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...
Halogen Light Bulbs Halogen bulbs are the most common type of headlight bulb in today's automobile industry. Halogen bulbs contain a gas mixture that includes halogen compounds that help some of the tungsten particles return to the filament as it cools. Thanks to this process, the light output...
Proper auxiliary light aiming is the most important part of an installation. If the lights are not properly aimed they will not achieve optimum performance and they can be very dangerous. The danger comes from the beam pattern being aimed right into oncoming traffic thus blinding the oncoming...
Since "experience is the best teacher," the Tire Rack team drives on as many of the tires we offer as possible. This testing allows us to better understand a tire's ride and noise qualities on the road, and its performance capabilities on the track. And even though Mother Nature is very...
A snowstorm can quickly change driving on mountain roads from an enjoyable adventure into a hazardous experience. Years ago, government agencies in mountainous regions required vehicles to be equipped with tire chains (or at least have them stored in the trunk) before the vehicle would be...
Tire studs look like short, fat nails with a flat head on the bottom and a tungsten pin on the top. They are inserted flat-head-down into holes molded into the tread design when the tire was manufactured. The extended fingers of a pneumatic stud gun are inserted into the molded holes and...
It is imperative to keep the same level of traction at all four corners of the car; otherwise, the full benefits of ABS or traction control systems will be lost. So when you put winter / snow tires on your vehicle, always put them on in a set of four. If you were to put winter / snow tires on...
ABS (Anti-Lock Brake), Traction Control and Vehicle Stability Systems While anti-lock brakes, traction control, and vehicle stability systems help make it easier to utilize your tire's full potential, none of these systems actually provides more traction. These systems are only capable of...
Because winter tires typically have very aggressive tread designs they are more susceptible to the irregular wear that can be caused by suspension misalignment (or worn parts). Of the three normal alignment adjustments (caster, camber and toe) the camber and toe settings are the most important...
But Do I Really Need Winter Tires? Won't All-Season Tires Work Just Fine? Why Four Winter Tires? What If My Car Has Traction Control? What If My Car Has ABS Brakes? What If My Car Has Front-Wheel Drive? What If My Car Has All-Wheel Drive? Isn't It Better To Stay Off the Roads If It's...
Severe weather makes driving treacherous. Snow, ice, freezing rain, fog and even the winter sun all conspire to make winter driving more difficult and dangerous. With a little planning and a little training, this winter doesn't have to be a "white knuckle" winter for you. The two phenomenon...
Traction... Engineers have spent many hours designing systems for cars that give better control through ABS and traction-control, but these systems do not improve or create traction, they limit the performance of your vehicle to the traction provided by your tires. When you switch to boots to...
Whenever installing winter tires, drivers should recognize that the personality and handling traits of winter tires will feel different than the summer or all-season tires being replaced. Since winter tires are dedicated to providing more traction in snow and on ice, extra care should be taken...
Need help choosing the right products for your vehicle? Our team of highly trained experts has the knowledge and passion to help. Just pick up the phone and give us a ring. Or let's chat via email. We love solving problems and lending a hand (or an ear).
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