Here's a little eye opener, Get out and get under! Options

[Howard]

So my newly acquired 914-V8 has a bit of front end shake. Take it to local tire place, they balance and notice struts are leaking and clank a bit. So balanced, aligned and strutted, I'm on my way.

Out for a drive, front really gets shaky and a bunch of free play in wheel. Limp home, jack up car and take a look. Gee whiz (I think I said it differently) the steering box was not bolted to the frame. Nice holes, nice threads, no bolts. Installed bolts. Thanked powers that be, as I had just come off a curvy road with some serious drop offs.

Back to tire shop, tech says 'they told me to replace struts, not check anything else'. Mutters a few other things, and realigns. Car still shakes, of course. Car sat for a long time on new tires, and they now 'guess' tread separation. Nowhere near round, of course, but hey, they did balance. Think I'll take my business elsewhere.

So what have we learned, kids? I learned "Trust everyone, then double check". I had my granddaughter in the car last week.

Irate old fart goes to tire store with grenade laucher: Film @ 11.

[914ghost]

I have NEVER been satisfied with the big name tire retail chains. They have screwed up and cost me more than I care to recall.
1)How about screwing the studs so far into the drum that when they back the car off the lift it TEARS the brakes apart. Tried to tell me it was probably like that before- even though the car wouldn't even MOVE.
2)How about STRIPPING 7 out of 10 studs on my 1960 356 Coupe. Then breaking the door handle.
3)How about installing cone-seat lugnuts instead of ball seat. The nuts bottomed out on the drum before they tightened the wheel down- seemed 'okay' to them though all 4 wheels wobbled as I was driving away.
Again, not their fault.. ..

I could go on and on.. . (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)
-Bob O