Wheel-Size.com - Entries for the category Wheel Wisdom

Balancing & Alignment: Vehicle Essentials

Alexey — Sat, 27 Jan 2024 02:38:30 +0000

Navigating the intricacies of vehicle maintenance can sometimes feel like a complex puzzle. Two key pieces of this puzzle are tire balance and alignment. While they may seem similar in nature, each plays a unique role in the overall performance and safety of your vehicle. Let's delve into the specific functions of tire balance and alignment, understanding their importance and learning to distinguish between the two.

The Integral Role of Tire and Wheel Balancing in Vehicle Maintenance and Performance

Tire and wheel balancing plays a key role in ensuring optimal operation of your vehicle, distinct from but equally important as wheel alignment. While alignment adjusts tire angles for proper road contact, tire and wheel balancing is about evenly distributing weight across your wheel and tire assemblies.

During a tire balance service, your vehicle's tires and wheels are mounted onto a specialized balancing machine. This machine rotates the tire and wheel assembly at high speeds to accurately measure any imbalances. The technician then uses this data to install the correct tire weights, ensuring the wheel and tire assembly is perfectly balanced.

Tire and Wheel Balancing Machine

Types of Tire and Wheel Balancing

Dynamic Balancing: This method is used to identify and correct imbalances in a tire and wheel assembly. It's crucial for preventing vibrations and ensuring a smooth ride.
Road Force Balancing: Also known as match balancing, this technique pinpoints and rectifies imbalances between the tire’s low points and the wheel’s high points. The goal is to minimize vibrations for the smoothest ride possible.

Benefits of Tire and Wheel Balancing

Proper tire and wheel balancing enhances driving comfort by reducing vibrations, extends tire lifespan through even wear, improves fuel efficiency by decreasing rolling resistance, and increases safety by providing better handling and vehicle stability. Regular tire and wheel balancing is key for maintaining these benefits and ensuring optimal vehicle performance.

Understanding When to Balance Your Tires and Wheels

After exploring the fundamental aspects and different methods of tire and wheel balancing, it's crucial to know how to identify when your tires and wheels actually need balancing. Correctly balanced tires and wheels are integral to your vehicle's performance, affecting everything from ride comfort to tire longevity. Recognizing the symptoms of tire and wheel imbalance can help you address issues before they escalate into more significant problems. The following are key indicators that suggest a need for tire and wheel balancing:

*Identifying Tire Imbalance: Key Symptoms and Their Implications*
Symptom	Indicates
Car Pulling to One Side	Possible tire imbalance leading to uneven pressure on wheels, causing the car to veer
Uneven Tread Wear	Weight distribution issues in tires, leading to certain areas wearing down faster
Vibrating Steering Wheel	Imbalance in tires, noticeable particularly at certain speeds, causing vibrations

Equipped with this table's insights, identifying tire imbalance becomes straightforward, essential for proactive vehicle care.

Mastering Wheel Alignment: Ensuring Optimal Vehicle Performance and Longevity

The shift from tire balancing to wheel alignment marks our next focus: optimizing vehicle dynamics. Proper wheel alignment, involving precise adjustments to wheel angles, directly influences handling, tire wear, fuel efficiency, and vehicle safety. It's a vital step, extending beyond performance to ensure vehicle longevity.

Understanding wheel alignment requires exploring its types and their impact on vehicle performance. Let's delve into the different types of wheel alignment and their impact.

Toe Alignment

As the first type, toe alignment is critical for controlling steer axle tire wear, measured in inches, millimeters, or degrees.

Total Toe

Total toe refers to the angle created by the horizontal lines extending through the planes of two wheels. Toe-in occurs when these lines converge ahead of the vehicle, while Toe-out is when they meet beyond the wheels.

Individual Toe

Individual toe is defined by the angle of a single wheel's plane relative to the vehicle's thrust line. For Toe-in, this line meets in front of the wheel, and for Toe-out, it intersects behind the wheel.

Excessive Toe-In / Out: Premature Outside / Inside Tire Wear

Excessive toe can lead to distinct wear patterns on tires. Too much toe-in tends to cause wear on the tire's outer edge, whereas excessive toe-out results in wear on the inner edge.

Camber Alignment

Camber refers to the angle created by the wheel's tilt, either inward or outward, relative to a vertical axis. This tilt angle is typically measured in degrees. A wheel has positive camber if it tilts outward at the top, and negative camber when it tilts inward.

Excessive Camber: Uneven Tire Wear Patterns

Regarding tire wear due to excessive camber, you'll find that positive camber causes wear on the tire's outer shoulder, whereas negative camber leads to wear on the inner shoulder.

Caster Alignment

Caster involves the angle of the steering axis's tilt, either forwards or backwards, as compared to a vertical axis, measured in degrees. Positive caster occurs when the steering axis leans towards the rear at the top, while negative caster happens when it leans forward. Caster primarily influences vehicle handling, though it can also impact tire wear. Optimal caster settings are vital for maintaining directional stability and ensuring the steering wheel returns to center easily. Incorrect caster settings can lead to issues like steering shimmy, increased steering effort, the vehicle pulling to one side, and uneven wear on the steer tires' shoulders.

Caster Alignment: Impact on Vehicle Steering and Stability

Causes of Alignment Issues

Your vehicle's alignment can be disrupted by various factors: Rough roads, high-speed impacts with potholes, minor collisions, and even aggressive driving can all lead to misalignment. Each of these incidents can subtly alter the precise angles of your wheels, leading to a range of driving issues.

Understanding these causes is the first step towards maintaining your vehicle's alignment. But how do you know if your vehicle has fallen victim to these alignment disruptors? This brings us to the crucial aspect of recognizing the symptoms.

Symptoms of Misalignment

Being able to identify the signs of wheel misalignment can save you from a host of problems down the road. Misalignment doesn't just affect your driving experience; it can also lead to increased wear and tear on your tires and suspension system. Let's look at the key symptoms to watch out for, which signal that your vehicle might need a wheel alignment.

*Decoding the Signs: Understanding the Symptoms and Impacts of Wheel Misalignment*
Symptom	Possible Cause	Consequences if Ignored
Off-center Steering Wheel	Misaligned wheels	Increased tire wear, poor vehicle handling, safety concerns
Uneven Tire Wear	Camber or toe misalignment	Reduced tire lifespan, compromised safety, possible blowouts
Vehicle Pulling to One Side	Toe or caster misalignment	Driver fatigue, reduced fuel efficiency, uneven tire wear
Vibrations in Steering Wheel	Imbalance or misalignment in wheels	Driver discomfort, potential impact on vehicle control
Abnormal Handling or Steering	Misalignment in toe, camber, or caster	Safety risks, increased strain on vehicle’s suspension system
Visible Tire Damage	Severe misalignment	Immediate tire replacement required, risk of accidents
Squealing Tires	Misalignment causing tire drag	Increased wear and tear, potential for tire overheating

When to Seek Wheel Alignment

Understanding when to seek wheel alignment helps in maintaining the optimal condition of your vehicle. It's particularly important after getting new tires, encountering significant potholes or curbs, noticing the steering wheel is off-center during straight-line driving, replacing any suspension or steering parts, experiencing difficulty in steering or vehicle drift, or observing unusual tire wear patterns.

Regular alignment checks are essential for vehicle safety, performance, and tire longevity, ensuring your driving experience is smooth and your vehicle remains in good health.

FAQs

Most frequently asked questions about tire alignment and balancing:

Q: Can misaligned tires affect fuel economy?
A: Absolutely. Misaligned tires can cause increased rolling resistance, which means your engine has to work harder to move the vehicle. This extra effort can lead to a decrease in fuel efficiency.
Q: Is there a way to tell if my tires are out of balance without driving the car?
A: While driving is the best way to notice imbalance, there is a method for a rough check. Lift the tire off the ground and spin it manually. Watch for wobbling or uneven spinning motion, which can indicate imbalance.
Q: Can I perform tire balancing at home?
A: Tire balancing requires specialized equipment and precise weight placement, so it's not typically a DIY job. It's best handled by professionals with the right tools and expertise.
Q: Does weather affect alignment and balancing?
A: Yes, extreme temperature changes can affect tire pressure and potentially alter alignment and balance over time. Regular checks are important, especially with seasonal changes.
Q: What's the strangest cause of tire imbalance you've heard of?
A: Unusual but true: small animals like mice can sometimes crawl into a tire for warmth and throw off the balance. Always a surprise during a tire check!
Q: Is there a quick fix for minor misalignments?
A: Unfortunately, no. Alignment issues need to be corrected with precise adjustments to your vehicle's suspension system, which requires professional equipment.
Q: Are there any signs of poor alignment that are often overlooked?
A: Yes, one often-missed sign is uneven brake pad wear, which can occur when misaligned tires cause uneven distribution of braking forces.
Q: How do new technological advancements impact alignment and balancing?
A: Advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) in modern vehicles often require recalibration after alignment adjustments, integrating wheel alignment into a more complex vehicle ecosystem.

Conclusion: Mastering Maintenance for Optimal Performance

In conclusion, understanding the distinction between tire balance and alignment is fundamental to maintaining your vehicle’s performance and safety. Tire balancing ensures a vibration-free and comfortable ride, while alignment guarantees correct wheel orientation. Both processes are vital for preserving tire longevity and enhancing the overall driving experience. Regular checks and maintenance of both aspects are key to responsible car ownership and optimal vehicle performance.

This article is an introduction to the topic of car safety, an important factor in ensuring your well-being. For a deeper understanding and expert advice on automotive care, I invite you to explore the extensive collection of articles available on our website.

Tire Repairs

info@wheel-size.com (admin) — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 10:37:58 +0000

A tire leak could result from loose nails, screws or other pointed objects that may puncture and penetrate the tread. This will result in a flat tire and will need immediate attention. Running the car with a flat tire could permanently damage the rubber, negating the possibility of repair. When faced with a flat tire, stop the car in a safe area and replace the tire immediately. Leaving a flat tire on a car may damage the steel threads embedded inside the tire, leading to tire deformation.

Take note that a tire leak will need to be repaired immediately to prevent any further damage. If the puncture is deep and has completely penetrated the tire then you will have to bring it to a certified shop to have the tire dismounted from the wheel, and patch the tire from the inside by a professional. Remember that patching a tire is the best way to repair a leak. The DIY enthusiast will make do with a tire repair kit, which is a lifesaver in most emergency situations.
A tire plug kit does not require you to dismount the tire from the wheel, but you will still have to jack the car and remove the wheel to accurately check where the leak is coming from.

Also note that damage to a tire's sidewall is impossible to repair; only damage to the tread area of a tire can be repaired.

If you have damage to the side wall, it can not be repaired. Green area Yes. Red area NO

Never drive your vehicle on a flat or punctured tire! Doing so is dangerous and likely to damage your wheels.

How to Repair a Tire Leak

Materials Needed
Tire plug kit
Jack
Tire wrench
Cotton rag
Pliers
Remove the Wheel
Loosen the tire nuts with a tire wrench and jack up the car. Remove the wheel from the hub.
Inspect the Wheel
It is easy to find a leak in the tire, as a nail or screw will have a visible head protruding. Pump the tire with air and inspect for leaks. If a nail is evident, carefully pull out the nail or screw using pliers. Remember to mark the hole with chalk or any other tire marker. For hard to find or small leaks, mix soap with a little water and work up to a lather. Use a small sponge to apply the soapy mixture over the surface of the tire. When bubbles form on a particular area, you have successfully located the leak.
Use the Tire Plug Kit
The tire plug kit will contain a rasp tool to clean and roughen the hole. Insert the rasp tool in the hole and quickly it pull out. Take the plug provided in the kit and fill with cement. Use the insertion tool to fully insert the plug into the hole. There should be at least an inch of protruding plug after it is inserted into the hole.
Let Dry
The cement and plug is designed to dry instantly, but let it dry for at least a minute before cutting the excess plug from the tire surface. Use scissors or a cutter to snip off the protruding plug.
Measure the Air
Pump the tire with air and check for the correct pressure. Apply some soapy mixture onto the plugged hole to double check the seal.
Replace the Tire
Put the tire back on the wheel hub and tighten the nuts accordingly.
Remember that a tire plug is deemed a temporary solution to cure a tire leak. It would be best to have the tire dismounted and checked by a tire dealer.

How To Clean Wheels And Tires

info@wheel-size.com (admin) — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 10:37:58 +0000

Below are some tips for keeping your wheels clean and in good condition:

Cleaning your wheels is important, especially for polished, glossy, or chrome finishes. If not properly cleaned, heat from the sun or your vehicle's brakes can eventually bake contaminants into the finish on your wheels, making it difficult or impossible to clean them.
Treat your wheels as you would treat your vehicle's paint. Clean one wheel at a time, using a mild soap with water and a soft sponge or cloth to gently scrub away dirt and brake dust. Rinse immediately with clean water and dry with a soft cloth to avoid dried soap or water spots. If desired, apply a wax to to help repel water and contaminants. We carry or can order wheel cleaner and wax for your wheels.
Never use chemicals cleaners, degreasers, or abrasives to clean your wheels; they will only damage the finish.
Avoid automatic car-washes; the finish on your wheels could be damaged by rough brushes, metal guide rails, or pressure washing.

How to wash your wheels and tires with a Wheel Cleaner detailing product:

Spray on the cleaner of your choice and let it dwell on the metal wheels and rubber tires. Check the cleaner instructions to see how long the manufacturer recommends the cleaner sit on the wheel surface.
After the cleaner dwells, use your cleaning brushes to scrub the surface of the wheel and tire.
Your brushes will work better when they're wet. Wet your brushes in a bucket of water and auto shampoo.
Start with the inside of the wheel: scrub the inner barrel of the wheel, the wheel hub and brake caliper first before moving to the spokes and outer surfaces.
Brush the inside of the wheel well too.
Use a nylon brush to scrub the rubber tire.
After scrubbing with your brushes, rinse the wheel and wheel well with a pressure washer and clean water.
Dry with an air dryer for a spotless finish.
Coat your wheels with a sealant or nano coating [optional].
Finish your tires with a rubber dressing.

How to change a tire

info@wheel-size.com (admin) — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 10:37:58 +0000

Secure the vehicle so that it won't roll; and roll the spare tire to the scene of the action.
Never change a tire on an incline or hill; always seek a flat surface, even if it means driving on a flat tire. Use bricks, wooden wedges, or metal wheel chocks to block the wheels at the opposite end of the car from the end that is to be raised.
Pry off the wheel cover.
You can use a screwdriver to pry the wheel cover off. Just insert the point of the tool where the edge of the cover meets the wheel, and apply a little leverage. The cap should pop off. You may have to do this in a couple of places, as if you were prying the lid off a can of paint.
Loosen the lug nuts.
You might know this as breaking the lug nuts. Whatever you call it, find the end of the wrench that fits the lug nuts on your vehicle, and fit it onto the first nut. Apply all your weight to the bar on the left. This starts turning the nut counterclockwise, which loosens it. Don't remove the lug nuts completely; just get them loose enough to remove by hand after you jack up the vehicle. A hollow pipe and a cross-shaft wrench can loosen the tightest lug nuts.
If you have alloy wheels that are held on by lug nuts with delicate finishes, the delicate aluminum or chrome-plated lug nuts need careful handling. They should never be loosened or replaced with power tools that can scratch the delicate finish.
Jack up the vehicle about 6 inches off the ground.
Place the jack securely under the edge of the car. Proper locations may vary among vehicle models, so consult the owner's manual for the right places to put the jack.
If you have a scissor jack (image a), insert the rod or wrench over the knob, and then crank. If you have a hydraulic jack (image b), place the handle into the appropriate location and pump up and down. Use nice, even strokes, taking the jack handle from its lowest point to its highest point on each stroke to cut down on the labor involved.
Remove the flat tire.
Take the lug nuts completely off by hand and put them in a safe place — inside the wheel cover or hub cap works well. Grasp the flat tire with both hands and pull it straight toward you. As you pull the flat off, it should slide along the bolts until it clears the end of the bolts and you find yourself supporting its full weight. Roll the flat along the ground to the rear of the vehicle to get it out of the way.
Lift the spare onto the lug bolts.
Because tires are heavy, you may have a little trouble lifting the spare into place — especially if you're not accustomed to lifting heavy things.
Replace the lug nuts and tighten them by hand.
Give each lug nut a jolt with the wrench to get it firmly into place, but wait until the car is on the ground before you really try to tighten the lug nuts.
Lower the vehicle and tighten the lugnuts.
After the vehicle is resting on the ground, use the lug wrench to tighten the lug nuts as much as you can.
Replace the wheel cover or hubcap.
If your car has wheel covers with a delicate finish, the owner's manual should provide instructions for replacing it. If your car has hubcaps, place the hubcap against the wheel and whack it into place with the heel of your hand. Cushion your hand with a soft rag first so that you won't hurt it. And don't hit the hubcap with a wrench or hammer — you'll dent it.
Because the location and type of spare tire differs from one vehicle to the next, if you aren't familiar with your vehicle it's a good idea to check out the spare (and the jack and lug wrench) before trouble occurs. While you're at it, make sure the spare has enough air in it and continue to check that periodically.

Air Pressure

info@wheel-size.com (admin) — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 10:37:58 +0000

Maintaining correct tire inflation pressure helps optimize tire performance and fuel economy. Correct tire inflation pressure allows drivers to experience tire comfort, durability and performance designed to match the needs of their vehicles. Tire deflection (the tread and sidewall flexing where the tread comes into contact with the road) will remain as originally designed and excessive sidewall flexing and tread squirm will be avoided. Heat buildup will be managed and rolling resistance will be appropriate. Proper tire inflation pressure also stabilizes the tire's structure, blending the tire's responsiveness, traction and handling.
Can you easily identify which tire is 30% underinflated? Here is what they would look like in the morning parked in your garage.
(Roll your mouse across the pictures to find out if you were right.)
An underinflated tire can't maintain its shape and becomes flatter than intended while in contact with the road. If a vehicle’s tires are underinflated by only 6 psi it could lead to tire failure. Additionally, the tire’s tread life could be reduced by as much as 25%. Lower inflation pressure will allow the tire to deflect (bend) more as it rolls. This will build up internal heat, increase rolling resistance and cause a reduction in fuel economy of up to 5%. You would experience a significant loss of steering precision and cornering stability. While 6 psi doesn’t seem excessively low, remember, it usually represents about 20% of the tire’s recommended pressure.
An overinflated tire is stiff and unyielding and the size of its footprint in contact with the road is reduced. If a vehicle's tires are overinflated by 6 psi, they could be damaged more easily when running over potholes or debris in the road. Higher inflated tires cannot isolate road irregularities well, causing them to ride harsher. However, higher inflation pressures usually provide an improvement in steering response and cornering stability up to a point. This is why participants who use street tires in autocrosses, track events and road races run higher than normal inflation pressures. The pressure must be checked with a quality air gauge as the inflation pressure cannot be accurately estimated through visual inspection.

To maintain more constant tire pressure, we recommend filling your tires with nitrogen because it is an inert gas with a very low freezing temperature so less expansion and contraction.

Cars - Most passenger cars run best with 40 pounds air pressure. Slightly higher pressure than the manufacturer's standard recommendations will give a slightly harsher ride but will increase the gas mileage and tire wear while protecting your wheels from pothole damage.
Trucks - They require higher pressure than car tires, but the rules of air pressure still apply.
Nitrogen is a larger molecule than oxygen. This results in slower leakage from tires. Tires wear longer, run cooler and wheels are not subject to corrosion through oxidation and the effects of condensed water inside the tire.

Systems are now available to fill your tires with nitrogen and we strongly recommend its use.

Tire Temperature

info@wheel-size.com (admin) — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 10:37:58 +0000

There are three possible traction grades: A, B, and C.

A rating of A is the highest possible temperature grade, while C is the lowest.

Temperature grades are determined in a controlled test environment, where the tire repeatedly undergoes speed tests until it is destroyed. Depending on how long the tire endures these tests, a temperature grade is assigned.

A temperature grade of C indicates that the tire meets minimum standards set by the U.S. government.

How to read sidewall tire numbers and markings

info@wheel-size.com (admin) — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 10:37:58 +0000

Tire Size Markings

FEATURED BLOCK

The tire size shown above is P185/60R14. The 185 represents its section width. The number "60" indicates the tire’s aspect ratio. The last number, "14" indicates wheel diameter.

Tire / Section Width
The tire numbers in the above example tell us that the tire is 185 millimeters wide. The first number in this series refers to the tire's section width, or distance from sidewall edge to sidewall edge (in millimeters) when measured up and over the tire's tread. Generally speaking, the larger this number is, the wider the tire will be.
Aspect Ratio
Aspect Ratio is the ratio of the sidewall height to the section width. The sidewall height of the example tire above is 60% of its section width.This number can be very indicative of a tire's purpose. Lower numbers, like 55 or less, mean a short sidewall for improved steering response and better overall handling.
(R) Internal Construction
The "R" refers to radial construction, which has been the industry standard in passenger-car tires for more than 20 years. Prior to radial tires, most cars came with bias-ply tires, which had a crude construction that made for poor handling. Bias-ply tires (which use a "B" for their description) are still used for certain truck applications.
Rim or Wheel Diameter
Wheel Diameter specifies the size, in inches, of the wheel that a tire fits. The example tire will only fit a 14-inch wheel
Pay particular attention to this number if you plan on upgrading your wheel size. If your wheel diameter changes, you'll have to purchase a new set of tires that matches this new diameter.

Other Tire Markings

(82) Load Index
A tire's load index is a measurement of how much weight each tire is designed to support. The larger the number, the higher the load capacity. This is one of the most important numbers on your tire. To find out what "82" means, it must be looked up on a Load-Carrying Capacity Per Tire chart. Remember that this is per tire, which means you have to multiply by four to get the total capacity for a complete set of tires. If the vehicle has its original tires, you can just refer to the doorjamb, which lists the maximum cargo capacity with passengers.
Some vehicles are equipped with "XL" tires. No, it doesn't mean that they're extra large, but it does mean that they are extra-load tires. The load index on these tires is much higher than a standard-load tire — which is why it is important to replace an XL tire with another XL tire.
Remember "P-metric" and "Euro-metric sizing"? Their difference in load rating can lead to confusion and potential trouble. For a given size, P-metric tires will have a load index that is one or two points lower than corresponding Euro-metric tires. So if your car came with Euro-metric tires, don't replace them with P-metric tires. You can, however, replace P-metric tires with equivalent-size Euro-metric ones because you gain load capacity that way.
Why is this important? Generally speaking, you don't want your replacement tires to have a lower load index number than the originals (as indicated by the driver's doorjamb or the owner's manual), particularly with high-capacity vehicles that ride on smallish tires, such as minivans.
Also, and contrary to popular perception, optional large-diameter wheels with lower-profile tires tend to have less load-carrying capacity because they contain less air. And it is the volume of air inside the tire, not the rubber itself or the wheel material that shoulders the load. The load index is especially important when shopping for a tire online, since many retailers do not specify whether a tire is P-metric or not.
(H) Speed Rating
The speed rating is a measurement of the speed at which the tire is designed to run for extended periods. An "H" speed rating signifies that this tire can be run safely at speeds of up to 130 mph for extended periods. Will it explode if it goes to 140? No, not immediately. But it might if it is run at that speed for an extended time.
Here is a complete list of the various tire speed ratings, and their associated letters:
- S 112 mph
- T 118 mph
- U 124 mph
- H 130 mph
- V 149 mph
- *Z Over 149 mph
- *W 168 mph
- *Y 186 mph
- *(Y) Over 186 mph
- *The "Z" rating used to be the highest rating for tires having a maximum speed capability greater than 149 mph, but as tire technology improved, it is was ultimately split into the "W" and "Y" rating. A "ZR" may sometimes appear in the size designation, as a sort of nod to the prior rating, but it will also be used in conjunction with a W or a Y.
DOT Code
The DOT code is used by the Department of Transportation (DOT) to track tire production for recall purposes. If a tire proves to be defective, this number helps keep track of where these tires ended up so that buyers can be notified of the problem. At the end of the DOT code you'll find a four-digit number. This is the manufacturing date of the tire. The first two digits stand for the week; the other two are the year. For example, if your tire had "1610" listed, it was manufactured on the 16th week of 2010.
If you come across a three-digit number, you have a tire that was manufactured before 2000. A DOT tire code of "127" indicates the tire was made on the 12th week of the seventh year of the decade. But it's difficult to know whether that was 1997 or even 1987. According to tirerack.com, some tires produced in the 1990s may have a small triangle following the DOT number to identify the decade. But any tire that has a three-digit code is history. Tire experts recommend that tires that are six or more years old be replaced, regardless of tread depth.
Sometimes the DOT number will be located on the inside of the tire. In this case, you can either jack up the car to inspect it, or check with your local mechanic or tire shop. You should also make a habit of checking the manufacturing date on your spare tire as well.
Maximum Air Pressure
This number refers to the maximum amount of air you can put in a tire before you harm it. It is not the recommended tire pressure; that number can be found in your owner's manual and on the doorjamb.
Traction Rating
A traction rating can also be found on the sidewall of all modern tires. It can be represented as AA, A, B or C. This is a rating of a tire's traction when tested for straight-line braking on a wet surface. For this rating, AA signifies the best traction performance and C indicates the worst.
Temperature Rating
The temperature rating refers to the ability of the tire to withstand heat under high speeds. The ratings, from best to worst, are: A, B and C.
Treadwear Rating
Finally, you might find the word "TREADWEAR" on the sidewall followed by a number like 120 or 180. This is a rating of the tread's durability, as tested against an industry standard. The reference number is 100, so a tire with a treadwear rating of 200 has an 80 percent longer predicted tread life, while a rating of 80 means a predicted tread life only 80 percent as long as the industry standard.

In addition to all of the above, here is a comprehensive list of other markings you can find on your sidewall.

"Star": Original tyres for BMW
A/S: All-season tyre
A/T: All-terrain tyre
B: Bias construction, typically for motorcycles.
C: Commercial / passenger car tyre
BSW: Black SideWall
C: Commercial; tyres for light trucks. Similar to LT (below)
E4: Tyre approved according to ECE-regulations. See The E Mark below.
EL: Extra Load; tyre for vehicles of heavier standard weights
FR: Flange Rib - the area above the bead of the tyre that acts as a protection for the outer lip of your alloy wheel against light contact with kerbs etc.
H/T: Highway/terrain tyre. For SUVs and 4x4s - less aggressive than full off road tyres - design for some use on-road
LT: Light Truck tyres.
M0: Original tyres for Mercedes-Benz
M+S, or M&S: Mud and Snow - see car tyre types
Made in ...: Country of production
MFS: Max Flange Shield - a rubber ring around the tyre designed to help prevent damaging the wheel flange when close to a kerb
M/T: Mud/terrain tyre. Similar to A/T
N(number): Original tyres for Porsche.
OWL: Outline White Lettering
P: Commercial / passenger car tyre
RB/RBL: Raised Black Lettering
RF: Reinforced tyres
RIB: A rubber ring around the tyre designed to help prevent damaging the wheel flange when close to a kerb. Same as MFS
RW/RWL: Raised White Lettering
SFI, or Inner: Side Facing Inwards; inside of asymmetric tyres.
SFO, or Outer: Side Facing Outwards; outside of asymmetric tyres.
SL: Standard Load; tyre for normal usage and loads
SUV: SUV / 4x4 tyre
TL: Tubeless
TT: Tube-type, tyre must be used with an inner-tube
TWI: Tread Wear Indicator.
WSW: White SideWall
XL: eXtra Load; tyre for vehicles of heavier standard weights. Same as EL
Arrows: Denotes rotation direction for directional tread.

In additions (yes, there's more), these are what you'll find on run-flat tyres:

DSST: Dunlop Self Supporting Technology
EMT: Goodyear Extended Mobility Tyre
RFT: Bridgestone Run Flat Tyre
ROF: Run On Flat
RSC: Runflat System Component
SSR: Continental Self Supporting Runflat
ZP: Michelin Zero Pressure

What are hub centric rings?

alexander.zagvozdin@gmail.com (Alexander) — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 10:37:58 +0000

Before we begin, you should know that hub centric rings may also be called either..

center rings
centre rings
centric rings
centering rings
spigot rings (in the UK mostly)
hub rings
fitment rings
wheel fitment rings
and so on

These are different names for the same thing, in most cases. We'll decide to use the name hub centric rings to describe them in the text/information below.

Example of plastic hub centric rings in the colour red.

Example of plastic hub centric rings in the colour white.

So, shall we solve this "mystery" about hub centric rings, what are they and what are they used for?

Hub centric rings are wheel fitment rings for vehicles and should be used if the center bore of the wheel (the big hole in the middle of the rim) is larger than the center bore of the car's wheel hub (the round offset in the middle of the hub). The hub centric rings will then fill the space required to make a perfect fit, simple as that basically = they convert the rim center bore to a smaller and precise measurement which matches the wheel hub. Notice that this mainly complies with aftermarket wheels or wheels used from other car makes, since OEM wheels usually fits without any rings.

The center bore of a alloy wheel.

A wheel hub from a car.

Hub centric rings mounted directly to the wheel center bore

Hub centric rings mounted directly to the wheel hub

And now you think, why not just fit the wheel without any rings and fasten it with the wheel bolts or lug nuts (whichever are used) when it's "kind of" centric? Well, you could do that, but most cars and wheels of today are designed to be "hub centric", which means they are meant to be mounted only if the rim center bore has the same diameter as the wheel hub.

A hub centric design may also mean that there's a gap around the wheel bolts, etc. The wheel bolts or lug nuts of a hub centric wheel can have a flange that is either coned or flat or rounded, while a lug centric design (the wheel is centered by the lug holes) often has a coned flange regarding the wheel fasteners (bolts or nuts).

So, even if you may fasten the wheel just fine when the car is jacked up (when it comes to hub centric), it will put a lot of stress to the wheel bolts/lug nuts and probably make the vehicle wobble/shake during some, if not all, speeds. This is because a hub centric wheel is held in place (centric) by the wheel hub, while the wheel bolts or lug nuts mainly "clamps" the wheel together with the hub. The wheel hub (not the bolts) should take most of the force put vertically on the wheel.

Hub centric design (newer BMW) - Steel wheel mounted to wheel hub, hub centric rings wasn't required in this case as the diameter was the same

Lug centric design (older VW Beetle) - Steel wheel mounted to wheel hub, no hub centric rings needed because of the older lug centric design

When the wheel bolts or lug nuts are put up for stress, it doesn't only mean the ride will be uncomfortable, but also a safety hazard! Our recommendation is to always use hub centric rings! They are pretty cheap to buy, so that's no excuse if any..

Other things which are good to know about:

Hub centric rings are often made of either plastic or aluminum. Plastic rings (a mix of polycarbonate and ABS-plastic or just polycarbonate or just ABS) are the most recommended to use, since they won't corrode against the metal of either the rim or the hub. If aluminum rings are to be used, be sure to put a thin coat of copper paste or similar grease before mounting them, or you may find it hard to remove them in the future!

Heads up! Remember that plastic rings are made of just plastic, which means they can melt if the temperature gets to high, in example during a "burnout" or something like that, if you race the car at the track! In that case, aluminum rings are a better choice.

Also worth mentioning is that hub centric rings are mostly used with aluminum rims (or other alloy wheels), they aren't that common with steel rims, but if there's a gap and hub centric rings can be used, then make sure to use them! Otherwise buy some steel rims with the correct center bore as the car.

P.S. If the rim center bore where to be smaller though, than the hub center bore, you'll need to machine the rim center bore to a larger size, which is recommended to be done at a workshop.

So, this article has now "come to an end" so to speak, hope you've enjoyed reading it and escpecially learned something about hub centric rings. Spread the knowledge for a safer road ahead!

Best regards,
Bolt-pattern.com @ Wheel-size.com

Link to author:
http://www.bolt-pattern.com/

Fun facts (trivia) about tires, rims and wheels!

alexander.zagvozdin@gmail.com (Alexander) — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 10:37:58 +0000

Chevrolet Corvette Z06 gen 7 with 19" wheels in front and 20" wheels in the rear.

Lets begin shall we..

This. Is. The. Ultimate. Tire-Rim-Wheel. Trivia:

The new Corvette Z06 generation 7 uses Michelin Pilot summer tires (not much for fun facts, was it?).
The Dodge Challenger Demon has the widest front tires of any production car ever with an amazing width of 315 mm! The previous being the 2014 Camaro Z/28 which has 305 mm wide tires in the front.
The new Dodge Viper generation 4 shares the first place with the special edition Lamborghini Aventador SV with having the widest rear tires of any production vehicle - they are an incredible 355 mm!!
The Bugatti Veyron (a super expensive super good looking super sports car, which you've probably heard of) comes with some awesome Michelin tires that can withstand speeds around 400 km/h!! In that "high of a speed", the tires will only last about 15 min = 100 km (good luck finding a track to go that distance, maybe the desert, but lets not forget to mention the fuel will run out before the tires). Also, here comes the crazy thing, new tires costs more than 40 000 US dollars a set!!! That's a higher price than a new Dodge Challenger R/T if bought in the USA!!
The Dodge Challenger Demon is the first car to have drag radial tires from the factory (not counting low volume production cars, etc.).
Koenigsegg Agera R (another super sexy super sports car) has rims that are made of 100% carbon fiber which makes them weigh under 6 kg (13 lbs)!
A tire will wear out faster in higher speeds but also if there's frequent stop-and-go driving in city traffic and such.
The word "tire" can also be spelled "tyre" in English.
As on today (2017) over 1 billion tires are produced each year.
The tire manufacturer "Goodyear" is named after one of the inventors of vulcanized rubber, Charles Goodyear. The other inventor of vulcanized rubber is John Hancock (both of them filed for patent the same year).
Recycled tires are often used as swings at playgrounds.
Recycled tires can be used for garden decoration by filling the tire with soil and plant some flowers in there, a nice decoration for the car fanatic =)
In American football, recycled tires are often used in excersising (running through a course with laidout tires on the ground).
The first idea of a pneumatic tire was made in 1847, that's 170 years ago! Pneumatic tire = tire to be filled with air.
The largest production tire is about 14 feet tall (4,3 meters) and weighs around 12,500 pounds (5,670 kg) and comes from the company "Titan Tire"! These are normally fitted to mining vehicles such as the worlds biggest dump truck, Caterpillar 797B. Also sharing the first place of the largest production tire is the Michelin and Bridgestone tires of the same height, these costs around 43,000 US dollars each.. wow! Other fun facts about the 14 feet tall Michelin / Bridgestone tires are that they can carry a weight of 100 tons each, and they consist of almost 2,000 pounds of steel. The amount of rubber they contain can produce around 600 car tires!
The toy company LEGO is the worlds largest tire manufacturer with approximately 320 million tires produced each year! Of course we are talking about tyres for LEGO toys, but still, they actually received the Guinness World Record for it!
The contact surface between the ground and a regular size tire of a passenger car isn't very large, just the size of a postcard approximately. So, the entire car is only in contact with the road surface by a piece of copy paper one might say.
There are around 450 tire plants (manufacturing factories) around the world.
Tires have black colour because the rubber which they are made of contains black carbon, a material that makes the tire stronger (the rubber stronger). Black carbon is also used to make makeup mascara, printer ink, etc.
Tires mounted to the driving axle of a vehicle wears out faster.
A 20% underinflated tire (not enough air pressure by 20%) may reduce its lifespan with as much as 50%, so remember to always check the tire pressure to be correct, and not just for better mileage, but also for safety!
Most car manufacturers doesn't manufacture their own wheels. Maxion Wheels is one of the major OEM wheel manufacturers for the automotive industry, supplying BMW, Audi, Chrysler, General Motors, Ford and lots of other makes with rims (which are designed by the car manufacturer though of course).
Tires should be stored in a cool, dry and clean place, away from any sunlight / UV-light.
The tire manufacturing company "Nokian Tyres" is the inventor winter tires.
The first winter tire (snow tire) was produced in 1934 by Nokian. As a side note, the tire was named "Kelirengas" in Finnish (Nokian is a Finnish company) which means "weather tire" in English.
Studded winter tires (snow tires with metal stud) was invented in the 1960's.
Tires with the most tread pattern should always be mounted in the rear, no matter if the car is FWD, RWD or AWD or NWD (No Wheel Drive.. that's a joke by the way =)
The worlds fastest car, which is a jet car called ThrustSSC, has 34 inch solid aluminum wheels with no rubber tires. It currently holds the land speed record of a car with an amazing 1228 km/h, which means it broke the sound barrier at land! The record was set 20 years ago by the way, and the wheels where made by Dunlop!
The wheel (for transport) was invented over 5500 years ago! Time flies by, doesn't it?
Nearly 30% of the cars delivered in Europe comes with tires from tire manufacturer Continental.
A NASA space shuttle's main landing gear tires (the tires in the rear) weighs almost 100 kg (205 pounds) each!
The rear tires of a NASA space shuttle has an operating load of over 64 ton (142,000 pounds) each! That's crazy! Three times the load of a Boeing 747.
A NASA space shuttle has a total of six tires, two in the front (nose landing gear tires) and four in the rear (main landing gear tires), and all of them can handle a land speed of around 400 km/h (250 mph), Bugatti Veyron speed in other words! To be specific, the main landing gear tires can handle a slighly higher speed than the nose landing gear tires. Also, the tires in the rear can only be used one time before they need to be changed, while the tires in front can be used for two landings.
NASA space shuttle tires are made by Michelin, all the way back since 1982.
The NASA space shuttle tires has the size of a large pickup truck tire (kind of).
Airplanes (most of them) and space shuttle tires are filled with nitrogen because of the extreme changes in pressure/altitude and temperature they must withstand when flying so high.
Magnesium wheels weighs much less than aluminum wheels, which means you'll get a better mileage. On the downside though, they are way more expensive and not quite as durable as most aluminum wheels. In most cases, magnesium rims are an aftermarket equipment since aluminum is the more used material with OEM manufacturers of "regular" cars.
Lighter wheels equals better mileage / fuel economy.
The wheel manufacturer "American Racing Equipment" is the oldest company to make aftermarket wheels, founded in 1956.
Alloy wheels were first used in the 1920's.
Run Flat Tires (shortened RFT) can be driven with no air pressure, although only a limited distance in a limited speed, to change the tire/tires in a safe place rather than on the side of the road. The limitations in distance and speed varies for different tire manufacturers, always check this before driving.
There are two types of Run Flat Tires, those that have a reinforced sidewall, and those that comes with a ring inside of the tire, sort of a cushion, to rest on the inside of the rim if the tire gets a flat. Remember though that you cannot mount Run Flat Tires on a vehicle without a Tire Pressue Monitoring System (TPMS), since then you won't know if you get a puncture before maybe it's too late, as Run Flat Tires continues to function just like an air pressured tire untill you've either traveled too far or in a too high speed. But, if to be specific, there are three types om RFT tires, the final one is those that "self leak" (self-sealing), they have a compound within an extra layer of the tire which seals itself.
The first Run Flat Tires was developed in the 1930's.
BMW is the auto manufacturer that outfits most of its cars with Run Flat Tires, other than that, RFT's isn't that common with new vehicles, and especially not when buying new tires (they cost almost twice as much).
In a lot of cases, Run Flat Tires sounds much more than regular tires, especially on asphalt, although one might get used to it after a while.
Winter tires should have a minimum tread pattern of at least 5 mm, and although it's legal with less than that in many countries it's not recommended!
Summer tires should have a minimum tread pattern of at least 3 mm, and although it's legal with less than that in many countries it's not recommended!
Replica wheels are in most cases illegal (due to replicating the design of OEM wheels) and do not provide the same safety nor quality as an OEM or true aftermarket wheel, so don't buy replica/pirate wheels! Also note that the term aftermarket wheels in this article are wheels with their own unique design developed by an aftermarket wheel company, they are not replica wheels even though replica wheels are aftermarket so to speak. For example, the aftermarket wheel company "American Racing" makes aftermarket wheels but not replica wheels, since they design and develop their own products, not copying others!
TPMS means Tire Pressure Monitoring System.
The first TPMS system used in a passenger car debuted with the 1986 Porsche 959.
The Guinness World Record of the tallest stack of tires (tires piled up in a stack) to this day (2017) were achieved in the autumn of 2015 by a German company, they stacked a total of 30 tires which reached 6,14 meters (20 ft and 1.73 in) aiming for the sky! Interesting in breaking the record? Then go to the nearest scrap yard and collect 40-50 tires and go for it!
There are two types of Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems, indirect TPMS and direct TPMS. Indirect TPMS uses the wheel speed sensors (ABS sensors) to roughly calculate any changes in tire pressure (since the rolling circumference will change with the air pressure). Direct TPMS uses a tire pressure sensor inside of each wheel. Both of the systems has their own pros and cons.
Modern tires last longer than they did before. Well, of course they do, development hasn't stopped! =)
Tires don't really have an expiration date like a bottle of milk, if stored correctly they might last 10 years or even more, but that has to be under optimal conditions. In most cases, 5, 6 or 7 years are ideal, or less, or more, it all depends on how they're stored and driven. Of course, we're talking about tires which do have a good and legal tread pattern, otherwise they might only last 1 minute depending on your driving.
Most bicycles have two wheels =)
And most cars have four wheels =)
Although a tire has a width of lets say 205 mm in the specifications (on the paper), it might differ in reality and also between different tire manufacturers. So, one brand may have a wider 205/55R16 tire than the other.
A tire can often be repaired following a puncture, if the hole is in the tread area and no larger than approx. 6 mm (1/4 inch).
The most expensive car tires in the world comes from a Dubai rubber company and are worth around 600,000 US dollars for a set of four tires! This is mainly because they are equipped with both gold and diamonds. The rubber company received the Guinness World Record for the "most exempensive set of car tires.
A space shuttle tire costs a bit over 5,000 US dollars, each, even though they only have a lifespan of 1-2 landings depening on if it's the rear (1 landing) or front (2 landings) tires.
A tire for a Boeing 747 costs approx. 2,000 US dollars while a tire for an Airbus A380 costs 92,000 US dollars! Also worth mentioning is that the Boeing tires have a lifespan of roughly 6 years with retreading, while the Airbus tires only lasts 6 months if the plane is in regular use.
Official Monster Truck tires are 1,68 meters tall (66 inches) and 1,09 meters wide (43 inches). Each tire costs around 2,500 US dollars. Remember, these are the official specifications, not evey monster truck has this size, many might be far bigger.
Nokian Tyres was initially a part of the Nokia concern (which develops mobile phones among other things). The name Nokian or Nokia comes from the Finnish town named Nokia, and that's where Nokian Tyres has its headquarter.
A Danish company named "Genan" is the worlds largest recycler of scrap tires. Good for them!
Around 13,500.000 ton tires of all kinds (car tires, tractor tires, etc.) are scrapped every year, that weight is equal to almost 260 Titanic ships! That's a lot of tires, don't you agree??
Nokian Tyres is specialised on tires for Nordic conditions.
Some of the top tire brands are Michelin, Bridgestone, Goodyear, Pirelli, Cooper, Dunlop, Continental, Nokian, Kumho, Hankook and BFGoodrich.
The tire manufacturer "Michelin" is among the most top rated brands on the market.
To change a car tire mounted to a rim, you will in most cases (alomst all cases) need a tire changing machine.

Dodge diecast model cars - Dodge Charger concept and a Dodge Ram 2500 gen 4, both of them using plastic wheels, although the pickup truck comes with rubber tires.

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That's it, hope you've found it interesting and learned something on the way, now go have that water cooler chitchat and brag to your friends of your newfound wheel and tire skills!

Please note! Although we have done our best to verify its accuracies we unfortunately cannot guarantee it, therefore some errors and/or inaccuracies may occur within the article content. Sources are: Own knowledge, Wikipedia, different tire manufacturers websites, news websites and more.

Best regards,
Bolt-pattern.com @ Wheel-size.com

Link to author:
http://www.bolt-pattern.com/

Cover those rims with wheel covers!

alexander.zagvozdin@gmail.com (Alexander) — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 10:37:58 +0000

Wheel covers are mainly used to make the wheels look better when using steel rims and therefore often with winter tires. One may say that wheel covers tries to make steel rims look like aluminum rims!?

Photos of a alloy rim and steel rim:

BMW alloy wheel with summer tire - Wheel covers CANNOT be mounted to these!

Steel rim with winter tire - Wheel covers CAN be mounted to these!

As with a lot of things, wheel covers comes with different names referring to the same thing. These names are good to know about if you're going to search the Internet (google, ebay, etc.). They can be named either: wheel covers (duh', of course), hubcaps, hub caps, wheel skins, rim covers, rim skins, and such. Notice though that the name hubcaps is kind of misleading, since the covers do not only cover the hubcap, but the whole rim. And with that said, the name hubcap is actually one of the most used names for describing these covers.

Wheel covers, as stated before, are used with steel rims, mostly to make them look better from their generic look and tendency to rust. Steel rims are mainly used in the winter, with winter tires, since the surface of aluminum wheels (most alloy wheels) doesn't get along that well with road salt and similar, but also due to the fact that many people buy winter tires in a smaller size which is cheaper than some large 18 inch summer wheels (just an example).

The good thing with wheel covers in the winter, is that they are often made of plastic, which doesn't rust or get stains like metal do. Some covers may be made in steel (metal) though, but they aren't that common nowadays.

It's not only in the winter that wheel covers are used, they may be put on steel rims whether it's summer or winter, of course! Many car manufacturers are today using steel rims as standard (or aluminum rims that looks like steel rims), both because it's cheaper and/or to get a better fuel economy with a smaller size wheel and weight. In some cases, OEM wheel covers may also be designed to make the car more aerodynamic.

In general, OEM (original) wheel covers that comes from the car manufacturer have the best quality, but they are often hard to find in different sizes and a lot more expensive, not to mention the lack of design choices. Aftermarket wheel covers comes in many different designs, sizes and price ranges, they are often the best "bang for the buck", so to speak, but beware that some of them are made of really cheap plastic that breaks easy when you mount or unmount them! Tip! Read reviews before buying anything online, and if you're at the store, get an idea of the material, it should be a little flexible, not hard plastic!

Some photos of OEM covers and aftermarket covers:

BMW original OEM wheel covers

Steel rim with BMW OEM wheel covers and winter tire

Aftermarket wheel covers

Steel rim with aftermarket wheel covers and winter tire

Wheel covers are often mounted without any fasteners, they sort of "clicks" together with the rim using a pre-mounted metal ring to the inside of the cover. Some covers may be mounted with the wheel bolts or lug nuts though.

Heads up! Wheel covers do not fit all steel rims or aluminum rims that have the same design as steel rims! For example, heavy duty steel rims mounted to pickup trucks, light trucks, and such, often requires custom covers. Also, police cruisers with steel rims uses a special design to the rim and therefore standard wheel covers cannot be mounted (in most cases).

So, now you know what wheel covers are, and you have probably figured out that changing the look of the wheels / car is very easily and also cheap, if you're using steel rims =)

Best regards,
Bolt-pattern.com @ Wheel-size.com

Link to author:
http://www.bolt-pattern.com/