4-wheel parts - Tacoma, WA

[Schludwiller]

Here was my tire experience.

I ordered 5 Super Swamper SSR's from 4-wheel parts in Tacoma. Before getting the tires I had 5 Pirelli Scorpion A/T's (4 mounted on Pathfinder Alloy wheels, and 1 mounted on my steel spare).

When I got to 4WParts I brought down 4 additional Nissan steel wheels. I asked them to mount the SSR's on the 4 steel wheels, and to pull the Pirelli off my spare and mount the other SSR to the spare steel wheel.

It was the last tire change of the night, but the guy kept screwing up getting the bead on the SSR's. The manager asked me to leave the garage (insurance reasons, etc. I'm fine with that, but I can't see the work they're doing).

Anyway, after a looooong time they say that the tires are on. The SSR's are on the truck, and the Pirelli's are in the back. We couldn't fit the spare SSR in the spare mount, so we put it in the back too.

I drove home to Redmond and noticed the tires were shaking a lot, but it went away at certain speeds.

The next day I went to work still with the tires in the back, and the vibration continued. After talking with other SSR owners I decided to head back that weekend to get the tires rebalanced.

When I went to take the tires out of the back I realized my brand new Pirelli spare was not in with the other tires. I called 4-wheel parts and they said all their tires are removed each night and tossed/recycled. I asked why they would toss a brand new Pirelli, and he said since it was a 30" tire nobody would want it, and it might have been tossed. Of course the shop said they hadn't seen the tire anyway and after much arguing :argue: and insinuations that I never had a fifth Pirelli to start with, I gave up.

Well I was pissed at that : , but still wanted to get the tires balanced. I took them back and they checked the tires again and said they were spot on, and it was probably my "weak" suspension that wasn't up to the task of holding a heavy SSR in place. A bunch of BS, but I did have suspisions about a bad front left shock, so I decided to see if that was the cause.

I ordered a new Rancho and replaced the shock I thought was toast. Well the tire still vibrated. I talked to some more SSR owners and another tire shop. Giving up on 4-wheel parts I went and had the tires rebalanced. Les Schwab put almost double the weights on, and had them on both the inside and outside of the rim (4 wheel parts only put weights on the inside).

The tires now run great and I'm not rushing home to pull them off after every offroad trip.

Still I was out $45 for balancing, and a brand new Pirelli.

Other people who have bought Swampers from 4-wheel parts have had bad balance jobs too.

Oh, and the pisser of the whole thing is I normally buy my tires from Les Schwab because they're right down the hill from me, have good service, and do free tire swaps (which would have been great when returning from offroading), rebalances, hazard repair etc. BUT they didn't carry the SSR's (only the bias-plys).

When I went into Les Schwab to get the tires rebalanced, there on display was a brand new set of SSR's as the shop had started carrying the whole Swamper line. Argh!

[ScottG]

4 Wheel Parts Wholesalers has terrible service, but I continue to buy from them because there aren't many other choices here in Houston.

I have mostly bought Jeep parts from them (lift kit, shackles, detroit locker, solid axles, shackle reverse kit). You would think that they would have Jeep parts in stock, but ALL of the above had to be shipped. They usually charge you extra to have the parts shipped to their store, and more than once they have screwed up my order. Also, more than once they have told me they would have parts for me in a couple of days and it took a week.

As an example of their crappy service, one of the seals that came with my solid axle kit began leaking so I went to 4 Wheel Parts for a replacement. The seal was totally different than the stock Jeep seal so I couldn't find it at a regular auto parts store. After talking to several different guys at 4 Wheel Parts, I was told that I would have to buy the entire kit again which I would have to pay to have shipped from their warehouse in California. I think the total cost was about $200. They couldn't even give me a part number for the seal. I said no thanks, and eventually found a NAPA autoparts store that was able to get the seal for $9.00.

I have been told that they have some knowledgable sales staff, but I haven't met them. After the Interco trXus tires had been out for a couple of months, I asked two salesmen at 4 Wheelparts about them and they had never heard of them! Forget about asking for anything for an Xterra. I bet if I went in the store today they wouldn't know that ARB makes a bullbar for the Xterra. When I asked for pricing a few months ago, I had to give them the part number.

On top of all that, I have read on the XOC about the problems the Southwest Xterra Club has had getting the discount they were promised.

In short, 4 Wheel Parts Wholesalers sucks! I think the problem is that they don't have any real competition.

[rrdstarr]

Ian, I had the exact same problem with 4 wheel parts in tacoma also! :rocket: I have the TSL (non-radials) and they vibrated like a mother at 35 and 65! After talking to you several times I went to my Les Schwabb dealer and had them rebalance the tires, twice the amount of weight inside and outside. I will NEVER buy tires from them again. I know know that Les Schwabb sells Swampers! I will buy my next set from them! I bought tires from them for my Maxima nd Miata

Rick

[xoc]

My local shop, Off Road Ltd. fixes about 3 lift kits a week that 4 Wheel Parts installed incorrectly.

I'll buy lights and stuff from them, but nothing else.

They also enjoy making people who don't have at least 44's on their truck feel inferior.

[Schludwiller]

Hi Ian, Welcome to the board.

[rrdstarr]

Okay...so I have been at work to long and my grammar sucks!

[Schludwiller]

Originally posted by rrdstarr
Okay...so I have been at work to long and my grammar sucks!

Not sure what you're referring to, but XOC is Ian, and my name is Ian. Although we pronounce our names different.

Anyway, in case you think you're confused. :hehe:

[warmonger]

Although I buy some parts from 4 Wheel Parts, I don't trust them to work on my truck. I always have a habit of finding the most qualified person I can to do the work. I use them for parts that are difficult to screw up. If the tires I need are only available through them, I will purchase them but have them put on at my shop. Since we have a tire dept, most of the time I can pretty easily beat their prices. I have found that they tend to be a little high price wise. I usually wait for sales to catch the prices when they are right.

[xterrabull]

Jeez, 4WheelParts must have a training school where they send al their employees to learn to be complete jerkoffs.
Everytime I go in there & *finally* get to speak to a salesman & ask for something, I can practically HEAR him think "Ohhhh, you don't want a 8" lift for your full size Ford/Dodge/Chevy truck? Bummer & screw you".
It's to the point where I've come to think of them as the leaders of the anti-Nissan (or anything non-GM) offroad establishment (not that there is one but going into that store you wouldn't know it!) .

[Aquamander]

I don't even like going into the one we have here in Atlanta. They are overpriced and arrogant. They always tell me sorry dude, we don't carry a lot for the Xterra. I think they cater only to people with jeeps.

I always ask myself, why the hell did I bother coming here anyway?

As big of a store they have here, I think it's funny that 4WD Parts up the street always has a parking lot full of all kinds of 4x4's and doing a brisk business. They even have a guy named Ben who is their Nissan expert.
I think I'm gonna be doing more shopping at EOE from now on.

[ned946]

Same thing in San Diego. I will only go there to buy a part.

1. Placed a 1" indent in the exhaust removing the stock shackles.
2. Mis mounted the torsion bars to the point that my skid plates were unbolted to the last threads (hanging down) to get the bars to fit/align.
3.Made me wait 1 hour (first appointment) for shock relocation mod and never did the job (a manager was in the store and they were busy kissing his ass.
4. Bastardized my ARB to get it to fit
5. Can't get their billing straight

and on and on and on.......

[Philosopher]

Originally posted by ned946
Same thing in San Diego. I will only go there to buy a part.

1. Placed a 1" indent in the exhaust removing the stock shackles.
2. Mis mounted the torsion bars to the point that my skid plates were unbolted to the last threads (hanging down) to get the bars to fit/align.
3.Made me wait 1 hour (first appointment) for shock relocation mod and never did the job (a manager was in the store and they were busy kissing his ass.
4. Bastardized my ARB to get it to fit
5. Can't get their billing straight

and on and on and on.......

Sounds to me like you should have installed all that stuff yourself, the way most of us do. Why would you have a shop install torsion bars or skid plates or an ARB when there are so many of us who have posted hints about doing it?

[ned946]

Originally posted by Philosopher


Sounds to me like you should have installed all that stuff yourself, the way most of us do. Why would you have a shop install torsion bars or skid plates or an ARB when there are so many of us who have posted hints about doing it?

As you will recall there Philosopher, ARB was purchased by insurance (and installed)...I didn't want any issues to arise so I made sure I was out of the $ loop and let 4wheel parts get direct payment from the insurance company.

I installed the skid plates (where did I say that I didn't?) Good 'ole 4 wheel parts just "uninstalled" it a bit to correct their errors.

I didn't want to bother with the torsion bar install....next time I will.

[XMan9]

if the other tire shop had to put double the lead on the tires then there is something wrong. for one thing you MUST balance a tire on both sides of the rim, period amen. some rims (aluminum) require special weights with a contoured clip. these cost money. a regular joe shmoe tire shop with a regular joe shmoe tire mangler (installer) might not know about these nor care. also, a balancer must be calibrated periodically to keep customers happy and to prevent goofy wear such as cupping etc. you should show them your sales slip and get a refund for the balancing.


sheesh - already...

[warmonger]

Originally posted by ned946


As you will recall there Philosopher, ARB was purchased by insurance (and installed)...I didn't want any issues to arise so I made sure I was out of the $ loop and let 4wheel parts get direct payment from the insurance company.

Ned,

This is one of the advantages of working for a car dealer. The schmuck who hit me is buying my new CalMini bumper and I will be installing it myself. They also bought me a spare tire cover for it. The other advantage I have is that there is no lien on my X. Otherwise they can hassle you by saying the bank wants to insure that the vehicle is fixed. It makes it tough getting aftermarket parts that way.