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Broken Center Caps?

Wytchdctr

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Getting new tires. They broke the center caps... or someone did. They claim it was the last person who balanced the tires.... but they have never been balanced and obviously made it here attached to the tire.

Is this normal? Center caps being busted from the factory?

They showed me the back of them. The plastic bits that snap on are gone; all but two on one side.
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JasonTremor

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Generally they get broken when the tire person uses the spindle on the balancer to knock out the center caps. Without video you can't prove it, but I've seen it in action before.
 


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Wytchdctr

Wytchdctr

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Generally they get broken when the tire person uses the spindle on the balancer to knock out the center caps. Without video you can't prove it, but I've seen it in action before.
My best tire story was watching the dude go the wrong way with an impact to remove a lug. Then tried to say it was the last person to put the tire on.... I watched him switch it to left for the rest of them.... .... ... That is why I avoid discount. They couldn't fix it.
 

airline tech

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Generally they get broken when the tire person uses the spindle on the balancer to knock out the center caps. Without video you can't prove it, but I've seen it in action before.
From someone who worked automotive, this is True and Accurate, common practice to use the spindle vs handle of screwdriver or in those days hub cap tool with mallet on it to install them.
 

Msfitoy

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My best tire story was watching the dude go the wrong way with an impact to remove a lug. Then tried to say it was the last person to put the tire on.... I watched him switch it to left for the rest of them.... .... ... That is why I avoid discount. They couldn't fix it.
I love DT but for my special toys, I always bring wheel and tires to them for mounting balancing....my everyday cars it's not a big deal...
 

ctechbob

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I broke one of mine just pushing it out of the hole. Basically just fell apart. Shit plastic from the factory. Wheels had never been off the truck, bought it brand new.
 

Rocketeer61

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I used to bust tires and saw this all the time. What's worse is watching someone tighten the lug nuts without checking the torque. Goodyear Tires had to buy me a rotor once because Magilla Gorilla put 150 lbs. per lug on one wheel before I had the sense to ask him if he knew what the compressor was regulated to. He didn't and the rotor ended up warping.
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