Tire Info

I think it is time for a quick tire refresher. I will follow up with a involved topic later. The tire pressure on the sidewall of your tire is NOT the proper tire pressure it is the max pressure and remember you can gain 4 # or more on a hot day when on the road. You can even gain a pound or two driving to your favorite air supply. Check your tires cold before driving and take into consideration the increase when bringing your tires to the proper pressure. The placard on the door jamb or the glove box door will list the correct tire pressure and size. The owner’s manual does not usually list tire pressures due to the many options available. Purchase a decent tire gauge Sears’s sells a digital for less than $10.The rest of the info on the sidewall refers to tread ware, traction, max speed and manufactures info as to build info and a serial number. This will be discussed in a future topic. The 2 that you should pay attention too are tread ware and traction, they are a sliding scale the harder the tire the better the ware and the worse traction and ride and the opposite for a softer tire, better traction and ride but a shorter tread life. Many of the newer materials have lessened the impact of this problem but it is still a factor. I think you get what you pay for and this is true with tires, buy the best you can afford but not more then you need for your driving habits. Many tire stores will use the old bait and switch so buyers beware. There are several sites that sell and rate tires, but there are little if any savings when you pay shipping and mounting and balancing, but they are an excellent source of information. When buying tires I find several I like and then shop, my recent purchases have been at Sears and Sams, both strictly based on price. I was impressed with the service at both, Sears even put chrome shields and valve caps on the Bonneville. Tried to sell me a few things but that I expected.