Get a look at your tire sidewall and you’ll see information molded into the rubber, in the form of raised letters and numbers. We’d like to explain to you what that information means, so let’s break it down:
- Load Index – The load index is a reflection of the maximum weight that is safe for a tire to carry. The load index numbers range from 0 to 279; passenger car tires are usually in the 75-105 range. When it’s time to replace your tires you’ll want to pay close attention to those numbers.
- Speed Rating – Speed rating designations are assigned by the U.S. government, and are an indicator of minimum standards for accelerating to and holding a certain specific speed. The higher the speed rating number on a tire, the better a v ...[more]
Those of us who live in cold climates often need tires specifically for winter driving, which then need to come off the vehicle in the warmer months. Did you know there are requirements for storing winter tires? Here are some do’s and don’ts to prolong their life:
· If a vehicle is in storage for months on end, don’t leave the weight on the tires for lengthy periods. Either put the vehicle on jack stands or take it out and drive it once a week or so to flex the tires and disperse the inner chemicals and oil within the rubber compound.
· Avoid commercial “tire dressing” products. Tire compounds are designed to resist dry rot, ozone cracks or weather checks ...[more]Read More
There are millions of these dependable, economical cars on the road, and the fact that they have been available in so many models and different generations means that their tire sizes are going to differ. Here’s a quick breakdown:
Front Tire Size
Rear Tire Size
Accord Crosstour EX
Tire inflation is something that is neglected by many drivers, and it’s easy to understand why. Modern radial tires deform very little until they are drastically low on air pressure. A tire can be as much as 30% underinflated and still look completely normal. But why is proper inflation so important?
- Underinflated tires have increased rolling resistance, which can affect fuel economy.
- Increased rolling resistance will also lead to overheating, which can be downright dangerous and possibly cause tire failure on a long highway trip.
- Underinflated tires will affect your car’s steering, drivability, ride and handling. If your car’s steering seems heavy and clumsy, or if your vehicle is pulling to one side ...[more]
Let’s face it – modern tire designs are much, much safer than the tires of a couple of generations ago. Rubber compounds are better, steel belted radials handle better and wear longer than older bias-ply tires, traction is better, tires are less prone to blowouts or failure, and performance during braking, acceleration and cornering is much improved over 60s- or 50s-era tires. Still, if you’re restoring a muscle car or vintage truck, you want tires that are appropriate as far as size and appearance for your vehicle (if it’s a British car, perhaps we should say “tyres”).
If you’ve got a vintage muscle car, the BF Goodrich Radial T/A is an excellent choice, with period-correct raised white letters and 22 sizes to choose from. The Radial T/A is a low-profile classic-look tire that benefits from modern design and manufa ...[more]Read More
Too much of the time, tires just don’t get a lot of thought…but they’re your sole connection between your car and the road. At no time is that connection more important than when wet weather hits. You can argue that most tires are essentially the same…polyester fabric, steel belts, compound of rubber, silica and carbon black…but there’s much more to it than that. Things like tread pattern, tread design and grooves all make a huge difference in wet-weather driving, and can improve your car’s traction and margin of safety. The enemy, of course, is hydroplaning – a film of water between your tread and pavement that can actually break contact with the road and send your car out of control.
An excellent choice for control and traction on wet pavement is the Michelin Pilot Sport A-S +, with aggressive direction ...[more]Read More
Trailer tires see a little bit different kind of service. Trailer tires don’t have to steer or deliver torque to the road, but they do have to handle loads (sometimes very heavy loads). That means that trailer tires have to be pretty robust, and need to hold up at high speeds and long service lives.
We’re happy to offer Gladiator trailer tires! Gladiator makes tires for commercial trucks, RVs and other vehicles, as well as a line especially designed for trailer service. Gladiator tires are radial designs and approved for highway speed use.
- Gladiator QR25-TS – The advanced tread compound of the Gladiator QR25-TS is designed for reduced heat under heavy loads, as well as improved rolling resistance and fuel econ ...[more]
Driving a car is a calculated risk. Your car can be dependable and well-maintained with great tires and mechanicals, you can be safety-minded and have your head in the game, but you are still in control of a couple of tons of plastic, steel, rubber and glass traveling at about 80 feet per second. Chances are nothing is going to happen, and obviously you hope it won’t – most people put in their entire years behind the wheel without a serious incident. But if something does happen, you should be ready to handle an emergency. We’re not even talking about something catastrophic like a collision…it could just be a dead battery, a minor mechanical problem or a failed tire. Better to have your car safety supplies and not need them, than to need them and not have them.
- Jump Starters – Nothing’s more disheartening than getting behind the wheel, turning the key and hearing the engine turn too slowly to start (or worse yet, the dreade ...[more]
With all the driving you may be doing this weekend, it might be a great time to replace your old tires and get some new treads on your wheels. Save with this special offer from SimpleTire.com running Friday-Monday only! Search SimpleTire.com for savings on top brands like Pirelli, Bridgestone, Cooper, Yokohama and more this weekend. Just enter the appropriate code during checkout and get your discount!
- 5% off the purchase of 2 tires worth $150 or more - use coupon code: memdeal5
- 10% off the purchase of 4 tires worth $300 or more - use coupon code: memdeal10
Balancing a tire is a very simple and easy process that I'm sure anybody can do. If you can follow instructions and simple measurements then balancing tires will be easy for you.
There are many different types of tire balancing machines out there and they all typically work the same way. The tire balancing machine we will be referring to today is the Hunter GSP9200. We are referring to this specific model because it is one of the most commonly used tire balancing machine in most tire and auto service shops.
Let's get started! With so many different types of wheel designs out there, how you balance a wheel assembly will differ. The weights used for tire balancing are tape weights as well as clip weights.
Tape weights ar ...[more]Read More