Replaced all the bushings in my truck and need new tires and an alignment. The shop by my house does the best alignment and I want them to do it. The problem is the only tires I can get locally (I need 11r24.5) is Michelin Xdn2. The only other option I can find is Bridgestone m713 that are 800 miles away. No other set of 8 tires I can find. Hesitant to get the Xdn2 because it’s crazy bad rolling resistance and fuel mileage. They are also about $50 more each. The Bridgestones fuel mileage and rolling resistance is great, but I would have to do the alignment, drive 800 miles, then get the tires. I don’t want to find an alignment shop I don’t know in a state I don’t go to. Since I drive a 379 it’s like a barn door for fuel mileage anyway, also I stay in the hot south I-10 corridor. So will an alignment, drive 800 miles for new tires, be fine and not need another alignment?
Correct, it doesn’t matter when you get the alignment before or after. Once the alignment is done, it stays align. Unless your going to get the front wheels balance. Some old school shops do the balancing on the truck and it’s the best way to go. If your running centramtics, then it doesn’t matter.
Order them online and quit paying a premium for bridgestone/michelins Ive been running toyos for 120k that still look brand new. (Tall rubber m647s) Current price, about 500-550$. Ship them to your shop. Or ask for your tire place to check on a price Google is your friend in this
I called at least 20 shops and checked online, I am getting the best price around. As for balancing I bought centramatics online and it’s for the drives, my steers are fine.
I drove Ryder equipment for 5yrs. If you know Ryder, you know they’re 100% Bridgestone. In that time, I don’t believe I drove a single tractor (slip seat) without a shake or out-of-round tire on it, somewhere. This company I most recently started with is all Bridgestone, as well. Guess what? I’ve got a shake in the chassis and a slight tire kick in the wheel. They spin-balanced and reversed my steers, but, still have it the same slight kick. I wish I would’ve asked what tires they ran, before agreeing to a job. My previous employer was 100% Michelin, with the exception of some experimental stuff they were trying. I never had a shake or shimmy with anything of theirs. For me, I’d never buy anything Bridgestone, no matter what. This goes for motorcycle tires, as well, given I worked in that industry, too.
Get the alignment first before changing tires. If it is a good shop they will want to see the old tires to catch something wrong.
I run Bridgestone M760 Ecopia and have no issues with them and same with Steer Bridgestone. Might be the trucks having issues?
Nah. Ryder has all kinds of different equipment. I can remember slow-rolling up to stops and feeling some of the trucks, even new ones, rocking side-to-side, with each tire rotation. As you know, I currently drive a T680. It’s on the original 213/713 tires and I’m currently at 137K. It’s disappointing, especially knowing I’ll be on some type of Bridgestone, from here on out…probably only another year or so left.
