man am I pissed.

i recently bought brand new winter steel rims for 60$ each.

Turns out when i get them fit and balanced, that one of the rims, the driver front side
is rubbing against the calipper badly. but the other three are fine.

the mechanic let me know, that the rim was defected.
Once i took it off i could see it was only rubbing in certain areas, and not all the way around. therefore let me to believe that the rim was bend, as i did the research.

I go back to canadian tire (sold me the rim), right away i ask for the manager of auto parts,
right away the manager agrees that the rim is defected (which let me to suspect that this has happened often or recently with him) and got me an exchange and a fit and balance for free.

i go back and fit the new rim on. it rubs again.

by this time, i had lost my patience . and canadian tire was closed.

the car was not rubbing with the summer rims on. but they are 16'* so it could be that it was rubbing but it just wasnt as noticeable.

i will try to switch the front rims, bring the passanger side to the drivers side and see what happens. this should tell me wether the second rim i got is also defected or its the grand am it self.

this is for my 02 grand am. the car has less than 12k miles. I do not suspect any wear of the suspension.

thanks for reading this

i need suggestions on how to test what could be wrong.
i also need suggestions to deal with the manager if he has sold me two defected rims.
my calipper is hurting

For testing, it sounds like you already have the right idea, try it on the other side.

For the dealing with the manager, don't go in there acting like he intentionally screwed you. You could have just gotten "lucky" and hit a batch of rims where some shipper dropped the crate or something. If he wants to fight with you, though, don't be an *** about it, but be firm and have everything documented....

As a "I'm tired of dealing with this" suggestion, though, if the rim appears to run true, why not just throw it on the back? GA'* got drums in back right? (Remember, this suggestion only works if the rim is straight and true! Don't put a wobbly wheel anywhere on a car)

Also, come to think of it, you're running stock calipers, right?

thanks for your reply.

I didnt think of it before, i could just throw it in the back, and see what happens.
Yes i have stock "brand new hardly any wear" calippers. so i am pissed, that it now
has"rim wipes" on it.

but what are the chances of getting two brand new bent rims?

i was nice to the manager the first time around, since he agreed to fix everything.
and i am a nice guy
plus i have a "dont F with me" look going for me sooo.
my parents suggested i yell a bit and get the calipper replaced for free. but i find thats a bit too much.

i hope it is not the ride. as i already dished out enough cash, and it is taking away from my bonnie project.

i will try the switch rims, even to the back.
the GA takes the same bolt pattern as the Bonnie, so i will even switch the wheel of the bonnie to the GA and vise versa, and see what happens.

thanks for ur input.

No sweat, I try to help in what few ways I can...

Just let me stress - If you think the rim is bent, do not use it! Go through whatever hassles you have to to get a straight rim. Especially if you're using it for Winter. I'd hate to think of the potential issues of a bent/wobbly rim on snow or ice....

ooh, Canadian Tire.

Just deal with the manager in as civil as you can - I worked the parts counter for a summer (where I really was one of the only guys who actually knew anything ) and bitching and screaming won't get anybody on your side. If it'* anything like the store I worked at, try to stay away from the service desk, as they really only want to sell you stuff. The parts desk, with seperate personnel, may not know what the hell they're doing, but hopefully if a manager isn't immediately around you can at least speak to a guy who knows what he'* talking about (they really exist).

The rims that CT is selling you is based entirely on what'* in 'the system' on the dated green-texted screen. And 'the system' isn't always right... or sometimes the manufacturer has screwed up. The rims you've purchased may be a case of incorrect offset.

CT has been pushing these things like crazy this year.
My guess is they got an off shore shipment of cheap parts and are doing their quality controls checks on the general public :?

As stated go back and let them deal with the mess, they will sort it out in the end.

will do,even if i spend all of my afternoon at the store. thanks a bunch!

yeah i know what you mean, i had a friend that worked there before. And basically he told me that their day is always full, with different tasks they have to complete, and they always get sidetracked by costumers asking questions n what not. so people are not always in the best mood.
I will defenately be as curtious as possible.
the offset seems correct, as it fit on perfectly- well i believe anyways.
Will the offset beeing off cause some rubbing??

thanks

yeah the reaction i got from the manager let me to believe that this is happening often. As i didnt have to argue about the free fit and balance- when i hadnt done it there the first time.

i will also check the summer rim, for scratches or wipes, but i doubt it has any.

i really hope its the rim and not suspension.
Thanks everyone

so i pulled both wheels,
and i wasnt surprised to see that both the rims were rubbing...
both my shiny calippers now have scratches all over them.


so i guess they sold me the wrong set.. or all
15" 5x115mm rims at canadian tire are whack!!!...



so i am uber pissed right now.
im guessing i will have to go back, with all four rims.... which i really cant cus i only have one jack and two stands.. sooooo.. right now F' canadian tire in my area.

suggestions?... thoughts???.

Well assuming you have jackstands, and you should if you work on your car, use the truck jacks from the Bonnie and your car to make the last 2 corners.

I would put tires on the car, even if I had to take them from the bonnie and drive it there and say "Ok, I give up, heres the whole car, Why do the rims I bought here rub?"

no extra jacks. maybe the bonnie has a jack i dont know.

im going to put on the summer wheels and take back all the rims.

im only worried about if they sold me the wrong wheels, or i got the wrong bolt patter n size for the GA. dont know.

thanks