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...
So you finally got your wheel and tire package and are ready to mount them up and hit the streets. While you're eager to get those first miles on your brand new wheels and tires, taking a few moments to confirm the installation is done correctly can ensure trouble-free operation. Torquing lug...
In the United States, vehicle manufacturers are required to maintain an average fuel economy for the fleet of new vehicles they sell each year. In 2009, the government Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) mandate was 27.5 miles per gallon (mpg) for cars and 23.1 mpg for light trucks (including...
Sports cars are often described as vehicles that "stick to the road." Sports car tires make a major contribution to this phenomenon. These tires are very complex products meeting numerous, largely contradictory demands. Finding the proper structure that balances these demands for any given...
Large diameter wheels and wide, low profile tires go together and show up everywhere from America's new car showrooms to its roads, tracks and trails. So whether the vehicle came from the assembly line or was upgraded after it was delivered, Plus Sizing (also called "Inch-Up" sizing in other...
What's the difference between the tire sizes of P225/60R16 and 225/60R16? The obvious answer is the "P" in front of the first size, but just what does the "P" stand for and what does it tell us about the tires? P-metric sized tires are the ones with the "P" at the beginning of the tire size,...
Since tires play such an important role in establishing the personality of a vehicle, numerous vehicle manufacturers require their tire suppliers identify some or all of their Original Equipment (OE) tires with symbols or codes branded on the sidewalls that confirm the tire's original use. Some...
Vehicle manufacturers understand that there is little reason to spend millions of dollars developing the ride and handling qualities of a new vehicle's suspension if they are going to omit integrating the influence of its Original Equipment tires. This has resulted in either completely new tire...
The maximum load and maximum inflation pressure are required to be branded on the sidewall of tires sold in North America. Tire pressures are normally measured in "pounds per square inch" (psi), Kilopascals (kPa), or bars of pressure (bars). At sea level, Earth's atmosphere is pressing...
Note: If you bought a Tire and Wheel Package your tires and wheels arrive mounted and balanced and are ready to install on your vehicle. If you are installing the package yourself, please read "Tire & Wheel Package Installation." Also, read "Proper Lug Nuts or Lug Bolts" for additional...
Michelin's C3M process for manufacturing tires gives them an innovative edge...but what is the C3M process, and how does it work? That's still a secret. However, the C3M process has become an integral part of Michelin's manufacturing capabilities, with even greater levels of quality and...
The ability of a four-wheel drive and all-wheel drive vehicles to divide the engine's horsepower between its four tires is especially useful on loose or slippery surfaces such as sand and dirt, as well as on wet, icy or snow-covered roads. However it's important to remember that in order to...
Tire and wheel manufacturers continually develop new manufacturing methods to enhance the uniformity of their products because radial runout, lateral runout, force variation and imbalance can affect a vehicle's ride quality. Match mounting tires on wheels is a process where a tire's installed...
Hydroplaning happens when one or more tires is lifted from the road by a wedge of water that gets trapped in front of and under a tire as the vehicle drives through water. Hydroplaning most frequently occurs during heavy rainstorms when water creates puddles on the highway or expressway. In...
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