Storing and Caring for Your Seasonal Wheels and Tires

October 5th, 2017

In many parts of the US and Canada, it is common to have two sets of wheels and tires to tackle seasonal differences in driving conditions. You know what to do with them while they are on your car, but what is the proper way to store the ones you put up for the season? Here are some tips to ensure your seasonal tires are ready to go when it is time to swap them out.Storing seasonal tires

1.  Clean Your Wheels - Contaminants and road grime can degrade the finish on your wheels while they are in storage. Before you put them away, clean your wheels with some mild detergent. Rinse them off and make sure they are completely dry before you put them away for the season.

2.  Clean and Treat Your Tires - Tires are made of natural and synthetic rubbers and ...[more]

  Tags: tires, winter tires, tips
  Posted in: Tires 101

How to Find the Perfect Tire for Your Ride

July 6th, 2017

Head into the showroom at any tire retailer and you will find a dizzying array of tire types, sizes, tread patterns and other variables that can have you turning right back around and heading the other way.  The good news is a step-by-step approach to choosing the right tires for your car, truck or SUV with a little knowledge can make the process much simpler and give you great results.

The type of tire you need depends on what kind of vehicle you have, your driving style and the type of weather you must cope with in your area.Types of tires

All Season Tires - Sometimes called Touring Tires, All Season Tires deliver good performance, handling and ride quality on dry, wet and moderately snowy roads. This is the most popular tire type and can be found on most four door sedans, ...[more]

  Posted in: Tires 101

Winter Safety Tips – Don’t End Up In the Ditch!

January 14th, 2016
Some people love winter. They love the snow, the snap in the air, the short days and cozy nights at home. Others can’t stand it, for many of the same reasons. Regardless of whether you love it or hate it, though, chances are you’re going to have to get out and drive in it at some point. We’ve got a few suggestions to help you through the winter safely: 

Make sure you’ve got a well-maintained car. This includes fresh windshield wipers, proper tire inflation, a strong battery, a properly-maintained cooling system and a fresh oil change. If your tires aren’t up to the job of winter driving, you might consider switching to winter tires for a while – just 
  Posted in: Auto Repair 101

Winter Tires – Yea or Nay?

December 31st, 2015
In a lot of parts of the country, the winters are tough enough that all-season tires just won’t get the job done. All-season tires are a compromise; they offer good year-round traction with a quiet ride, good handling and road manners. They tend to perform well in wet weather and light wintry conditions, but when the snow is more than a couple of inches deep, all-season tires are out of their league. That’s when it’s time to consider winter tires. 
 
Today’s winter tires are a long way from the heavy, noisy, clumsy “snow tires” or “mud grips” that your dad might have had on his station wagon 40 years ago. Modern winter tires are designed for noise, handling, steering response and road manners that rival grand tourin ...[more]
  Posted in: Tires 101

Winter Tires? Or All-Season Tires?

November 12th, 2015
Winter tires versus all-season tires…which is the right choice for you?
 
The two designs are quite different and deliver different levels of performance and winter-weather traction, so let’s discuss. 
All-season tires are designed as an all-around compromise. They feature a tread pattern that evacuates water from the tire’s contact patch to prevent hydroplaning, with plenty of small, textured slits (sipes) to add extra biting edges for traction in wet or slushy conditions. 
All-season tires are designed with a harder tread compound th ...[more]
  Posted in: Tires 101

Don’t Forget Your Spare

October 29th, 2015
Oh, the lowly spare tire. It doesn’t get much respect. 
 
Today, a lot of vehicles don’t even come with a spare tire anymore, not even the little “donut” space-saver spare. Instead, to cut weight and free up space, they come with a compressor and a can of a Fix-a-Flat-style product in hopes that you can get back on your way again. Great idea, unless your tire has a sidewall puncture or is shredded…
Anyway, if your car is equipped with a spare, you shouldn’t just ignore it. Tires have a shelf life, and time will take its toll on any tire, including ones that are never on the ground. Even brand-new tires have a sell-by date; the industry agrees that tires that are older than six to eight years old are pr ...[more]
  Posted in: Tires 101

Determining the Age of a Tire

February 14th, 2014
When it comes to determining the age of a tire, it is easiest to identify when the tire was manufactured by reading its Tire Identification Number (often referred to as the tire’s serial number or DOT number). Unlike vehicle identification numbers (VINs) and the serial numbers used on many other consumer goods (which identify one specific item), Tire Identification Numbers are really batch codes that identify several components.
 
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) requires that Tire Identification Numbers be a combination of the letters DOT, followed by ten, eleven or twelve letters or numbers that identify the manufacturing location, tire size and manufacturer's code, along with the week and year the tire was m ...[more]
  Posted in: Tires 101