A tire's most important job is to carry the load required of it, and the load range/ply rating branded on the tire's sidewall indicates how much load the tire is designed to carry (at a specific pressure). Whenever changing tire sizes or from one tire type to another, it's important to ensure...
Why do we change our tires and wheels? Aside from necessity, most of us do it for performance, comfort and style. But to be sure our tires are performing properly and that we're rolling comfortably and in style, we'll need to correctly install our new tires and wheels. Here's a few tips from us...
Proper wheel installation requires the wheel-attaching hardware (lug nuts or bolts) be tightened to the recommended torque specification for the vehicle make, model and year. Torque specifications are usually found in the vehicle's owner's manual.* Proper torque requires using the correct...
Experience indicates that searching by wheel size, offset and/or bolt pattern alone are not specific enough criteria to ensure an exact fitment. Attention to detail prevents vibration, wheel/tire interference and unbalanced handling. A vehicle's critical components are measured with...
New Tires Generate More Rolling Resistance Than Worn Tires It's been observed that rolling resistance drops by about 20%, as a tread wears from its original molded depth to worn. While this reduction in rolling resistance over time is subtle, a switch from worn tires to a new set increase...
Vehicle manufacturers are required to maintain an average fuel economy for the fleet of new vehicles they sell each year In the United States. Vehicle manufacturers must pay a penalty if their annual vehicle fleet uses too much fuel. The Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) identifies the...
Tire rolling resistance is defined as the force required to maintain the forward movement of a loaded pneumatic tire in a straight line at a constant speed. And just like the laws of physics and forces of nature, it is an obstacle every vehicle has to overcome to transport passengers and cargo...
What Are All Those Lines, Numbers and Letters on a New Tire's Tread? While tires may appear to be a homogeneous piece of rubber after they are vulcanized during curing in their molds, most tires feature dozens of fabric, metallic and/or rubber components that must be shaped, sized and...
Federal law requires tire manufacturers to provide standardized information permanently branded on the sidewalls of all tires sold in the United States. This includes information about the tire's basic characteristics, capacities and construction, as well as its U.S. Department of...
While improvements in quality control during the development and manufacturing process work to reduce defects, the potential for a tire safety or workmanship recall continues to exist. In the event of a recall, tire manufacturers are obligated by law to notify owners. Tires Purchased Through...
Kelvin Scale 5250K (Sunlight) 4200K 3850K 3500K 3200K (Halogen Bulb) 2600K (Incandescent Bulb) ...
Several vehicle manufacturer's owner's manuals recommend operating winter tires several psi (typically 3-5) higher than their recommended pressures for summer and all-season tires. While none of them actually provide the reason why, there are several scenarios that would support the practice....
Significant changes in altitude affects tire pressures when traveling from one elevation to another. Fortunately, this influence is relatively small and can be easily accommodated. Atmospheric pressure is the force exerted on objects by the weight of the air molecules above them. While air...
The Tire Rack Street Survival teen driving schools authorized by the BMW CCA Foundation are intended to provide a controlled environment for young drivers to learn car control by experiencing their vehicles' handling and stopping capabilities. Street Survival driving courses are typically set...
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