Error by tyre fitting company

[Abacist]

I have used Black Circles for the last 2 tyre changes. One set for my Audi and just had 7 Michelin Agilis for the Moho. Anyway I had to choose a local fitter company so decided on a local family company close to home. They did the Audi 4 fine. They did the first Moho one fine as it had a bad cut in the sidewall and then advised that the rest needed doing due to cracking and signs of early perishing so I bought another 6 to have a spare as the MOT was looming.

I am chatting to the owner on the offside of the vehicle so they start at the back on the near side. We walk around and I say why are they changing the front rear as you replaced that a week ago and I told them that when I arrived!
Owner goes in to stop them but too late. Different lad doing the work!
Job gets finished and I then refuel at Trago and top up gas and go home. Think I can hear the start of a wheel bearing going on the rear near side.
Take van for M O T today and it fails as it’s only got 4 wheel nuts on the rearmost near side so one gone missing and remaining 4 are loose!

This has to be fault of change of tyre fitters and improper hand over! I don’t think the wheel nuts were ever torqued up and we’re just hand tightened.

I have wasted best part of a morning, wife’s fuel and time coming to EXETER to get me and same again tomorrow to return to collect van which is earliest a new wheel nut can be obtained plus cost of wheelnut and any garage charges for this.
I don’t know these costs yet!

I am well pissed off at the hassle let alone could have had an accident, damaged alloy wheel or even get a third party claim from another vehicle hit by my wheel nut flying off!

I shall be returning to the tyre fitment place with my tale of woe and demanding at least recompense for my extra costs!

Anyone else got and views more or less aggressive than mine?

 

[Silver-Fox]

Have a look on your receipt.
It very often says check tightness of wheel bolts after so long.

Just a thought.

I wouldn’t be happy for sure.

 

[Abacist]

Yes there was a notice up to this effect in the tyre place but to check after 50 miles.

Newton Abbot to Trago and back home and then to MOT place at Exeter totals 28.24 miles from my Tracker log.

 

[pappajohn]

I often see tyre fitters use a torque wrench..... But I've never seen one adjust a torque wrench before using it.
When I have anything done involving wheel removal I slacken and re-torque before leaving.

I once asked the fitter what torque he set my Chrysler wheel to.
Whatever he said I pointed out in the factory handbook the correct torque...... He told me the handbook was wrong!!!!!

 

[SuperMike]

To re-torque correctly, are you not supposed to slacken first, it which case, what is the point. Or, am I misunderstanding things ? Probably am..

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[GAVLAD]

They should be paying you compensation never mind just expenses.
You’re the valued customer esp after buying so many tyres.
I think an email to black circles is required too.

 

[Allanm]

I had 4 tyres changed on the rear axle of our RV a couple of years ago. The tyre fitter came to my house to fit the tyres and couldn’t even get the steel wheel trims off, so disappeared. Another fitter came later that day, by then I had googled how to remove them, and away he went, fitting the tyres.
After the tyres were on, I asked him if he needed the torque settings. ‘No’, he replied, I ‘haven’t got a torque wrench.....I usually fit tractor tyres’
?
‘Your best bet is to take the vehicle to a garage and get them checked...’
I told him I’m not moving 7.5 tons of RV with untorqued wheel nuts, as he sped away...

Anyway, I contacted the tyre seller as they recommended the fitting company and they reimbursed the fitting costs. I also had to buy a heavy duty torque wrench before I could use the van.
And I thought Kwik Fit were bad!
Cowboys!

 

[Theonlysue]

If you look in instruction book, there should be torque settings.
Happened to a friend of mine on a car, fitter was sacked as putting lives at risk.

 

[Abacist]

They should be paying you compensation never mind just expenses.
You’re the valued customer esp after buying so many tyres.
I think an email to black circles is required too.

This is how I am feeling but they only get about £15 per tyre fitted but they had a bonus because the spare did not have to be fitted.
I am also not overly impressed with Black Circles as the first tyre was manufactured in week 20 something in 2019. The six in the second order are all week twenty something but 2018 so just over 1 year old before they are fitted as new! Others might be interested in this! My extra 10% off on the day from Black Circles seemed good at the time but not now the tyres are 1 year old already!

 

[Jaws]

Local tyre place I have been using over the last few weeks always uses a torque wrench.. When asked I was told that they do all Ducato's with 16" wheels to 190nM
Came home and checked..Close enough for me, recommended 180nM
AND each time they said to come back after about a 100 miles and they would check them as part of the fitting service
Thetford Tyre and Exhaust for those in the area

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[Abacist]

I told the tyre fitters that the base vehicle was a Fiat Ducato and then did their thing with the torque wrench. I don’t know what they used but only one wheel came loose and all bolts on that wheel were loose with one lost.

The MOT assessor said he would torque to 120 ft lbs.

Not sure what it should actually be?

I suspect 120 ft lbs is too light and 180 ft lbs about right.

Oh for a Haynes manual for the Fiat Ducato!

 

[GAVLAD]

This is how I am feeling but they only get about £15 per tyre fitted but they had a bonus because the spare did not have to be fitted.
I am also not overly impressed with Black Circles as the first tyre was manufactured in week 20 something in 2019. The six in the second order are all week twenty something but 2018 so just over 1 year old before they are fitted as new! Others might be interested in this! My extra 10% off on the day from Black Circles seemed good at the time but not now the tyres are 1 year old already!

Totally understand.
I experienced the same issues when I ordered new tyres, the date stamp on the tyres were 18mths old.
I questioned this and was told that Michelin Aglis Camper tyres were only made in batches and not produced like regular tyres on a regular basis. Therefore stockists and their supplier stock pile the tyres.
If the tyre has been stored correctly, there’s no detrimental affect to the tyre.
I went round in circles (forgive the pun) on this at the time as I’d just bought what I thought were old tyres and more likely to crack before a newer manufactured tyre date but, was told that it’s not based on that fact but on how I use the tyre, how it’s stored (parked up).
It’s been a discussion topic before on here so it seems that it’s a common practice for the camper tyres.
It is frustrating though and I feel a bit of a con, because when you next take it for its service, the garage will say you tyres are old!
All of that said, with your situation, I’d still include it in your complaint.

 

[Jaws]

I told the tyre fitters that the base vehicle was a Fiat Ducato and then did their thing with the torque wrench. I don’t know what they used but only one wheel came loose and all bolts on that wheel were loose with one lost.

The MOT assessor said he would torque to 120 ft lbs.

Not sure what it should actually be?

I suspect 120 ft lbs is too light and 180 ft lbs about right.

Oh for a Haynes manual for the Fiat Ducato!

Should be 132 ft lbs ( which equals 180nM )

 

[Lenny HB]

I told the tyre fitters that the base vehicle was a Fiat Ducato and then did their thing with the torque wrench. I don’t know what they used but only one wheel came loose and all bolts on that wheel were loose with one lost.

The MOT assessor said he would torque to 120 ft lbs.

Not sure what it should actually be?

I suspect 120 ft lbs is too light and 180 ft lbs about right.

Oh for a Haynes manual for the Fiat Ducato!

120 ft lbs is 163 nm
Ducato Steel 16" wheels on maxi chassis should be 180 nm, I have seen Alloys quoted as 160 nm but can't confirm it.

 

[Lenny HB]

This is how I am feeling but they only get about £15 per tyre fitted but they had a bonus because the spare did not have to be fitted.
I am also not overly impressed with Black Circles as the first tyre was manufactured in week 20 something in 2019. The six in the second order are all week twenty something but 2018 so just over 1 year old before they are fitted as new! Others might be interested in this! My extra 10% off on the day from Black Circles seemed good at the time but not now the tyres are 1 year old already!

Tyre distributors consider a tyre brand new providing its manufacturing date is under 2 years at the time of sale. The last tyre I had from Black Circle was less than a month old.
Doesn't bother me as I will wear tread out in about 3 years.

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[TerryL]

When I fitted alloys I asked what the torque should be; was told 180nm. I've always used KwikFit to change tyres and they always refer to their chart - well at least if I'm watching them................!

But I bought myself a torque wrench and after working out the conversion of ft/lbs to nm now check it myself.