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...
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...
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...
Using the Hunter TC3500 mounting machine, optimal matching of the tire alignment relative to the wheel can be done with higher accuracy and help to eliminate vibration problems. The Hunter GSP9700 Road Force measurement balancer road tests the mounted tire and wheel to effectively measure...
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).
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