I come to terms ford has poor customer service. Anyhow, as far as rotating my tires and balancing them is this something i can do myself? I know how to rotate its fairly easy, with proper jack, but how'bout balancing the tires; how i go about that task? Note, can i do my own aligment or should that be up too a mechanic.

Ford has great mechanics, its just seems their customer service don't really give a rats *** on their customers very sad!

 

I've learned that to be satisfied with things you should almost always do them yourself. Buy the tools, learn how and never look back. That being said this doesn't apply to tire balancing and alignment. These are jobs that require a high level of accuracy to prevent a bunch of unwanted side effects when not done correctly. The equipment required to perform these jobs is well outside of most people's budgets and needs. Take it to any tire shop and for a small fee they'll balance, rotate and align.

 

An independent shop will usually do a lot more to keep you coming back, rather than "finding" problems with your vehicle when you bring it in for warranty service.

Try asking around locally, I've recently had very bad service from Costco due to a policy of pushing non-paying work (rotations and balancing, flat repairs, etc.) to the back of the line, multiple times.

 

Wall-Mart has a lifetime rotation if you buy their plan. I think its less than 30.00

 

Walmarts is really hit-or-miss in their service department. I guess that's true for anyone though. They changed my oil and dirtied up the front fenders, so I made them wash it out in the pouring rain. Can't believe they don't use protective mats if they're going to be working under the hood. Needless to say (but I will because I'm like that), it would be a bad idea to try and use their service again.

 

It is too bad the rotate and balance isn't a normal warranty service for the tires that come with the vehicle when you buy it.

I take the the truck over to the shop where I buy the replacement tires and purchase a lifetime rotate and balance service. Costs a little more up front but more than pays for itself the second time you rotate/balance.

I always go to wheel works now as they will match anyones price- don't know if it's because of the 6 sets of tires I've bought there in the past 6 years or they do that for everyone.

Tim

 

I'll be honest, I just rotate them and to heck with an alignment or balance. My driving is bad enough, I doubt having potentially unbalanced tires would make a difference.

 

WOW!!!...it appears as if very few folks on these forums have anything good to say about dealerships...whether it's sales...service...or parts. Come on guys WE can't ALL be bad...yeah I work in sales at a dealership...profit is not a swear word. Dealerships have tremendous overhead costs...payroll, insurance, carrying costs, bad debt, environmental regs...to name a few. You don't really think that those free rotations and balances are really free...there is always a cost associated...whether it is an upfront charge or paying a little more for tires. Find a shop you're comfortable with and let them eat. If you're ever in the area...stop in and check us out...give me a shout when you are looking for a new/used vehicle. You just might be surprised!!!

Ken

 

So, does this mean i can rotate my tires, but yall recommend balancing and aligment with a mechanic shop?

 

I'm a do it yourselfer, and I let the mechanics do the alignments. I usually do one before a new set of tires.
I think balanceing should be done by them too, but it doesn't need to be done every time. Evey other time the tires need to be rotated, a good balanceing should be done.

 

I worked for a tire/mechanic shop for quite a while and the tires we sold came with lifetime rotations and balancing. Alignments are recommended at 60,000 miles and then every 30,000 miles thereafter. Some shops like Expert Tire offer lifetime alignment scheduling.

 

I found out long ago that for the cost of a couple of "lifetime rotations" I could buy an impact wrench, torque wrench and a second floor jack. I can usually rotate a set of tires in 1/4 to 1/2 the time it would take me to drive to a shop, get in line, wait for them to find 5 other things my car 'might need'. decline service on those, get the car on the ground and get back home.

Plus I know the job is done right and the lugs are torqued to spec, not what ever the impact wrench at the shop happened to be putting out that day. Even if I took the vehicle in for an alignment, I'd double check the torque on the lugs, but maybe I'm a bit paranoid after almost having a wheel fall off after service from a major retailer.

As for balance and alignment, I may just have good luck, but with car tires, I usually only notice a little shake right at the end of the tire life when I'm ready to change it anyway. Bigger truck tires, maybe need a balance 1/2 to 2/3 the way through the life. Other than that, I mark where the weights are, so if one gets thrown wheelin' I can just put on a replacement and not have to go pay for it.

Alignment - only needed if you change suspension components or crash. Sadly, the tire balance and alignment are two machines I don't personally have yet, so still have to rely on a shop for those

 

I took my rig to the local NTB (same as Tire Kingdom to those of you not in the south) and paid for the lifetime balance and rotate. I sat and watched the kid attempt to rotate my tires by putting the front tires on the same side rear. I thought everyone knew that, outside specific tire wear concerns, a rotation meant the fronts get moved to the opposite side rear and the rears get moved to the same side front. That's what I've always been told and other shops around here have always done. When I questioned what he was doing they told me to them a rotation was just switching the same side front and rear. I told them to rotate the tires the correct way and the kid looked at me like I just kicked his dog. Little punk. I wish I could balance the tires myself.

 

That is the correct way to rotate tires... Front to back, backs get balanced and replaced to the front. Cross rotating has a higher chance of causing radial tire pull.

Alignments are not only necessary when you change components or crash... they are preventative maintenance by pinpointing problem parts and preventing drivability issues and excessive tire wear...

 

Thanks for the information fellas, i think i will rotate the tires myself? But as far as aligment and balancing the tires i will take to a tire shop.