What Are You Paying For Mounting and Balancing?

[Fastfwd]

I was using the Tire Rack website of their network of installers as a guide to what I might expect to have my take-off PP1 summer tires installed on a new set of SVE 19x10 wheels. The fee schedules break it down by aspect ratio price brackets. Generally around $15 per wheel to mount and balance according to what they have 'contracted.'

So, I was pretty pissed off that almost everywhere I went wanted at least double that to do it. I had it quoted as high as $200 to do all 4. I called maybe a dozen shops looking for a touchless machine and couldn't find one in operation. It finally just worked out that I found an independent that had one and I coughed up the $30 per tire to have them mounted and balanced and even then $120 bought me some weights for silver alloy wheels (white/silver) on my brand new black powder coated wheels that I even took the time, money, and effort to ceramic coat before having the tires mounted. I had to take them home and use fucking touch up paint to mask the wrong color wheel weights. He told me I could find some black weights and put them in place of the ones they installed for $120. Thanks. I was just thrilled they didn't fuck up the wheels getting the tires on at that point.

I bought my own TPMS. Installed them myself. It was a relatively 'easy' job - just take the wheels out of the boxes and put the tires on and balance them. I hauled them there and home. They didn't need to take them off a car and remove old tires, swap tpms, nothing. Very simple and clean.

Is $30 per wheel pretty normal?

20190502_163722 by Jason Garrett, on Flickr

20190502_162310 by Jason Garrett, on Flickr

20190502_161421 by Jason Garrett, on Flickr

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[dmann]

Looks good. Is the reason you wanted a touchless system is to keep the tech from scratching the wheels?

 

[kz]

~$105 per set is what I typically pay and I have routinely two sets being mounted per year (this year already had two).

 

[Fastfwd]

Looks good. Is the reason you wanted a touchless system is to keep the tech from scratching the wheels?

Yes. I was told by one shop that their touchless wasn't really broken, but they quit using it because it damaged a few wheels. They had more confidence in one of their techs doing it manually they claim.

~$105 per set is what I typically pay and I have routinely two sets being mounted per year (this year already had two).

Yeah, I think when I installed my all seasons and took off these tires it was under $100 and I didn't complain because the dude really went the extra mile helping me to carry the tires over to be shipped back home. He was through Tire Rack directly too though.

One reason I bought an extra set of wheels was because if I am going to run summer tires at all there's no way I'm going to swap them on and off the factory wheels twice a year. The risk of wheel damage, the hassle, and the cost wouldn't be worth it to me. This way I got a set of wheels for about $750 (not including tpms and ceramic coating - another $200 or so plus the mount/balance too) and i can just roll them out when I want to run them.

I hate to sound like I'm lying, but I really do think I can feel the extra 8lbs less per wheel. I haven't yet got to drive it through any curves to see how it contrasts.

 

[dmann]

i just got mine mounted and balanced for $82 at firestone. They used a touch less machine and the guy doing the work was super careful.

 

[jimmerheck]

I usually pay right around 100 ish for four, then add sales tax.

 

[VinnAY]

Ya about $100 for the set, that's dismount/mount/balance...may be look for a Goodyear store I think they call their stores "Gemini" of used too...that's who does all mine.

 

[choate]

Just had mine done at NTB. Total bill was $115 or so. Can’t remember but I know it wasn’t over $120. Gave them loose tires and wheels. Mount, balance, install the supplied TPMS, tax, take off the old set and put on the new ones. Seemed very reasonable to me.

 

[ahl395]

$30 per wheel for me last time.

When I had them install new TPMS it was $40 a wheel. Rip off but I was in a rush and needed it done.

 

[NightmareMoon]

I’ve paid as low as $80 and as high as $200.

The speed shops I use who charge $200 are more trustworthy than the places I know who charge less, and their time is more valuable. The $80 places occassionally use the wrong color weights, wrong valve caps, have more difficulty with tight fitting lower aspect ratio tires, and stuff like that. One $200 place will bring the tire equipment to your house in an enclosed trailer and do it on site even.

 

[VinnAY]

Colored wheel weights?

 

[o-man]

Colored wheel weights?

I was in the tire business for almost 20 years and had only seen silver wheel weights. Took my wheels, which are black with machined faces, to local Discount Tire. They charged around $80 and installed BLACK stick on weights

 

[VinnAY]

Paid $92 today to swap my A/S over to my summer tires.

 

[SoCalTim]

$100 a set to have new wheels, new tires and new TPMS all mounted and balanced. That is using their touchless machine. I would never use a discount tire or any regular high street tire shop for my wheels, they don't give a damn about taking extra care. I only use aftermarket wheel shops who are used to dealing with high end wheels.

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