[bonwit904]

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Mounted my Pirelli Scorpion Winters on my stock 21" Rims (same as last year), but immediately noticed a shake above 80 mph. Brought car to the dealer and they did a road force tire evaluation on their machine and found the following road force: left front 30 lbs, right front 2 lbs, left rear 9 lbs and right rear 10 lbs. They then proceeded to a road force tire balancing and got the left front down to 18 lbs (which is just inside the maximum acceptable road force of 20 lbs), the others remaining the same as above. I made the mistake of having a local tire shop mount my winters this year and pull my summers off. So my question is what would cause a car with 12K miles (3K miles on winters), zero bends in rims, to be so off kilter on road force especially on the front left? Possible they ruined the tire when they were mounting it?

[onfireX5]

Bad install. Everyone is different, but I can feel a tire over 15lbs and will not accept it. Some tire stores do not road force balance. It should be a requirement. No tire or wheel is perfect. RFB counters both imperfections. That tire was molded a bit worse than the other three. Sounds like the dealership fixed it.

[strohw]

Assuming your dealership tire change price is too high, just call around to big box stores and ask if they road force balance their wheels. Most of the chain stores around here do while most of the independents do not.

[bonwit904]

Originally Posted by strohw

Assuming your dealership tire change price is too high, just call around to big box stores and ask if they road force balance their wheels. Most of the chain stores around here do while most of the independents do not.

Going to a local tire shop is how I ended up in this situation I think. The dealer charger 230 dollars for a four wheel road force balancing and there was substantial issues on left front tire (and it's still only at 18 lbs, way outside the others). I wonder if when mounting the tire they damaged the belt or something to that effect.

[2kaccordocoupe]

My local tire shop charges the following for it, that's CDN $. You guys south of the border should be cheaper. Just need a good reputable shop with the right people and gear to do it right.

Road Force balance 19" - 20" $120
Road Force balance 21" - 24" $140

You can do a search on the hunter site to see who has the gear in your area.
https://www.hunter.com/find-equipment/

[spta97]

Originally Posted by bonwit904

Going to a local tire shop is how I ended up in this situation I think. The dealer charger 230 dollars for a four wheel road force balancing and there was substantial issues on left front tire (and it's still only at 18 lbs, way outside the others). I wonder if when mounting the tire they damaged the belt or something to that effect.

Not sure where in NY you are, and I know you didn't ask, but several of us in LI had very good luck with RCT https://www.rctperformance.com/.

They did an excellent job mounting my winter tires to my winter wheels as well as mounting a new tire on my summers as I got a non-repairable nail

The shop is pretty crappy to look at, but no scratches and no vibration on any of the work.

They are now my go-to for tire needs. I trust them way more than my dealership.

[bonwit904]

Originally Posted by spta97

Not sure where in NY you are, and I know you didn't ask, but several of us in LI had very good luck with RCT https://www.rctperformance.com/.

They did an excellent job mounting my winter tires to my winter wheels as well as mounting a new tire on my summers as I got a non-repairable nail

The shop is pretty crappy to look at, but no scratches and no vibration on any of the work.

They are now my go-to for tire needs. I trust them way more than my dealership.

I'm in Manhattan but on the east end most every weekend. I won't name the place that messed this up but let's say it was in Southampton. Paul Miller BMW, where I bought the car, did the corrective road force balancing after that.

[spta97]

Originally Posted by bonwit904

I'm in Manhattan but on the east end most every weekend. I won't name the place that messed this up but let's say it was in Southampton. Paul Miller BMW, where I bought the car, did the corrective road force balancing after that.

That's in NJ? If so that's far to go every year. Also good to have a local shop in case of unplanned tire damage.

I thought there was a good BMW dealership in Manhattan?

[Kevin_The_Clean1]

Never knew need how important road force balancing was until I read this.