Discount Tires problem (resolved) (This issue was taken care of as I wanted with good service, read thread for details) In an otherwise good experience with agressive pricing, and friendly customer service when I wanted shown things in the shop personally, I now have a problem. Discount Tires on 92 near 575 performed a rotate and balance less than 1000 miles ago. They are the ONLY shop to have pulled my wheels off regularly for this in more than 50,000 miles, the last being a brake service at a dealership. I'm due brakes again, but haven't had time to put on the parts I ordered online. I bought some cheap pads to throw one cuz I was sick of listening to the squealers. I went to take off the lug nuts. One on the rear passenger side was crossed. Badly. I was doing this at my dad's shop, he busted out an air impact wrench rated to 100, then a bigger one, it wouldn't budge. Repeated attempts resulted in the stud snapping. I'm not particularly happy. I'll discuss it with the location and post what my results are.
Certainly not trying to give Discount tires a bad name -I have had several good experiences with them -but I had the same thing happen. I had a Toyota and a few thousand miles after they had replaced tires, went to pull the wheels off for brakes and 2/5 studs on one wheel were cross threaded. The store was very nice about it and sent me to a shop to have them replaced at their expense. For having a problem, outcome was as good as it could have been. I think this thing is less chain related than individual tech and what kind of day he was having. Hope they take care of you.
^ What he said. Take it in and they will surely take care of you. Probably just a tech having a bad day or in a rush.
This why I go to GTE... they anti-seize and hand torque every time they take off your tires. I remember one time I was there a 350z was there getting a stud replaced after discount tire destroyed it; they sent their customer to GTE.
The problem with that is I don't want to go back to a place that cross threads lugnuts....its not rocket science....
well they will pay for you to get it fixed somewhere else. their customer service is usually top notch. they'll make it right one way or another. (i've never had them screw up anything of mine, however i know Jason has had at least 1 or 2 lugs stripped)
I'll reiterate, this is the first blemish on an otherwise great experience with them. But as I learned a decade ago managing at a Circuit City, customer service is what you do -after- you mess up. I'm concerned in that it doesn't look very easy to replace a stud on the -rear-. It looks like alot has to come off, not just a rotor. I know they didn't use anti seize, but I do watch them use a torque wrench to tighten after using their air gun. thats really too bad. are they a chain store? you could've tried to force them into a General Liability claim. I won't be able to jump on this til Thursday. I'll report back.
Ok,clean and dry threads are all that is needed here in Ga..Anything else can affect the amount of torque needed to properly tighten the wheel.
Air guns can severly over torque depending on how long the tech lets them impact / hammer. The air gun over tightens the nut, putting a torque wrench doesn't really change things. The best case is to run the nut down and just let the wrench hit a time or two and then torque it with a proper torque wrench. How much do you think that happens?
which is how I do it when an impact gun is available. Which is how I observe them do it most of the time when getting rotate & balance, and haven't noticed anything to raise a flag. Of course I can't watch them all of the time.
Went back to the shop today. They didn't really raise much of an issue, and referred me to G&S on canton hwy to get it replaced.
They couldn't fit me in yesterday. I took it in today and they had me out in less than.an hour. (Dunno why, but they cleared my codes...) Anyways, let's make this a thumbs up. No monkey business, took responsibility and addressed the problem. They earn my repeat business.
Tightening torque is frequently quoted for both lubricated and dry. Have a look at pages A5-onwards on Fastenal's Tech Reference. I have had good experiences with DT. The location nearest my office is beside Town Center Mall. They always use an airgun, then a torque wrench. This is good practice; nothing wrong with it. As long as it's done properly. Happy to hear they took care of the repair for you. Shame it happened in the first place.