Topic: BFG AT's - tire shop says they are separating?

[93tonkatoy]

I took my truck to the tire shop last week to have them rebalanced and rotated. They did it, and then told me they were way out of round and that the belts were separating. Is there a way to tell if the belts are coming apart, or were they just trying to sell me a new set? The BFG's still have very good depth on them. They are only 1 1/2 yrs old. Any light shed on this would be helpful.

[79coyotefrg]

can  you get a pic  of the tires??   im 99% sure  they just wanted  to sell you a  set of tires

[emsvitil]

Jack up the tires until they just clear the ground then spin them....

Should be easy to tell if they're out of round.......

[Tallchevy]

Jack up the tires until they just clear the ground then spin them....

Should be easy to tell if they're out of round.......

X2
I have had the same problem with the BFG A/T's. They also will wear on the high spots of the tread 

[emsvitil]

What size BFGs are they anyway?

Here's warranty info for BFGs

http://www.tirerack.com/images/pdf/warranty/BFG1.pdf

[andrew]

X2
I have had the same problem with the BFG A/T's. They also will wear on the high spots of the tread 

My pass side front is bad now . Older bfg all terrain .

[jimbo74]

i used to work in a tire shop, some of the guys i worked with and the sales staff, always tried to push products or services on customers that didnt need them... i in no way agreed with what they were doing, but when you are low man on the totem pole, you do what you are told...


i would get a second opinion on tires... if they are seperating, then that is no joke and they should be replaced, but if they arent, then that store is jsut trying to pull the wool over your eyes....

[93tonkatoy [OP]]

ok. (sorry, i was out working on the wife's toy - 95 Tercel -but that's another story)

I'm not really worried about the out-of-round, i know that is true by the way it rides .

The size is 33x12.50x15 BFG A/T. What I was more concerned with is the belts separating in the tire. Is there any way to tell with them mounted and aired up? Do at home? Like I said, there is still most of the tread still on the tires. No bald eagles here. been there b4, in my younger years



jimbo74, that's what I am thinking, but you know, just want to try to make sure. 75 mph on the interstate with a trailer  would not be a good time to find out!

[Tallchevy]

If you look at the out side edge of the tread, you will see small hills forming & the cords coming through. I had problems with 35" BFG A/T's & 33" BFG M/T's.

[93tonkatoy [OP]]

  No bare spots, no cords showing. The fronts had started cupping (from wasted shocks. when I took off the driver's side, it almost jerked itself out of my hand when it dropped to full extension), which was the main reason I wanted to rotate them. to let them even back out on the rear.

You talking about the edge of the tire feeling more like a cheese grater than a tire? like i said earlier, i have run tires to the cords before and know that scenario quite well. If there was, I'd just call myself DA, and go buy the new tires!!!

[Tallchevy]

No bare spots, no cords showing. The fronts had started cupping (from wasted shocks. when I took off the driver's side, it almost jerked itself out of my hand when it dropped to full extension),

What do you mean "it almost jerked itself out of my hand" 

You talking about the edge of the tire feeling more like a cheese grater than a tire?

No. I circled the area were the tires start to separate. The rubber splits at the base of the tire, not at the top edge of the tread. It will look like something is growing out of the rubber. Like when you plant a seed in the grown & it makes a mound when it comes out of the ground. I hope this makes sense 

[93tonkatoy [OP]]

1, The shock had absolutely no resistance to movement. when I removed it, it was totally collapsed. I picked it up and the thing dropped to full extension in about 1/2 a second. was being kinda sarcastic about it pulling itself outta my hand.

2. no, there are no lumps, bubbles,or anything like that. Only the cupping that I referred to earlier. Maybe that was confusing them?

[MarkyB]

 

I think they were just trying to sell you tires.

Reminds me of the "quick" lube place I went to years ago.  They squirted a little oil on the pinion seal and then tried to tell me it was "about" to go out.

[fordh8r]

1, The shock had absolutely no resistance to movement. when I removed it, it was totally collapsed. I picked it up and the thing dropped to full extension in about 1/2 a second. was being kinda sarcastic about it pulling itself outta my hand.

2. no, there are no lumps, bubbles,or anything like that. Only the cupping that I referred to earlier. Maybe that was confusing them?

Sounds like you needed Shocks for sure! 

     As far as the tires go. Have you spun the tires on the truck to see if the tread area is tracking straight? Maybe this is what they did while it was on the rack. A slight 'wiggle' in the tread is acceptable but if you notice a considerable "S" in the tread it very well could need replacing. If it is seperated it may also have large area that is even slightly bubbled out in the tread area and hard to notice when sitting still. The best way to check for this is as described above, raise the wheels and spin them on the vehicle. Hopefully this gives merit to what they said since a tire in such shape is obviously dangerous.

I think they were just trying to sell you tires.

Reminds me of the "quick" lube place I went to years ago.  They squirted a little oil on the pinion seal and then tried to tell me it was "about" to go out.

Unfortunately, some establishments play on peoples' consciences just to make a sale.  That really makes me mad since there are honest guys out there doing a good job and making an honest living but no one knows who to trust.  If this happens to you please report these guys, this is very important to get guys like this outa business so others won't get taken  .

[93tonkatoy [OP]]

Will be putting it up on the jack tonight to check that, but going down the road, there nis no "wobble" to the tread. Will post up again after I check it out.

I have run into shops that do business the way you mentioned. They prey especially hard on women who don't "know" their vehicles. A couple have tried it with my wife.  Thankfully, she told them that she'd have me look at it.

Yeah, I actually replaced the shocks about a month before I had the tires done. That one, dr. frt., was definitely trash. The rest of them seemed to be ok, but replaced them all anyway.

  a lot better now.

[93tonkatoy [OP]]

Just finished spinnin' my wheels. All four tires vary less than 1/8". It's looking more and more like someone wanted to sell tires.

Thanks all for the input.

now, what was i wanting to work on next?............  , , 

[fordh8r]

Just finished spinnin' my wheels. All four tires vary less than 1/8". It's looking more and more like someone wanted to sell tires.

Thanks all for the input.

now, what was i wanting to work on next?............  , , 

Sounds OK to me... Glad to hear you didn't get duped on that!  Now on with the build since you have more money for something else but tires.   

[93tonkatoy [OP]]

well, i do kinda want the tires, i'm runnin 33's but would like to run 35's or 36's. just have to massage the fenders for stuff clearance and regear with 5.29's. Maybe some of those Downey bulge fenders, make quicker work....

[lethe]

there's a lot of different type of seperations for tires. did they tell you what kind it was? like belt edge, popcorn sepo, etc.