Self-Inflating Tires…Soon To Be A Reality?

March 31st, 2016

Driving around on underinflated tires is just a bad idea all the way around. Underinflated tires increase a car’s rolling resistance, meaning a drop in fuel efficiency since it takes more energy to move the vehicle down the road.

A single tire that’s down by ten pounds of air means a 3.3 percent drop in fuel economy…multiply that by all four tires, and you can figure on giving up ten percent of your gas mileage. The added friction and rolling resistance also means more heat is generated, and heat is the enemy of the internal structure of a tire. That heat will damage a tire to the point of failure. Studies show that underinflated tires are a full 25 percent more likely to fail, and at least half of one-car accidents involve a tire problem as a factor. And still, it’s estimated that 60 to 80 percent of the vehicles on the road are rolling on tires that are low on air.

The tire pressure monitoring systems on newer cars are ...[more]

  Tags: tires, tire, driving safety, drivers safety, tire inflation, tires pressure
  Posted in: Tires 101

Get The Most Out Of That Set Of Tires

January 28th, 2016
Your tires are a pretty big investment. Even with the cheapest set of tires, you’re going to be spending upwards of $400 on the tires, mounting, balancing, disposal fees and taxes. Since you laid down that kind of money, doesn’t it just make sense to make sure you get the most miles possible out of them? 
Here’s some advice on long tire life:
 
• Regularly check your tire pressure. This one is really, really important. Underinflated tires will wear 
unevenly and reduce your fuel economy due to increased rolling resistance. That increased rolling resistance also means more heat, which will break down the tires’ internal structure and shorten their lives. All it takes to shorten a tire’s service life by 25 percent is for it to ...[more]
  Tags: tires, tire repair, tire inflation, wheel alignments, tire rotation, tread depth, tire pressure, tires repair, tread wear, tires pressure
  Posted in: Tires 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 touring tires, only with enhanced traction. They accomplish that with deeper, more aggressive tread grooves and a tread pattern that’s d ...[more]
  Tags: tires, tread wear, drivers safety, winter tires, tread depth, replacing tires, tires pressure
  Posted in: Tires 101

The Holidays Are Coming – Is Your Vehicle Ready?

November 26th, 2015
Where did this year go? Before you know it, it’s going to be time for the holidays, and that can mean travel in some pretty trying conditions (and we don’t just mean restless kids in the back seat). Is your vehicle ready for some interstate miles?
 
• Tires: It’s a good idea to have your tires rotated every 5,000-7,000 miles to ensure even wear. With that in mind, it’s easy to just schedule a tire rotation with every oil change, since the vehicle will be up in the air on a lube rack anyway. Have you checked your inflation lately? Your proper 
inflation levels will be on a sticker on the driver’s side door frame, inside the fuel filler door or in the owner’s manual – always check th ...[more]
  Tags: tires, auto repair, preventative maintenance, tire, oil change, drivers safety, holiday travel, auto service, tire pressure, tires pressure
  Posted in: Auto Repair 101
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