On Monday I took my 1982 BJ40 to a Discount Tire to buy 33” / 10.5” / 15” BFG A/Ts. I have stock wagon wheels on it and the person I had bought the vehicle from had 31” Maxxis Buckshot mud terrains on it. I have a 5 speed transmission and 4.11 gearing, so I calculated that a 33” tire will make my second gear a bit more “usable.”
Anyway, Discount tire measured my rims and told me that they could mount the tires on the rims on my vehicle, which were 6” wide, but that they could not mount the tire on my spare rim because it was a 5.5” wide split rim. I told them that was fine, since I am hunting for a fifth wagon wheel and I would buy a fifth tire when I get it. After ordering the tires, I had the shop remove the Maxxis tires from the rims and I dropped the rims off at a powder coating shop to be returned to the stock white color.
Flash forward to today. I picked up the coated rims and went to the tire shop. Some of you already see where this is going... The techs at the tire shop are all huddled around the rims before the service manager comes over and says that they can sell me the tires (I had already paid for them) but they could not mount them on my rims because they are 6” wide rims, too narrow for a 10.5” tire by company regulations. Obviously, I was frustrated since they had measured the rims before I even bought the tires on Monday. I pointed this out, and the manager acknowledged that their salesman had misread the width when measuring, and condescendingly explained why it would be unsafe to mount these tires. He offered to get me fit with tires that “would work.” I pointed out that BFG no longer makes the 9.5” wide tires and that any he might find are too old to safely use. I also pointed out that on a 40 year old vehicle, these new tires would be the safest things on it but to no avail.
He then did something that really frustrated me. He told me that he would give me a set of rims. I explained that these were the original rims for a 1982 vehicle that was never produced in the US and that moreover I had just paid to have them powder coated. He told me that he saw in the database that they had that there were STOCK 1982 Land Cruiser rims that were 15” / 7” wide, and that he would get me a set and have them powder coated white.
As you might imagine, I was incredulous. I was frustrated because I had planned to mount the wheels and take the 40 for a drive tomorrow, but he made it clear that he would not mount the tires. So I played devil’s advocate and told him that if he can find four stock, Toyota Land Cruiser, 1982 rims in 15” / 7” by Monday at close of business and will pay to have them powder coated, then I will let him mount the tires on them instead of my stock rims.
So, do these mythical beasts exist? Or am I right that there ain’t no such animal?
As an aside, I took the tires with me since I have already paid for them and the very nice techs gave me valve stems, apologized that their manager was such an ass, and told me where I could take the tires to have them mounted. I felt sorry for them that they may have to face his wrath but I’m damned sure going to push for a discount on the tires if I end up having to pay someone else to mount them, especially since I paid an extra $130 for a 50,000 mile, lifetime warranty that will be inconvenient to use since they wouldn’t mount any replacement tires on a 6” wide rim.
Anyway, Discount tire measured my rims and told me that they could mount the tires on the rims on my vehicle, which were 6” wide, but that they could not mount the tire on my spare rim because it was a 5.5” wide split rim. I told them that was fine, since I am hunting for a fifth wagon wheel and I would buy a fifth tire when I get it. After ordering the tires, I had the shop remove the Maxxis tires from the rims and I dropped the rims off at a powder coating shop to be returned to the stock white color.
Flash forward to today. I picked up the coated rims and went to the tire shop. Some of you already see where this is going... The techs at the tire shop are all huddled around the rims before the service manager comes over and says that they can sell me the tires (I had already paid for them) but they could not mount them on my rims because they are 6” wide rims, too narrow for a 10.5” tire by company regulations. Obviously, I was frustrated since they had measured the rims before I even bought the tires on Monday. I pointed this out, and the manager acknowledged that their salesman had misread the width when measuring, and condescendingly explained why it would be unsafe to mount these tires. He offered to get me fit with tires that “would work.” I pointed out that BFG no longer makes the 9.5” wide tires and that any he might find are too old to safely use. I also pointed out that on a 40 year old vehicle, these new tires would be the safest things on it but to no avail.
He then did something that really frustrated me. He told me that he would give me a set of rims. I explained that these were the original rims for a 1982 vehicle that was never produced in the US and that moreover I had just paid to have them powder coated. He told me that he saw in the database that they had that there were STOCK 1982 Land Cruiser rims that were 15” / 7” wide, and that he would get me a set and have them powder coated white.
As you might imagine, I was incredulous. I was frustrated because I had planned to mount the wheels and take the 40 for a drive tomorrow, but he made it clear that he would not mount the tires. So I played devil’s advocate and told him that if he can find four stock, Toyota Land Cruiser, 1982 rims in 15” / 7” by Monday at close of business and will pay to have them powder coated, then I will let him mount the tires on them instead of my stock rims.
So, do these mythical beasts exist? Or am I right that there ain’t no such animal?
As an aside, I took the tires with me since I have already paid for them and the very nice techs gave me valve stems, apologized that their manager was such an ass, and told me where I could take the tires to have them mounted. I felt sorry for them that they may have to face his wrath but I’m damned sure going to push for a discount on the tires if I end up having to pay someone else to mount them, especially since I paid an extra $130 for a 50,000 mile, lifetime warranty that will be inconvenient to use since they wouldn’t mount any replacement tires on a 6” wide rim.