It all started on March 9. I visited the Belle Tire in White Lake Michigan to purchase new wheels and tires. I was looking to get chrome wheels instead of the factory machined. I purchased a set of MKW 20 chrome wheels along with 275/55/R20 Pirelli tires. I was there for about 2.5 hours for install.
I had to return about a week later due to a bad vibration at the speeds of about 70 MPH. I do not take the freeway very much to get to the speed of 70 MPH. When I went back they re-balanced the tires and said that they were off for some reason. I was there for about 1 hour for balancing.
After about another week or so later, I had to return for the same reason A vibration! They once again re-balanced them and sent me on my way. I was there for about an hour for balancing. They still cant figure out why it is off balance. They said that they were going to duck tape my weights to the rim! He asked me if I wash my truck. Obviously I do. He said it could be throwing the weights.
Another week or so went by and the vibration was there again. I then decided to go to the Belle Tire in Commerce Michigan to see if they could fix this issue. I got there and told them about my situation and they said they would check it out. They said they checked the balancing and it was off by almost 2oz on each tire. I was there for about an hour for balancing.
After about another week I had the vibration again and went back to the Commerce store. He said that the balancing was off again, so they re-balanced them. Once again another hour wait. After that I went right to the highway to test and the vibration was still there. I went back to the Commerce store to get my money back. He stated that I needed to go back to the White Lake store where I purchased them as it would affect his bottom line and he didnt make the sale.
I went back to the White Lake Store and asked about a refund and I was unable to get a refund even though it was within 30 days and had all these problems. I then called corporate to help me with this issue. Of course there is no one to talk to and you have to leave a message.
I received a call back two days later from a guy from another Belle Tire store trying to help me out. I explained the issues. He told me we would get the vibration fixed and they just need some time. So they ordered the same rims MKW but in 17 and new tires. They put those on the next day and I was there for another 2 hours or so.
Once again there was a vibration! Went back and they did the re-balancing thing a couple more times. Nothing worked. They said it might need to be Road Force tested and they dont have any of those machines in their shops except there training office down river. I would have to leave my car for a couple of hours and also make an appointment to take it down there. That would not work as I use my car for work every day.
I took my car to discount tire as they have the Road Force balancer at all their locations. They said with it being new tire and wheels that it was probably a balancing issue. They balanced them and found that it was off about 1.5 oz per tire. I went back the next day because that did not fix the problem. They then road forced balanced them and said they were off by a little bit, but there was still the vibration when driving. So I spent $80.00 for Road Forced balancing and $40.00 for the initial balancing at Discount Tire, on top of the $1357.00 I spent for the initial wheels and tires.
I went back to Belle Tire with the report from Discount tire and told them wait they had said about the wheels not being compatible with my vehicle due to the offset in weight. When you look on MKWs web site and check out a 08 Expedition XLT it says that those wheels are not compatible with my truck.
So Belle Tire ordered another set of wheels and tires. These ones where shipping from California and would take 5 days to get here. It was a little over a week before they called me to say they were in. I went in to have them installed and they would not fit over the brake caliber. These were Force Blunt wheels, also not compatible in a 17 for my truck on their website. So he said he needed to re-order and it would take about a week to get them but he was ordering them in 18 so they would fit. After a week went by I called to find out when they would be in. He said that they were making them. I was leaving for out of town that upcoming weekend and my truck was not drivable on the freeway due to the bad vibration.
They ordered a different rim (an Ultra) to be delivered that day. They came in and they put them on. The next day I called back to tell them that it had more vibration that it had in the past.
I then started looking for a set of factory wheels (OEM) since I sold mine thinking that I would not need them any longer. I found a set for $1150.00 for just the four wheels. I purchased them and took them to Belle Tire to install. They used the original Pirellis that I had on the first time with these wheels. I got on the freeway to test and finally no vibration. I was so excited I had no vibration, the first time since March. I made it about 15 miles stopped ate dinner. After leaving, on the freeway it started to vibrate really bad again.
I called the tire place that I purchased the OEM wheels at and he said bring it to him and he would look at it for me. They closed at 5pm but would be happy to stay after to help me out as I was going out of town the next day. He took a tire off just to check the balance and while it was spinning you could hear something in the tire. He took the tire off the wheel to find the tire pressure sensor floating around in the tire which was installed to rim with clear packing tape. So he took off the other three tires to find that each sensor in each tire was floating around and all installed with packing tape. He re-balanced them and it ran perfect!
I went back to Belle Tire the next day before I left for out of town and showed him the picture I took of the packing tape around my wheels which they used to install the sensors instead of the clamps. He then stated he knew about it and said they have been using zip ties, packing tape, etc to hold these on!
I was so upset! All these issues I have had with vibration and they are using packing tape! What a joke! I have now spent money at Discount Tire, Belle Tire, and the local tire shop, plus the cost of my OEM wheels. I have now spent $2747.00 between all three places just to eliminate the vibration.
I asked for a refund for the wheels the day that they installed the OEM wheels. He stated that they would have to mail me a check even though I paid with my credit card. After finding out that they taped my sensors to my wheel I want a refund of everything that I paid for. I paid for new tires, wheels, lug nuts, sensor clamps and install. After these 6 months of torture, all I ended up getting from Belle Tire was a set of tires. I visited them about a total of 18 times not including the other places I had to go. I fell that I am entitled to a full refund on my credit card like it was paid for.
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