More thoughts on buying trailer tires?

[thevoelkers]

There are various helpful threads on tires here I've read...just a few questions for your thoughts...

-Buy online vs. buy local. Pros/cons? Anything to be wary of other than making sure tires are "fresh?"
-If you buy online, where do you take them to have them mounted?

[chiefd]

My 2 cents buy locally.  I got three tires installed and balanced for about $240 by the time I was done.  That included tire disposal etc.  The best part is I did not even break a sweat.  Well OK I did sweat it was hard work drinking a soda watching the guy do the work.

[ScoobyDoo]

  As for as mounting, any place that can repair a tire can mount new. If "buy local" means go to a local store that keeps most of the profit in your town, that's what to do. If the profit is going to Bentonville, you might go online...

[seekingcamp]

I looked at buying local but the places in my area didn't carry them and it would take some doing to get them. So, I ordered from e-trailer a company that specializes in trailers.  I highly recommend them.  Mounting done at Walmart.

[Blkvoodoo]

I looked at buying local but the places in my area didn't carry them and it would take some doing to get them. So, I ordered from e-trailer a company that specializes in trailers.  I highly recommend them.  Mounting done at Walmart.

 pretty much what was said above.
 The tires on our camper are not available locally, and none of the dealers I contacted were even interested in ordering them.  Works for me.

I tried a few times to give the locals my business, but because it was a request "out of the normal range of operation "  IE they actually had to do more than 6 key strokes it wasn't worth it to them.

trailer tires ordered from Tire Rack, wheels from Etrailer, mounted and balanced at Wal-Mart. =  smooth ride and no worries

[gec66]

If you are going to buy online, buy from a high volume seller.  When you receive them check the date code to make sure they are fresh, not 3,4, 5 years old already.  I used etrailer last year with no issues.

[ScoobyDoo]

    I tried a few times to give the locals my business, but because it was a request "out of the normal range of operation "  IE they actually had to do more than 6 key strokes it wasn't worth it to them


       I kinda got this reaction, dealing with the "salesperson"  Talking to owner, said I needed set of tires for DW's car. When his ears where open "but first I need..." My new tires will be in Monday, mounted balanced for "bout $20@tire more than cost of tires off net. I hope the Walton kids don't go hungry...

[wavery]

If you are going to buy online, buy from a high volume seller.  When you receive them check the date code to make sure they are fresh, not 3,4, 5 years old already.  I used etrailer last year with no issues.

Good advise.

However, I would make sure of the age of the tires before I purchased them. A friend of mine received tires that were 3-years-old (from an online seller). He called the seller and complained. The seller said that he could send them back for a full refund (my friend had to pay return shipping) or the seller would return 20% of the purchase price of the tires (which was very nice of them). However, now he has to replace the tires in 3 years instead of 5-6. In the end, he would have been far better off paying retail locally and having the ability to check the date code before he paid and have the option of being sure that the "new" tires were under 1-year old.

[chiefd]

Yes local is local.  Giving business to those who live and work in the community.  They had to order mine and schedule the tire change but I just drove the PUP there pulled it up where they said and they changed them quickly and professionally.  I did not have to ask what pressure he filled them to he told me!   

[austinado16]

I try to spend locally as often as possible but like Blkvoodoo mentioned, sometimes "the fight" just isn't worth it.  It's as if these retailers want to pretend there's no internet.  When I run into price gouging or some ridiculous order arrival time, I take my business online.  Just had a situation on Friday, where a local retailer was going to hit me for $24ea and possibly charge me shipping, plus 8% sales tax, on an item that I needed 4 of.  I cancelled, found the exact same thing on ebay for $9ea and the seller put them all in one flatrate box for $13, along with 3 other "upsell" items that I decided to purchase at the same time.  So for $92 I got what would have cost me $300 locally......and my parts will be here Monday, while the local parts wouldn't have even been ordered until Mon.

I try to buy tires locally just so that if there's ever an issue, I won't get, "Hey, you didn't get those from us, call so-n-so."  But, when they can't or won't get the flavor I want, I get online.

Remember to get 'em balanced, have trailer tire valve stems installed if the tires are to be run at 50psi or higher, and check the pressure when you get home.  Most tire shops won't balance trailer tires, install standard automotive valve stems, and only fill to about 29psi.

[mstrbill]

mounted and balanced at Wal-Mart.

That's interesting, the last time I asked at our local Walmart, they said they couldn't balance trailer tires. Maybe they have upgraded their equipment since then.

[seekingcamp]

MstrBill, I didn't know they balanced trailer tires because my old tires didn't have any lead weights on them and they rode great.  When they asked if I wanted them balanced, I said sure.  I was able to watch them do it and there are weights on the tires now.  We will see on my trip to Florida next week how they do.

[austinado16]

The reason why some trailer tires aren't balanced, or that shops won't balance them, is that some trailer wheels are not manufactured "hub centric."  This means that the hub hole in the middle of the wheel is not centered, and therefore, can't be chucked up in the balance machine using the normal conical chucks that they use for automotive wheels.

Pretty easy to tell if a wheel can be balance using the normal conical chucks.  Simply chuck it up in the balancer and give it a spin.  If it's visibly bouncing up and down, you know the hub isn't hub centric.  If it spins true, you know it is hub centric and therefore, can be balanced.

Those that aren't hub centric could still be balanced, they just have to be chucked up by their lug holes......but the tire shop may not have a chuck that's set up for that.

[seekingcamp]

Austinado16,
I actually saw them measuring the wheel with flat jig of some sort, looked like a large plastic caliper.  They may have been checking for the centricity you talk about.

[ScoobyDoo]

       
I actually saw them measuring the wheel with flat jig of some sort, looked like a large plastic caliper.  They may have been checking for the centricity you talk about.


     Probably checking the width, so the machine can tell how much to put on each side...