road force balance standard at discount now?

[CarLuver]

bought some new tires for the kids car today at discount. i notice a new balancing machine they were using. it had a roller that pressed against the tire . i have seen them before, but only for road force balancing.

i ask the sales guy about it and he said its standard now.

 

[Greasymechtech]

Was always standard at Discounttire here, at the local up-to date tire shops down the road, and even the local Firestone. Wasn't standard at the 'local' not open anymore pepboys, and not at either 'membership' store. I don't remember seeing roadforce at the that big department store chain either.
Also pretty common at various new car dealerships. I've seen them at the Ford, GM, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, VW, Mazda.... dealerships around here.

https://www.hunter.com/find-equipment/

I am pretty sure the Hunter zipcode finder website has been running for more than the past decade.

 

[Rand]

they have always had them at mine.. I have never seen them use them and in fact try to talk people out of roadforce balancing.

 

[Quattro Pete]

they have always had them at mine.. I have never seen them use them and in fact try to talk people out of roadforce balancing.

Is it because they don't have people who know how to use them properly?

 

[hrv]

I think that some places that use them have found it stops many returns of issues with tires by road forcing them at the beginning.....

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

I asked and they told me it's by request if you have an issue after normal balancing

 

[benjy]

buy decent tyres + put them on decent wheels + NEVER any issues with typical balance, hey my motorcycle tyres balanced on an axle on jack stands good to the ton maybe more!!! getting the tyre properly set on the rim has a LOT to do with it IMO!!

 

[The Critic]

Is it because they don't have people who know how to use them properly?

Correct, they have no idea how to force-match. Every tire gets measured but they set the limits so high that every tire passes.

 

[law3500]

I asked and they told me it's by request if you have an issue after normal balancing

This is how they operate around me... Rarely any issues with standard balance I've only had to request road-force balancing on one set over the years...

 

[BrainThicknessVariation]

Was always standard at Discounttire here, at the local up-to date tire shops down the road, and even the local Firestone. Wasn't standard at the 'local' not open anymore pepboys, and not at either 'membership' store. I don't remember seeing roadforce at the that big department store chain either.
Also pretty common at various new car dealerships. I've seen them at the Ford, GM, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, VW, Mazda.... dealerships around here.

https://www.hunter.com/find-equipment/

I am pretty sure the Hunter zipcode finder website has been running for more than the past decade.

Unless you see them do the RFB, don't assume they do it. It's nowhere in their literature that they RFB. The Hunter website does indicate they are equipped, but even then I've found the Hunter website to be wrong with some locations (non-DT, to be fair).

I've been to a DT a couple times, and they've basically tacitly admitted they just do a regular static balance unless you come back with complaints. So, you'll have to ask for the RFV if you want to confirm they did one.

 

[hrv]

I think that some places that use them have found it stops many returns of issues with tires by road forcing them at the beginning.....

Yup.. Do it right from the initial install and keep the returns low...

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Never use Discount tire they don't do alignments!

 

[The Critic]

Never use Discount tire they don't do alignments!

Why does that matter?

 

[hrv]

I am glad they use the road force... I think that most tire stores are beginning to realize that the use of the road force the first time keeps some from returning with a balance issue due to wheels or tires....In the past I have always gone to tire stotes that have that machine and request that on my new tires....

 

[The Critic]

T

I am glad they use the road force... I think that most tire stores are beginning to realize that the use of the road force the first time keeps some from returning with a balance issue due to wheels or tires....In the past I have always gone to tire stotes that have that machine and request that on my new tires....

They “use” a road force balancer, but use it as a standard balancer and have no clue how to force match.