Mechanics calling each other out on social media isn’t exactly a new phenomenon. Fortunately, these kinds of squabbles are ultimately useful for viewers. Not just so they can engage in some e-drama, but because they can help them ultimately become more informed consumers.
Like the lessons in tire balances vs wheel alignments that can be gleaned from TikTok user @sh*ttytire’s recent long-form invective. The mechanic who reps City Tire in Batesville, Mississippi, on the social media platform, highlights a major problem with a tire salesperson’s work.
In the clip, he details how the business either blatantly lied to their client or has no idea what a tire balance is. Which is pretty alarming for someone who sells tires for a living. The mechanic delineates the frustrating process they engaged in to ensure the client was able to drive her car safely at highway speeds.
Tire alignment vs. balance
“So this lady went and bought four new tires from a guy that normally just sells used tires. And I guess he’s selling new tires now. But anyway, she said after he put the tires on, she’s got a vibration at 65 or 70,” he says.
“And so she went back to him and he told her she just needed a front end alignment,” he continues. “So she came to my place for a front end alignment. And I ask everybody that comes to my place for an alignment: Why do you need an alignment? She said, ‘Well, it’s got a vibration at 65 or 70.’ And I said, ‘Well, you don’t need an alignment. You need a tire balance.’”
The woman told the TikToker that she just purchased new tires and the mechanic “balanced” them when he put them on. That indicated to @sh*ttytire that the other mechanic hadn’t in fact balanced them when he put them on.
@sh*ttytire says the woman informed him the tires came pre-balanced. “He said no they’re balanced from the factory, cause they have this yellow and red dots on them. You just need an alignment,” he says. “So she got off the phone with him and she was like what I need to do?”
“And I said I’ll do an alignment but you might as well take 80 bucks and wad it up and throw it out there in the street. Cause it ain’t gonna fix it. I said I’ll tell you what I’ll balance your tires. And if it doesn’t work you don’t have to pay me. We balanced them and it fixed it and she was happy.”
A factory balanced tire?
Because tire balancing must be performed on a wheel-by-wheel (aka rim by rim) basis, balancing them in a factory is impossible. Springfield Ford explains, “Tire balancing (also known as wheel balancing) corrects uneven distribution of weight in the wheels. Imbalanced wheels can lead to vibration, excessive tire wear, damage to the suspension, and other problems.”
The article states, “During a tire balancing service, your Ford’s tires and wheels are mounted onto a tire balancing machine. The machine spins the tire and wheel assembly to measure the imbalance so that our technician can precisely install the correct tire weights to achieve a properly balanced wheel and tire assembly. Tire balancing and wheel alignment happen in the same service, but it’s important to understand that they are not the same.”
TikTok viewers agree
The video has amassed 2 million views in just a day. In the comments, numerous folks express their shock at the brazen lie/ignorance presented by the tire business owner. One person remarks, “Balance at the factory, that’s cute.”
Another user writes, “‘Balanced at the factory.’ How do people come up with this stuff?!”
Someone else shares their insight into the significance of the red and yellow dots mentioned in the TikToker’s tale. “Yellow dot is the heaviest point of the tire the red dot is the flattest spot. you line up the yellow dot with the valve stem to try and balance the extra tire weight against the valvestem.”
@shittytire #humor #mechanicsoftiktok #tireshop #tires #car #cars #truck #trucks #cartok #trucktok #carsoftiktok #trucksoftiktok #mechaniclife #balance #tirebalance #newtires ♬ original sound – shittytire
The Daily Dot reached out to @sh*ttytire via TikTok comment for further information.
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