need a GOOD tire shop near trenton - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

qwikz28 · 07-25-2007, 08:59 AM

like the title says, i need a performance alignment and aftermarket tie rods installed tommorow. anyone know of a place thats at least somewhat better that your regular joe-shmoe tire store?

Lt1_8U · 07-25-2007, 09:18 AM

place by me, Bobs' tires and wheels. i'm located in north haledon-North Jersey

Mike · 07-25-2007, 10:03 AM

jake theres a shop on quakerbridge road that i use, right off sloan ave in hamilton

it actually is a joe shmoe tire store, but they do decent work, one owner has a ls1 car and another guy i was talking to has a silvy ss, and one of the mechanics has a 10 second 4.6 mustang

qwikz28 · 07-25-2007, 12:07 PM

mike would you happen to know the name of the place?

edit: on the yellow pages i found JB tire and American tire on quackerbridge

BonzoHansen · 07-25-2007, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qwikz28

mike would you happen to know the name of the place?

edit: on the yellow pages i found JB tire and American tire on quackerbridge

I think he means American Tire.

A couple of those desk guys are former STS guys. One of them took my place in the Freehold store when I left. I can't think of his name right now, I think Rich, but I could be wrong. I can find out later. Jeff bought his tires for the 70SS there too. Dropping that info might help (hey Timmay, sponsor??). Also, I think James (scooter) used them to align his white 3rd gen GTA with good results. I’d try there first. If I didn’t have a good relationship with guys at STS, I’d go there too, at least based on my brief experience and what others have said.

You can also try STS on rt33 in Hamilton, but it'll cost you book rate (not saying the other place won’t) for the rods, and they may not install customer parts - I never would. (Are you sure you need them? Inners or outers?) I just had the olds there for AC work Monday. I want to say the tech Brad is the guy you would want. IIRC, he helped me setup the machine when I aligned the 77Z. He seemed pretty knowledgeable. I could stop by there Saturday if you want. Or you could call or stop by. The guy at the desk this week is Josh. They have been short on help, so they may not be easy to work with right now.

If you can wait, maybe talk to Ian.

Or you could try Al at the Freehold Sears. But they will probably sell you an idler arm and a toe-and-go LOL (j/k Al, just a shot at Sears

)

Regarding a 'performance' alignment, in most cases you really need to have the desired specs in your hands. I don’t know 4th gens enough to make real spec recommendations, but my gut says for the street shoot for maximum caster the car can give, -1/2* to -3/4* camber, slight toe-in. You can't really count on any place being able do anything off the OE specs – just assume they can’t. When the car rolls in, talk to the tech, tell him what you want and give him a $5 spot too. It is amazing how much more attentive most any auto tech is with cash (or food) given to them.

bubba428 · 07-25-2007, 01:23 PM

theres a place down by me called "Car Toyz" they specialize in that kinda stuff

Mike · 07-25-2007, 01:28 PM

yeah its american tire jake....

and out of curiosity why are you guys that arent near the "trenton area" that jake requested making suggestions?

Camvill · 07-25-2007, 01:30 PM

I've had my tires eplaced at American Tire and i know a kid Mike who used to work there. Last time i got my tires replaced by them they put the lug nuts on wayyyy too hard and i ended up stripping 2 of them becuz they were mashed in there. thats the only complaint.

bad64chevelle · 07-25-2007, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camvill

I've had my tires eplaced at American Tire and i know a kid Mike who used to work there. Last time i got my tires replaced by them they put the lug nuts on wayyyy too hard and i ended up stripping 2 of them becuz they were mashed in there. thats the only complaint.

Thats funny cause when they put my 35s and Rims on the ram, they didnt tighten one of the lugs down all the way...doing 65 down the highway and one came flying off hit the underside and scared the **** outta me.

Camvill · 07-25-2007, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bad64chevelle

Thats funny cause when they put my 35s and Rims on the ram, they didnt tighten one of the lugs down all the way...doing 65 down the highway and one came flying off hit the underside and scared the **** outta me.

lol u didnt bother to check before taking off

BonzoHansen · 07-25-2007, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camvill

lol u didnt bother to check before taking off

Who would?

Those are bad stories. Gets back to throwing the tech $$ up front, which buys you a little freedom to stand there and ask dumb questions like “what torque setting are you using?”. Any shop worth $0.12 should be using the colored torque sticks on the end of the impact guns – they work great. And no impact gun has a torque setting, if they tell you that, ask to see a real torque wrench. It is your money & your car.

BTW, new aluminum wheels should be re-torqued every 100 miles because aluminum is soft and takes a set. 2 times minimum, 5 if you are super-anal.

Knipps · 07-25-2007, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bad64chevelle

Thats funny cause when they put my 35s and Rims on the ram, they didnt tighten one of the lugs down all the way...doing 65 down the highway and one came flying off hit the underside and scared the **** outta me.

The Z showed up missing a few

they came off the 3.4 along with the wheel swap

bad64chevelle · 07-25-2007, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knipps

The Z showed up missing a few

they came off the 3.4 along with the wheel swap

Yeah, because the locks were broken. I totally forgot about that until you just said that.

bad64chevelle · 07-25-2007, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camvill

lol u didnt bother to check before taking off

No, the other 31 were on there fine

Knipps · 07-25-2007, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bad64chevelle

Yeah, because the locks were broken. I totally forgot about that until you just said that.

No.. they had locks on em too
they went w/ the 3.4 as well

Tru2Chevy · 07-25-2007, 09:43 PM

Garrett had his new wheels/tires for the Mini mounted and balanced by American Tire, and he had good things to say about them.

- Justin

bad64chevelle · 07-26-2007, 01:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tru2Chevy

Garrett had his new wheels/tires for the Mini mounted and balanced by American Tire, and he had good things to say about them.

- Justin

Oh I have nothing but good things to say, I guess they just missed one lug...I mean when youre doing 32 of them I guess its easy to forget one.

Rich189 · 07-26-2007, 05:07 AM

go to american tire (the one off sloan) and speak with either matt, norm or frank... i have a business account set up there and nothin but good things to say

BonzoHansen · 07-26-2007, 08:55 AM

Frank, that is the guy I was thinking of.

qwikz28 · 07-26-2007, 05:04 PM

went to american tire today. not bad prices at all and good service. a+ in my book

Mike · 07-26-2007, 06:22 PM

yup i love them guys.

JL8Jeff · 07-27-2007, 08:49 AM

Yup, I had the tires put on the SS396 there and they all enjoyed having that car in the shop. I've had tires done there on several of my old Camaros back when they were RW Tire.

jimmyboy8301 · 07-28-2007, 08:17 PM

RW Tire on 206 in Bordentown

bad64chevelle · 07-28-2007, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmyboy8301

RW Tire on 206 in Bordentown

Ive been staying away from them lately, after they got greedy and started charging me outrageous prices. American Tire FTW at this point.

89CamaroRS · 07-30-2007, 08:38 PM

Volk tire on spruce ave has always been good to me. anytime the vette needed a full front and rear alignment (several times as i did A LOT of suspension work) i took it over there and always got perfect results. my grandfather used to take his cars there as does my dad. no complaints after 50+ years experience with them.