Proper Tire Maintenance

Tires are the only contact between your vehicle and the road. Keeping that contact maximized at all times requires selecting the right tires and properly maintaining them. UTQG or Uniform Tire Quality Grading System ratings and speed ratings help you select the right tire. Proper inflation, balance and alignment keep them wearing evenly to maximize the contact patch. Being aware of these facts will help you have a safer and more enjoyable driving experience.

While Road Force balancing is a great tool for diagnosing ride complaints, no tire manufacturer will warranty a tire based entirely on its results. The Hunter Road Force balancer exerts force on the tire as it rolls to help diagnose ride complaints. The roller measures the uniformity of the tire to confirm not only the static roundness of the tire but also the dynamic or rolling roundness of the tire. This is accomplished by measuring the deflection of the tire by the roller attachment on the balancer.
Often a consumer will become concerned because of how the results were interpreted whether they actually have a ride complaint or not. Because they have invested millions of dollars in their own proprietary quality control equipment and the training of the people that operate it, many manufacturers often test tires that are returned for ride complaints. Depending on the results of these tests they may or may not approve the credit for the returned tires. If you’re concerned with the Road Force testing results on tires you’ve purchased from TireTeam and you have a ride disturbance, please contact us so we can consult with the tire manufacturer to find the best resolution for you.

All new tires require a break-in period to reach their maximum performance and comfort level. Tires are constructed from layers of cord, rubber and fabric that need drive time to become fully acclimated to the road. During the manufacturing process, tires are covered with a lubricant to prevent them from sticking to their molds. Even after production, a layer of the lubricant will remain on the surface of new tires. The lubricant will stay on the tire until it’s slightly roughened.

To roughen your tires, they need to be driven several hundred miles to remove the lubricant from the tire tread contact patch. During the break in period, you should engage in moderate acceleration and cornering because traction is limited. Also refrain from slamming on the brakes because the lubricant used in mounting the tires can cause tire/rim slip.

New tires also decrease your vehicle’s fuel efficiency from the increased tread depth. Odds are your older tires had very little tread depth remaining. As tread depth decreases, rolling resistance decreases, creating less work for the vehicle. Over time, as your new tires wear your fuel efficiency will improve.

A tire needs to be removed from the rim to be properly inspected before being patched and plugged. By removing the tire, you can examine the tire internally to determine the full extent of the damage.

A plug or patch by itself is not an acceptable repair. Tread punctures ¼” (6mm) in diameter or smaller can be repaired by following Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (RMA) recommended repair procedures. The proper way to repair a punctured tire requires plugging the hole and patching the section inside the tire surrounding the puncture. For the repair to be a permanent fix, it must seal the inner liner and completely fill the damaged area.

If the tire has a tread puncture exceeding ¼” (6 mm), the hole is too large to repair. Punctures to the sidewall and shoulder should also not be repaired because the sidewall and shoulder are under different pressures and strains than the tire tread. A sidewall or shoulder repair can result in a blowout. If you are faced with these issues, your tires should be removed from service and replaced.

The most important factor in tire care is proper inflation. While you might pay little attention to your tire pressure, inflation is key to your tire’s load capacity, durability, traction and handling. Keep in mind, the air in your tires supports the weight of your vehicle, not the tires themselves.

Be sure to follow your vehicle manufacturers recommended inflation levels as opposed to filling to the maximum psi branded on your tires sidewall. Vehicle manufacturers determine inflation for optimal vehicle performance and ride quality. As little as over inflating or under inflating your tires by 6 psi can significantly alter your driving characteristics and comfort. The most effective and accurate way to measure tire pressure is with a tire gauge.

If your tires are wearing primarily in the center, they’re probably over inflated. Over inflation causes the center of the tread to bear most of the load, which forces it to wear out faster than the outside edges. A problem with over inflation is decreased tread area contact with the road, which means less traction and increased stopping distances.

Over inflated tires also deliver a very uncomfortable ride. The excess air causes a much harsher ride and increases the risk of popping your tires from potholes and other road hazards.

Surprisingly, over inflated tires do offer deliver some benefits. By decreasing tread road contact, you actually lower the rolling resistance, which increases fuel economy. Over inflated tires also offer slight improvements in steering response and cornering stability. As a result, over inflated tires are often used in autocross and road races. However, these benefits do not outweigh the risks associated with using over inflated tires in everyday driving situations.

If your tires are wearing only on the outside edges, they’re probably under inflated. Most tire problems are caused by under inflation. Because tire inflation determines a vehicle’s load capacity, under inflated tires can have a huge impact on how you drive.

By under inflating a tire, the tire can’t keep its shape under the load of the vehicle and will flatten out when in contact with the road. This causes the tire to excessively flex leading to irregular wear. Tire flexing limits handling as well as generates heat and reduces fuel efficiency because it forces your vehicle to work harder. With under inflated tires running hotter from the sidewall flexing, the risk of tire failure and blowouts is much greater.

One of the major risks associated with under inflation is losing control of your vehicle. When a tire is under inflated, it can’t carry its share of the load, which can limit traction, handling, alignment and braking. You should also be aware that tire life decreases 10 percent for every 10 percent it’s under inflated. So if you’re trying to get the most performance from your tires and automobile, maintaining the proper inflation is essential.

 When I first started in the tire business many years ago, one of the first things my dad taught me was how to diagnose a vibration. Vibrations, he told me, follow the path of least of resistance. For instance when you feel a vibration in the steering wheel, it is most probably in the front suspension. When you feel it being transmitted through the car seat, it is probably in the rear tires. Of course that was in the days of solid rear axles, but you get the idea. One misconception I’ve heard for years is that a wheel alignment will correct a vibration. An alignment resets the suspension geometry to very specific measurements, it does not in itself address vibration issues unless there is a loose part in the suspension.

  Wheel balance is the most common cause of vibrations. When a vibration comes in or out at a specific speed it is almost certainly a wheel balance issue. For instance if your car vibrates between 45 and 60 miles an hour and at no other speeds, you probably need to have your tires balanced. Even more specifically, if the steering wheel shakes between those speeds, you probably need your front tires balanced.

 When a vibration comes in early and get progressively worse, it has to do with the physical shape of the tire. When a tire ’separates’ often the tire is mis-shapen and no longer round. This issue only amplifies as you go faster. Modern quality and material control procedures have made this exceedingly rare unless the tire has had extreme impact damage.

 The last type of vibration I want to mention is braking. When your steering wheel shakes during braking you probably have warped brake rotors. The brake pads are no longer able to press flat against the brake rotors during braking and this causes vibration as well.

 Vibrations and shakes can be annoying, but a basic understanding of how your car works can help you get to the root of the problem.

Modern Tire Dealer(www.mtdealer.com) reports that the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration has released a report that “ has concluded that tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) are “highly effective” in preventing “significant underinflation.”"

For more information:

http://www.moderntiredealer.com/News/Story/2009/05/TPMS-highly-effective-in-preventing-underinflation-says-NHTSA.aspx