We've been helping people find the right tires, wheels and performance parts since 1979. If you're looking for the best and most accurate information on all things tires, you've come to the right place.
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...
A load index is an assigned numerical value that signifies a tire's maximum load carrying capacity. They're useful to help compare load carrying capacity of different-sized tires, and as you might expect, the higher the tire's load index number, the greater its load carrying capacity. Using the...
January 19, 2007 Tires tested: Bridgestone Turanza EL400-02 Standard Touring All-Season P215/60R16 Bridgestone Blizzak WS60 Studless Ice & Snow 215/60R16 Since we have experienced that the performance of different tire models typically varies in the amount of responsiveness and...
Tires used on the track have to work in a very tough environment: hard cornering, heavy braking, powerful acceleration, rubber grinding away against abrasive pavement lap after lap. To help you get the most from your tires, you should closely inspect them between every session as part of...
Visible Tread Splices While visible and open tread splices are conditions rarely seen on street tires, they appear more frequently on racing tires, including the DOT-legal competition tires often used for road racing, track days and autocrossing. A visible tread splice is cosmetic in nature...
Pneumatic tires are made of specialized rubber compounds reinforced by plies of fabric cords and metal wires. While most rubber compounds can be stretched easily, the underlying fabric cords and steel wires actually define the tire's shape by limiting stretching. In order to bond these...
You may want to take a copy of this Tire Tech article to the service center when replacing the tires on your vehicle or when having its tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) serviced. It might provide some tips not covered by the tire changer's normal service procedures. Tips on servicing...
Each individual state has established waste tire management funds to address issues related to discarded tires. Examples include tire disposal, remediation of illegally dumped tires, recycling, and consumer education. Tire Rack collects these state fees when selling tires to consumers as...
Nothing Lasts Forever... and Tires Are No Exception Tires are manufactured by bonding rubber to fabric plies and steel cords. Despite the anti-aging ingredients mixed into the rubber compounds, there is a realization that tires are perishable, as well as a growing awareness that some tires...
As a general rule, tires should not be mixed on any vehicle unless specified as acceptable by the tire or vehicle manufacturer. Drivers should avoid mixing tires with different tread patterns, internal constructions or sizes, and use identical tires on all of their vehicle's wheel positions in...
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...
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...
Need help choosing the right products for your vehicle? Our US-based 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).
Contact Us