Tires are that part of your vehicle which is as complicated to understand as other parts of your car. To take good care of your car tires; you must know some of the basic things to understand your tire’s knows and don’ts.
A person who has better knowledge of his car and its tires can achieve more miles with the same tire compared to other people who lack in it. That is why it is better to have some knowledge to make the right choice when buying new tires and be able to take good care of them.
In this series of articles; we will grab some of the most common queries that car owners ask about their tires and about the problems they are facing. We will try to give quick answers that will solve your problem without any fuss so you can on your own solve your issue without taking any help from those expensive car specialists.
How tire sizes work
When buying new tires, the most common question that people ask is how tire sies work and how can we determine to choose the right size for our car.
The simple answer for that is you can check the recommended size written on your car’s driver-side doorjamb and based on that buy the same size tire for your rear and front wheels.
The first measurement that is written on passenger car tires is their width. For example how wide your tire is in millimeters from sidewall to sidewall. It is usually written in three-digit numbers if you get confused; whichever number is written in a three-digit number is the width of your tire in millimeters. That is just the case with most of the tires; there are other tires that follow different measurements, keep that in mind too.
After width, there is a height and width aspect ratio written, which usually lies between 30-70. If your tires have an aspect ratio of 55; it means that your tire’s height is 55 percent of its width.
Then there come the last digit numbers which are the tire’s rim diameter. This is the number that is most important because that’s where the rim and tires align. If you have 16 inches wheels and you bought 19 inches tires, you won’t be able to drive with those tires. These are some of the most important information you need about tire size; read the complete article for more insight into tire size.
How tire pressure sensors work
Tire pressure monitoring sensor also known as TPMS. It is a compulsory instrument that new tire manufacturers and car producers have to put in their tires to get a legal follow-up.
TPMS inform the drivers about their car tire’s air pressure and the temperature of the tire. If you are running a tire with lower pressure than the limit; a light will show up on your dashboard so that you get a safer ride by avoiding a burst tire.
Why tire pressure light on
The main reason for the tire pressure light on the dashboard is that you have one or more than one tire that is running below the minimum tire pressure limit. You can turn that light off by filling the air on your tires and then restarting your engine.
If your tires have recommended air pressure and still there is a tire pressure light on; then you should reset your TPMS by following different methods. One of the methods is to get TPMS-reset-tool for quick and efficient results. For other methods, you can read our separate article about resetting tire pressure monitoring systems.
How tire warranty works
The tire warranty is given in the number of miles that this tire is expected to run. For example; if you have a tire that has a 20k miles treadwear warranty so if your tires didn’t wear off 2/32 before 20k miles of drive; then you can not claim a warranty because your tires have driven for the manufacturer’s expected miles.
However, if that tire wears off before 20k miles you have a right to claim that warranty. Different manufacturers follow a different return policy on early wear off. Some replace your tires by inspecting them with brand new tires without charging any money. On the other hand; some manufacturers give a discount on your new replacement tire as early as your tires have worn off. For example, if your tires have a 20k warranty and they wear off at 10k miles, as a percentage of it you will get a 50% discount on your replacement tires.
How tire chains work
Tire chains play their roles in harsh winter and snow terrains. These are used for extreme conditions of snow and are disallowed in most parts of the world due to the mess they made. Tire chains are put over the tire’s tread to achieve maximum grip and traction on high snow roads. They roll around the tread and get locked to provide continuous performance on snow terrains. Read a complete guide about tire chains and how to apply them.
How tire rotation is done
Tire rotation is a very important activity if you want to keep your tires well maintained and achieve their given warranty.
Tire rotation is a process of rotating front axle tires with rear axle tires or vice versa. The reason for doing that is to keep all four tires of your vehicle equally worn off; which provides a more stable ride and when the time comes you will be able to replace them all together instead of wasting a tire with some tread left over it.
If you want to learn more about tire rotation then you can check out our article in which you will learn a different method of tire rotation and how you can perform it with complete expertise.
When a tire needs to be replaced
Most of the tires have a limit of 2/32 of their tread. You can check it with any tire tread gauge. It is good to replace your tires at 3/32 of their tread to not damage your wheel and get protected from any accident. So if your tires have reached their given limit, then replace those tires as quickly as possible.
Why do tires keep losing air
The main reason for losing air right away is due to the puncture on your tire. So make sure to inspect your tire with soap water or other liquid with bubbles. Another reason for losing pressure is, because of the fault in the tire valve stem or its caps. So check all of these problems to stop losing air pressure right away from your tires.
Will tire shine hurt rims
Tire shine or tire dressing if not used properly can hurt your wheel. The right way to do it is by applying it on some sort of foam or fabric and dressing tires with your hand. If you have a spray tire shine, then use a tape or some cloth to wrap it at the edge of your wheels then spray shiner.
Using water-based tire dressing is safer and it might not damage your wheels. However, you should take precautions to avoid regretting your decision in the future. Check out our top-ranked water-based tire dressings and non-water-based tire shines.
