Tire Maintenance

Tires and wheels are essential components of any vehicle that conveys people or material over land. Despite their importance, it is not uncommon for people to confuse the two. Wheels are sometimes...

Frequently when a driver experiences a blowout he blames the tire manufacturer for producing a defective tire. Quite possibly the truth is that the tire that blew out was an old tire that had...

Properly gauging tire tread depth is not just a legal issue, but a safety issue as well. When your tires have worn down past a certain point, you may have more difficulties with hydroplaning in...

If you're looking at tires in an auto parts store, you can decode the tire size and other information from the numbers and letters printed on the tire. Analyze a hypothetical P195/60R15 89H tire...

Your vehicle's tires affect performance, fuel economy and ultimately your safety. Road conditions, vehicle alignment, faulty parts and improper air pressure can all cause wear and eventual...

To be safe on the road, you should check your tires to make sure they are properly inflated and don't have leaks, bulges, excessive wear or damage. You should also check to see what year your...

Run-flat tires are a kind of tire that can suffer a blowout without actually going flat; this is made possible by the fact that the tires are actually supported by reinforced sidewalls that take...

If you've ever had to change a tire, you know that you need to know a few pertinent numbers from the old tire in order to purchase the correct replacement. It might help you to understand the...

Bias ply and belted bias tires, once the most commonly purchased tires, have generally been replaced by radial tires. Each tire is constructed differently, which makes a difference in the useful...

Keeping a set of tires clean is no easy task. Tires constantly make surface contact with dirty roads, mud, rock and a host of other elements. Chemical, paint or adhesive overspray soiling is...

One of the responsibilities of owning a car is disposing of the tires in an environmentally friendly fashion. You don't want to just dump them in a landfill, particularly because they take years...

Keeping good tires on your motorcycle is one of the main safety precautions you can take. If anything is wrong with either of your tires, you could end up in a serious accident. Putting the right...

Sometimes it is necessary to store spare or winter tires for a period of time. There are many variables that affect the amount of time a tire can be stored, so stored tires should be thoroughly...

Rotating your tires is an important part of vehicle maintenance. Tires last longer and perform better when they wear evenly. A Volkswagen Rabbit is a front-wheel-drive car, which causes the front...

Owners of the Ford Edge will be slightly pleased when removing their spare tire; rather than putting the spare tire underneath the vehicle (like many other Ford vehicles, including the Explorer),...

Both natural and synthetic types of rubber tend to deteriorate over time due to the bonds the rubber molecules have with each other. In order to slow down the process as much as possible, tire...

Tires specifically created for winter driving are commonly known as snow tires. They are formulated to have better traction in cold temperatures than standard tires and work better in snow, ice or...

Maintaining proper tire pressure is a very important part of vehicle maintenance. Having well-inflated tires can help reduce wear, increase tire life and increase gas mileage.

You drive your car every day and take your tires for granted. They have nice, thick tread and they're far from bald. But the health of your auto tires is important, and they could be older than...

Buying tires can be a complex process. You want to be sure to get the right tires for your vehicle, but deciphering the ratings can be difficult without a primer.

Automobile tires are marked with a series of letters and numbers that provide information about tire structure and dimensions. Understanding this code is important when selecting tires for a...

The Mini Cooper is a sporty, economy car produced since 2001 by BMW. The new Mini bears a resemblance to the original British-made Mini that was introduced in 1959. The Mini's compact dimensions...

Manufacturers recommend that you rotate your car tires every 5,000 to 6,000 miles. This will help to even out the wear patterns and extend the life of the tires. The pattern of the rotation...

Everyone hates to have a flat tire. It is dangerous for the vehicle occupants and the vehicle. This is no different for the Kia Rondo. The Kia Rondo can be damaged by driving with a flat tire,...

One of the advantages of the rear tire mount on a Ford F-350 is that it is located under the truck bed. This placement keeps your spare tire from taking up room in the bed. The process to put a...

It might seem like an annoyance to change over to a new set of snow tires every time winter rolls around, but those living in snowy areas understand how much of an impact it can have on safety....

Aluminum alloy wheels make a car look chic and classy. Dirt and brake dust tend to build up on alloy and make them look black and dirty. When cared for properly, alloy wheels will look like new...

If you've ever bought tires for a car, you may be surprised to learn that minivan tires are considerably more expensive. When buying new tires for your minivan, it is critically important that you...

Considering the cost of new tires for your automobile, it is important to know when you really need to begin shopping for them. There are times when you absolutely need new tires and other times...

Gwinnett County, Georgia, has the unusual distinction of being the place in the U.S. with the highest concentration of septic systems. This concentration of waste disposal has led Gwinnett to...

Center caps can be tricky to remove from any car, including the Chevy Avalanche. While the center caps are held on by nothing more than the force that it takes to put them in to the rim, it's not...

Metric tire size includes three numbers delineated with slashes. For example, the tire size could read "P245/70/R16." The first number corresponds to the tire width in millimeters. The second...

The law in most states is that tires must have at least 2/32 inch of tread depth. Any tire with tread worn below that level will be considered unsafe and will not pass the safety inspection in the...

Differential pressure is defined as the difference of pressure measurements between two points in a system. This measurement is significant in applications that have pressure functionality, such...

Unlike the old days of tube-type tires, a leak in a tire is generally easily repaired as long as a source of compressed air is available, often without even removing the tire from the...

Keeping your tires properly inflated reduces wear and tear on your car and saves gas. Unfortunately, any substantial change in altitude can affect your tire pressure and lead to problems.

Replace the flat tire tools after changing the tire, by removing the jack from under the car and putting tire irons or safety triangles away; learn more tips in this free auto-maintenance video.

After changing a flat tire, you need to secure the flat tire either where the spare tire was kept or somewhere within the vehicle; learn more with this free auto-maintenance video.

Lower your car with a jack after changing a flat tire, taking into consideration the tire pressure, looseness of the tire and safety; learn how with this free auto-maintenance video.

After changing a flat tire, you need to check the flat tire for damage, finding where the flat occurred, whether a puncture in the sidewall or tread of the tire; learn more with this free...

When changing a flat tire, correctly check tire pressure, knowing where to located the appropriate PSIs and how to use the pin gage or circular gage; learn how in this free auto-maintenance video.

When changing a flat tire, tighten the lug nuts in the correct order, distributing pressure evenly across the wheel for a four-lug, five-lug or six-lug pattern; learn how in this free...

To change a flat tire, you'll need to replace flat tire lug nuts, making sure to match the taper that is on the rim; learn how in this free auto-maintenance video.

When changing a flat tire, roll the spare tire into place and jack the car an additional few inches before you put the spare tire on; see how in this free auto-maintenance video.

Our expert explains how to change a flat tire by first removing the hubcap or center cap to access the lug nuts, which will ultimately be loosened by the tire iron.

Remove a flat tire from your car when changing a tire by pulling it off and laying it down out of the way, using caution as you do; learn more tips from this free auto-maintenance video.