Dibbons
Well-Known Member
- Local time
- 5:44 PM
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2014
- Messages
- 4,750
- Reaction score
- 5,459
- Location
- La Paz, B.C.S., Mexico
I apologize for this being such a long story, come back if you don't have the time:
On my 4,600 mile road trip this month in my '72 Satellite Sebring Plus 318 auto with 2.71 rear end, I went through two pair of front tires. Before I left, I had the first alignment done (La Paz, BCS, Mexico) which included replacing passenger side tie rod which was found to be worn.
When I arrived in Chico, California after the first 2000 miles, the Pep Boys Cornell 1000 21570R-14 front tires (which only had about 6000 miles on them before I left) were worn completely out on the outside edge (the driver's side was down to the steel belts and that same left front tire went flat overnight).
At Les Schwab the next morning, I purchased two new Hancook tires (21570R-14) and a second wheel alignment. I thought it strange when I picked the car up there was no mention of worn front suspension parts. Drove another 900 miles and noticed some obvious premature wear on the inside of the front tires (previously it was the outside tires wearing as mentioned above).
Went to a local family run tire shop in Mill Valley, California for another front end alignment. They said the toe was way off and they reset it. They mentioned the right side wheel bearing was noisy and the driver's side lower ball joint had a little play, but not enough to throw off the toe setting so much. I drove another 60 miles and noticed the front tires starting to squeal like a horde of little pigs, even while driving 5 MPH thru a parking lot.
Drove 60 miles back to the Mill Valley tire shop with the tires squealing all the way. They found the toe was way off again and reset it. They also spent some time checking every nut and bolt to make sure nothing was loose, but still did not suggest replacing any parts. I had already shown them a box from PST with about $400 worth of front end parts I had in the trunk that I purchased a few days before (to do a future complete front end rebuild). Before the Mill Valley shop even looked at my car the first time, I handed the box of new parts to the manager and told him he could use any or all of those parts if need be.
After checking all the nut/bolts the Mill Valley shop reset the toe a second time and told me the camber/caster had not changed from their first alignment (the day before). The manager said he was perplexed at the constant change of toe settings and he did not understand where the root problem was. I drove another 180 miles round trip and things seemed to be alright. Please note that during all of this driving and tire wear and alignment problems, the car never pulled to the right, nor ever pulled to the left!
The next day was Sunday morning, and since I had a 1,500 mile trip back home (Mill Valley, California to La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico) I decided to leave that day for San Diego on the first leg of my return trip (500 miles) to beat the commuter traffic the next morning. The manager in Mill Valley had offered to re-check my alignment (a third time) on the following Monday or Tuesday, but I was getting homesick and did not want to wait another couple of days.
When I arrived in San Diego, it seemed the tires had worn a little more (again) on the inside edges. I thought even if the toe had changed once more, I might still make it back home safely on those same tires. I had another 1000 miles to go.
Drove another 500 miles from Tijuana to Guerrero Negro where I purchased some gasoline. The driver's inside tire was a little worse for wear than the passenger inside tire. Although I only had 500 miles to go, I decided I had to do something fast. Went to a local tire shop and waited a couple of hours for the alignment "specialist" to show up at the shop. He called me over to demonstrate how the lower ball joint on the driver's side was completely wasted away. I don't believe it could have been any more loose/worn than it was.
Now I was finally able to bring out my box of new parts and the mechanic was happy to see them. He picked out the driver's side lower ball joint and I gave him the passenger side and asked him to change the two of them out. He also walked across the street to a local auto parts store where he found four new wheel bearings. He replaced both sets of front wheel bearings while he had things apart.
So having a little more confidence in believing the toe in might finally hold it's setting, I found they had two tires in my size and I had them installed on the front to replace the wasted Hancooks. These were Uniroyal "Pantera" 21570R-14, which i could not find listed for sale in the United States for some reason. I only find "Tiger Paws" in USA listings.
So the next morning i drove the last 500 miles home to my final destination. What did I spend in Guerrero Negro for the final repairs?
$ 86.00 tire (includes tax and everything) Uniroyal Pantera
$ 86.00 tire (included tax and everything) Uniroyal Pantera
$ 27.50 four wheel bearings (includes tax, no labor charge)
$ 48.75 labor to replace two lower ball joints
$ 18.75 wheel alignment
$ 267.00 total
The only thing is I was not given an alignment printout after the above repairs, so I have no idea of the final settings. The car seemed to track alright. Doing the math, I got about 2000 miles from the Hancook tires I purchased in Chico, California. I saved them to put on one of my two '65 Abodies (just to drive around town on-not suitable for highway use). At least I got home safe and sound and enjoyed seeing family, friends, and bringing back a trunkful of restoration parts.
On my 4,600 mile road trip this month in my '72 Satellite Sebring Plus 318 auto with 2.71 rear end, I went through two pair of front tires. Before I left, I had the first alignment done (La Paz, BCS, Mexico) which included replacing passenger side tie rod which was found to be worn.
When I arrived in Chico, California after the first 2000 miles, the Pep Boys Cornell 1000 21570R-14 front tires (which only had about 6000 miles on them before I left) were worn completely out on the outside edge (the driver's side was down to the steel belts and that same left front tire went flat overnight).
At Les Schwab the next morning, I purchased two new Hancook tires (21570R-14) and a second wheel alignment. I thought it strange when I picked the car up there was no mention of worn front suspension parts. Drove another 900 miles and noticed some obvious premature wear on the inside of the front tires (previously it was the outside tires wearing as mentioned above).
Went to a local family run tire shop in Mill Valley, California for another front end alignment. They said the toe was way off and they reset it. They mentioned the right side wheel bearing was noisy and the driver's side lower ball joint had a little play, but not enough to throw off the toe setting so much. I drove another 60 miles and noticed the front tires starting to squeal like a horde of little pigs, even while driving 5 MPH thru a parking lot.
Drove 60 miles back to the Mill Valley tire shop with the tires squealing all the way. They found the toe was way off again and reset it. They also spent some time checking every nut and bolt to make sure nothing was loose, but still did not suggest replacing any parts. I had already shown them a box from PST with about $400 worth of front end parts I had in the trunk that I purchased a few days before (to do a future complete front end rebuild). Before the Mill Valley shop even looked at my car the first time, I handed the box of new parts to the manager and told him he could use any or all of those parts if need be.
After checking all the nut/bolts the Mill Valley shop reset the toe a second time and told me the camber/caster had not changed from their first alignment (the day before). The manager said he was perplexed at the constant change of toe settings and he did not understand where the root problem was. I drove another 180 miles round trip and things seemed to be alright. Please note that during all of this driving and tire wear and alignment problems, the car never pulled to the right, nor ever pulled to the left!
The next day was Sunday morning, and since I had a 1,500 mile trip back home (Mill Valley, California to La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico) I decided to leave that day for San Diego on the first leg of my return trip (500 miles) to beat the commuter traffic the next morning. The manager in Mill Valley had offered to re-check my alignment (a third time) on the following Monday or Tuesday, but I was getting homesick and did not want to wait another couple of days.
When I arrived in San Diego, it seemed the tires had worn a little more (again) on the inside edges. I thought even if the toe had changed once more, I might still make it back home safely on those same tires. I had another 1000 miles to go.
Drove another 500 miles from Tijuana to Guerrero Negro where I purchased some gasoline. The driver's inside tire was a little worse for wear than the passenger inside tire. Although I only had 500 miles to go, I decided I had to do something fast. Went to a local tire shop and waited a couple of hours for the alignment "specialist" to show up at the shop. He called me over to demonstrate how the lower ball joint on the driver's side was completely wasted away. I don't believe it could have been any more loose/worn than it was.
Now I was finally able to bring out my box of new parts and the mechanic was happy to see them. He picked out the driver's side lower ball joint and I gave him the passenger side and asked him to change the two of them out. He also walked across the street to a local auto parts store where he found four new wheel bearings. He replaced both sets of front wheel bearings while he had things apart.
So having a little more confidence in believing the toe in might finally hold it's setting, I found they had two tires in my size and I had them installed on the front to replace the wasted Hancooks. These were Uniroyal "Pantera" 21570R-14, which i could not find listed for sale in the United States for some reason. I only find "Tiger Paws" in USA listings.
So the next morning i drove the last 500 miles home to my final destination. What did I spend in Guerrero Negro for the final repairs?
$ 86.00 tire (includes tax and everything) Uniroyal Pantera
$ 86.00 tire (included tax and everything) Uniroyal Pantera
$ 27.50 four wheel bearings (includes tax, no labor charge)
$ 48.75 labor to replace two lower ball joints
$ 18.75 wheel alignment
$ 267.00 total
The only thing is I was not given an alignment printout after the above repairs, so I have no idea of the final settings. The car seemed to track alright. Doing the math, I got about 2000 miles from the Hancook tires I purchased in Chico, California. I saved them to put on one of my two '65 Abodies (just to drive around town on-not suitable for highway use). At least I got home safe and sound and enjoyed seeing family, friends, and bringing back a trunkful of restoration parts.
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