Inexperienced tyrefitters

McFlude

McFlude

Member
T6 Pro
I thought that I would post a general alert to keep an eye on your van when having new tyres fitted. I had my recently purchased Kombi on the a ramp yesterday to drop the fuel tank for the feed to a diesel heater and noticed a dent the nearside sill about 600 mm behind the front wheel. I then checked the offside and saw that the sill was also dented. My initial feeling was that the van had been driven over a low wall or something but soon realised that I have the same problem on my car which was caused by a tyre fitter jacking in the wrong position. I had approached the tyre company as soon as I had noticed the dents but they denied responsibility. I know it was them as no one else had jacked the car in my ownership.
 
McFlude said:
I thought that I would post a general alert to keep an eye on your van when having new tyres fitted. I had my recently purchased Kombi on the a ramp yesterday to drop the fuel tank for the feed to a diesel heater and noticed a dent the nearside sill about 600 mm behind the front wheel. I then checked the offside and saw that the sill was also dented. My initial feeling was that the van had been driven over a low wall or something but soon realised that I have the same problem on my car which was caused by a tyre fitter jacking in the wrong position. I had approached the tyre company as soon as I had noticed the dents but they denied responsibility. I know it was them as no one else had jacked the car in my ownership.
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I have seen that sort of thing. Some of them are a bit fast and careless when doing routine jobs. It could be that they just do not care or have not been properly trained.
 
McFlude said:
I thought that I would post a general alert to keep an eye on your van when having new tyres fitted. I had my recently purchased Kombi on the a ramp yesterday to drop the fuel tank for the feed to a diesel heater and noticed a dent the nearside sill about 600 mm behind the front wheel. I then checked the offside and saw that the sill was also dented. My initial feeling was that the van had been driven over a low wall or something but soon realised that I have the same problem on my car which was caused by a tyre fitter jacking in the wrong position. I had approached the tyre company as soon as I had noticed the dents but they denied responsibility. I know it was them as no one else had jacked the car in my ownership.
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That’s disgraceful. I can understand that they deny it, but it’s still disappointing.
 
BognorMotors said:
Shocking that. And proof it pays to go to an expert on the vehicle.
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Completely agree! I was at @CRS Performance last month and they double checked their lift was at the right points before lifting my van. Now, I accept they have every reason to as they’re working under it....but when you consider the number of Transporters they have through their workshop every week AND they still double check!
 
BognorMotors said:
It’s all about product knowledge
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Oh, this is too true!
And, I’m not sure I would trust those fitters and their knowledge of tyres either, never mind the specific jacking points of different vehicles!
When the lads at @CRS Performance had my van up on the lift doing my suspension, they did ask “Who did your tyres?” It transpired I had put my new wheels on the week before and failed to observe the tyre travel direction! (Steve did make some quip to my young lad that “It would’ve been safer if your Dad reversed up the M6!)
Sparing my blushes, they did swap my wheels around for me while they had the van off the ground.
“Specialist knowledge” top trumps “Jack of all trades”....and, as you can see, I am neither! However, for a tyre-fitter to miss a jacking point once is understandable. Twice takes a lot of explaining. To do it on more than one vehicle is unforgivable!
 
McFlude said:
I thought that I would post a general alert to keep an eye on your van when having new tyres fitted. I had my recently purchased Kombi on the a ramp yesterday to drop the fuel tank for the feed to a diesel heater and noticed a dent the nearside sill about 600 mm behind the front wheel. I then checked the offside and saw that the sill was also dented. My initial feeling was that the van had been driven over a low wall or something but soon realised that I have the same problem on my car which was caused by a tyre fitter jacking in the wrong position. I had approached the tyre company as soon as I had noticed the dents but they denied responsibility. I know it was them as no one else had jacked the car in my ownership.
Click to expand...
Sorry to hear that and I’ve actually see vehicles like this with dents in the sill where the jack is placed on the sill not the jacking point. There is a mark (indentation) on the sill indicating the jacking point, but this means place jack on the chassis/jacking point, not the actual sill. This obviously doesn’t help you I know but thought I’d mention it.

Cheers,

Ian
 
I had some alloys scraped during tyre fitting once, after a long argument of them denying they caused the damage they eventually agreed to repair both alloys. As a sign of goodwill I promised I would use them in future.

I went back a year later for more tyres and exactly the same gouges appeared on both alloy wheels again. I was fuming they could make the same mistake again, they obviously agreed to repair the damage but I never went back after that!!!
 
Perhaps we should all paint arrows on the side pointing directly to the jacking points with an appropriate instructive balloon. I have in the past considered highlighting the jacking points with fluorescent or reflective paint
 
I’ll say one thing to back up the average tyre fitter; they know that the hub spigot needs light greasing to prevent the wheel seizing on the hub.
The first time my wheels were removed it took two people with a sledgehammer on opposed sides of the wheel to knock them off the hub.
Assembled by VW!
 
Tourershine said:
You weren't, I've just busted your lack of knowledge :eek:

Which is payback for you correcting my speeling mistakes on the rare okation.
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I was just making the stickers, as we all know there are 2 jacking points in that location.
Talking of which, the "sill" one for the factory half jack, no longer fits now I have the sidebars.
I have just purchased a cheap motorised 2T scissor jack that I'm hoping will fit on the propper jacking point further under.
 
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