Tire Basics

Brands

A lot of tires (and things in general) are made in Asia. The issue is, most people in the states, are simply racist. there isn't a "patriotic" element to supporting American produced goods. People are people, and someone getting paid in another nation to feed their family is equally valuable and someone in the states.

An argument can be made, however, is to not support foreign brands due to poor labor laws or envirnmental protection policies. Asian countries are notorious for poor working conditions and poverty level wages.

Rubber especially, can be quite toxic to the environment. So to help sustain our environment and keep a higher standard of living, maybe we can buy tires from the states?

Name Brands:

• General
• Michelin
• Bridgestones
• Continental
• Goodyear

The most affordable American tires/installation would be through Costco.

Hydroplaning

Tires encounter more water than they can physically displace. This causes your tires to lose contact with the road. Tires with low to worn-out tread are more likely to lose traction and hydroplane.

Lighter vehicle with tires that have low tread depth will hydroplane at slower speed than bigger cars/threads.

Increasing MPG

Make sure to inflate tires in winter/fall. The temperature decrease makes the pressure drop in tires.

Tire Diagram

If you change tire size, you would need to recalibrate your speedometer...

You could buy a low resistance tire to save some money. These have thinner sidewalls, shallower tread blocks and specialized rubber compounds. According to the USTMA, even as little as a 10% improvement in rolling efficiency can reduce fuel costs by up to $36/year (assuming gas is $3/gallon). Therefore older tires are more efficient due to less thread. Links

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJADPC_Va7A
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keGmhwvsqVw

Tire Breakdown

All tires are constructed of rubber and cord layers referred to as "plies".

• Types: Passenger || Heavy-duty
• Load: Generai (SL) for standard load

Historical Notes

In the past, 15'' rims were the average wheel size. Today, the average wheel size has leaped upward to around 18 inches. And many cars come off the lot with wheels as big as (if not bigger than) 22''.

This larger rim size and shorter tire sidewall combo typically provide crisp handling and responsive performance. But enhanced handling doesn't happen without compromise. These features make vehicles more sensitive to vibration forces.

During winter months, moisture can seep into the road's surface and repeated freezing and thawing can cause potholes.