do you put the car on jack stands and take the wheels in to get new tires (to avoid incorrect jacking etc)?
Do you just hope for the best that the tire place will know how to jack up your car and let them handle it?
Other?
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Not on either liberal coast.
For my Z16 and previous show cars/hot rods, I've usually removed them from the car and transport them to a qualified shop for new tires. I've never experienced any damaged rims when I've taken our daily drivers into a shop though. Most tire shops now have specialized equipment that never touches the aluminum rims.
To avoid the experience of having damage done to a car, I make sure to talk to the manager before hand so the newest employee isn't doing the work. They don't want to be paying out for vehicle damages anymore than I want to experience them. I also have a digital camera with me.
To avoid the experience of having damage done to a car, I make sure to talk to the manager before hand so the newest employee isn't doing the work. They don't want to be paying out for vehicle damages anymore than I want to experience them. I also have a digital camera with me.
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Hmmmmm, I take my car to a tire shop. Never been an issue, Most tire shops have worked on cars that cost double what a C5 costs.
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I take the car to the tire store but I ensure that they know exactly how to lift the car (jacking pucks) and that they have equipment that will not scratch the wheels. I also go over the car with them to show no damage was there when I brought the car in.
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I always have the wheels and tires mounted at the shop. The car stays at home. I do the mounting on the car.
I've always owned 2 sets of wheels and tires so there's never been a problem with leaving the car up on stands, BUT that's how I'd do it if I was working with one set of wheels. Put it up on stands, take the wheels to the tire shop and have the new tires mounted on the wheels, bring them home and put the on the car myself...
I've always owned 2 sets of wheels and tires so there's never been a problem with leaving the car up on stands, BUT that's how I'd do it if I was working with one set of wheels. Put it up on stands, take the wheels to the tire shop and have the new tires mounted on the wheels, bring them home and put the on the car myself...
Pro
Joined: Dec 2009
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From: Columbia South Carolina
It's usually not the issue of working on cars that cost more than ours. The issue is the hydroformed frames on the C5 and C6, careless or inexperienced people don't know how to lift these cars and damage the body panels that wrap under the car. Just check the Solstice and the Sky forums, there are lots of posts on improper lifting damage to fenders and rocker panels. These cars also have the hydroformed frames as the Vette.
I have yet to take the Vette in on a procedure that would entail lifting it. But when I take in my Solstice I give them a copy of the GM lifting procedures and make the service manager or tech check under the car both before and after......
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I find the best price on tires...order them...call my guy when they arrive to schedule an appointment usually within a few days. He comes to me, I have the wheels off the car, he could do it but I do it myself as it saves me money and I can clean the wheel wells and the wheels before putting them back on. He and mounts and balances the tires. All done in about an hour 
Been doing this for years
Been doing this for years
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Joined: Dec 2008
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From: Wichita Falls Texas
I always remove the center caps before taking my car to the tire shop. Several years ago I had a completely restored 78 Trans Am...took it in for new tires...after the tire install they reinstalled the stainless steel center caps with a rubber mallet. The kid bent the first one, which I can understand...Anyone can make a mistake. But he proceded to do the same thing to the other three, even knocking off the $30 emblem on one of them. Rather than tell me about it, they used black RTV to stick the emblem back on the cap. (That s*@t doesn't even cure for 24 hrs) I was furious!!!
Needless to say the replacement cost of 4 caps and 4 emblems exceeded the cost of the tires. So they lost money on that deal. My 02 Coupe has plastic caps that are just too easy to break if you aren't carefull.
Needless to say the replacement cost of 4 caps and 4 emblems exceeded the cost of the tires. So they lost money on that deal. My 02 Coupe has plastic caps that are just too easy to break if you aren't carefull.
