Tire Rotation and Balance

[bhopkins]

Just rolled over 10K miles on my R1T (May 2022, delivery) and thought I should get the tires rotated and balanced. Scheduled an appointment with a national tire chain then followed up with a phone call to them and they confirmed they could do the work on a Rivian. Got to the store today and manager tells me they don’t put EVs on the lift for safety reasons and would instead need to put jacks on all four corners of the truck. At that point, he asked me if I had four pucks……uh no, I don’t.

So, basically, they can’t do the work. He did say the Howell, MI store had done some Rivians in the past. I called the store and they said the only ones they had done, the owner brought in their own pucks.

I’ve now got an e-mail out to my guide asking for advice and have logged a service request. I’d really prefer not having to drive down to Plymouth, MI (roughly 90 miles each way for a rotate and balance….and assuming they would do the work while I waited). I can’t be the first person who is needing to do a five wheel rotation…what’s everyone else doing? How are you getting pucks as I don’t seem them listed for sale on the website.

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[Dark-Fx]

Just rolled over 10K miles on my R1T (May 2022, delivery) and thought I should get the tires rotated and balanced. Scheduled an appointment with a national tire chain then followed up with a phone call to them and they confirmed they could do the work on a Rivian. Got to the store today and manager tells me they don’t put EVs on the lift for safety reasons and would instead need to put jacks on all four corners of the truck. At that point, he asked me if I had four pucks……uh no, I don’t.

So, basically, they can’t do the work. He did say the Howell, MI store had done some Rivians in the past. I called the store and they said the only ones they had done, the owner brought in their own pucks.

I’ve now got an e-mail out to my guide asking for advice and have logged a service request. I’d really prefer not having to drive down to Plymouth, MI (roughly 90 miles each way for a rotate and balance….and assuming they would do the work while I waited). I can’t be the first person who is needing to do a five wheel rotation…what’s everyone else doing? How are you getting pucks as I don’t seem them listed for sale on the website.

5 wheel rotation can be done with one wheel at a time. Doable with the included jack but it'll be time consuming.

 

[jjswan33]

Since you are doing a 5 tire rotation you shouldn’t need 4 pucks. Also as an alternative you can remove the 4 panels on each corner behind/in front of the tires in the front/back and use a floor jack. Instructions are in the manual.

I have done two rotations so far, I did both myself with the Rivian jack the first time and a floor jack the second.

 

[EVTrukHog]

https://evsportline.com/products/rivian-r1t-r1s-billet-aluminum-heavy-duty-lifting-jack-pad-pucks

Here is one option. I have to carry jacking pucks in corvette trunk for same reasons. Don't forget to remove them when you're done - don't ask me how I know.

 

[R1Tom]

I have 4 of the pucks....all travel with truck. I use my 2 post lift and rotate myself. 10 minute job. Tire shops are so funny. All scared of it...yet they destroy wheels like it is nothing

 

[CommodoreAmiga]

Time to buy pucks, imo.

 

[SACDFJC]

The local America's Tire store said they ordered pucks for their store and they let the corp office know that Rivian's use special pucks. I'm assuming that since they have a bunch of Tesla pucks that each store can order a set of Rivian pucks. They used my pucks the first time I went in.

 

[bhopkins]

https://evsportline.com/products/rivian-r1t-r1s-billet-aluminum-heavy-duty-lifting-jack-pad-pucks

Here is one option. I have to carry jacking pucks in corvette trunk for same reasons. Don't forget to remove them when you're done - don't ask me how I know.

Thanks for link. I‘ll save that and buy depending on what Rivian guide/service says.

 

[bhopkins]

Since you are doing a 5 tire rotation you shouldn’t need 4 pucks. Also as an alternative you can remove the 4 panels on each corner behind/in front of the tires in the front/back and use a floor jack. Instructions are in the manual.

I have done two rotations so far, I did both myself with the Rivian jack the first time and a floor jack the second.

How do you handle balancing the tires? The other issue is that I don’t have space to store a floor jack.

 

[jjswan33]

How do you handle balancing the tires? The other issue is that I don’t have space to store a floor jack.

You shouldn't need to balance the tires with a rotation that said when I first put my spare on with that first rotation it was out of balance so I had to take it off and bring it to a local tire shop for balancing. No issue the second time.

 

[rivmok]

Any other puck options besides the 1EV? I don't really want to spend $150 on them. Sets for tesla go for $25 on Amz

 

[JustBarely]

Time to buy pucks, imo.

For real.

Another one of those quirks that would have popped up at the worst time.

 

[atebit]

From other posts I have read here anecdotally, Rivian has a partnership/understanding/exchanged smoke signals for doing basic tire work with Pep Boys and Discount Tire. Not sure if you have those chains in your area.

 

[bhopkins]

From other posts I have read here anecdotally, Rivian has a partnership/understanding/exchanged smoke signals for doing basic tire work with Pep Boys and Discount Tire. Not sure if you have those chains in your area.

Discount Tire is who I’ve reached out to….two different locations (my local store) and one near Plymouth, MI where Rivian has a big location and there are a fair number of Rivians. No go on either one unless I provide my own pucks.

Why can’t all these car manufacturers agree on a standard puck? That would make it so much easier for the industry.

 

[atebit]

Then I guess it was (mostly garbled) smoke signals.

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