Tires « Brake Buddy's Auto Repair & Maintenance Blog

Archive for the ‘Tires’ Category

Is The Spare Tire Going Extinct?

Wednesday, June 29th, 2011

Goodbye spare tire? Maybe…

As the cost of manufacturing cars increases, automakers are looking for ways to reduce costs where they can.

One way that they are looking to save money is by not including a spare tire.

This is becoming a common trend as they are finding many benefits. As a result of not including a spare tire, cars are lighter and have better fuel economy. This is being done because there are fewer cases of flat tires these days as technology improves.

Instead of including a spare tire, some companies are including fix-a-flat kits or run-flat tires. The newly redesigned Hyundai Elantra is one of the latest cars that does not include a spare tire. Hyundai is able to save $22 per car and $4.4 million on the 200,000 Elantras that they plan to make this year.

Many other companies are also following suit and experiencing the same money-saving benefits. The decision to not include a spare tire is also based on the fact that most people use roadside assistance in the event of a flat.

While there are many benefits to not including a spare tire, there are also some concerns. Many people do not like the idea that spare tires are not included in cars. Automakers are also not required to include them because it is not considered standard safety equipment.

It is hard to say if all automakers will adopt this for the future, but right now it something to keep in mind the next time you are shopping for a car.

What are your thoughts on this issue? Leave your comments below.

Tags: flat tire kit, Hyundai, spare tire
Posted in Car Technology, Tires | Comments Off

Quickly Change Your Car’s Tire After A Blowout

Thursday, September 23rd, 2010

It happens to all of us. You’re driving down the road and all of a sudden you hear a thud, thud, thud noise coming from one of your tires. You’ve got a flat tire.

Changing a flat tire may be a little more difficult than you think. We’ve included the steps you need to follow to change your tire.

Make sure you are on a flat surface. If you are in a busy traffic area drive to another location such as a parking lot or a side street.
Turn off your engine and turn on your hazard lights.
Take the spare tire, tire wrench, and jack out of your vehicle. For some vehicles, the spare tire may be underneath the truck bed or trunk.
Take off the hubcap or wheel cover from your vehicle’s wheel.
Using the tire wrench loosen the lug nuts on the tire. Do not completely take off the lug nuts.
Following the directions for your jack, lift the car up. Be sure to place the jack under the vehicle in the proper place as designated by the owner’s manual.
Remove the lug nuts and the wheel.
Put the spare tire on along with the lug nuts. Be sure to get the lug nuts as tight as you can without spinning the wheel.
Lower the vehicle. Be sure to tighten the lug nuts with the tire wrench.

When driving with a spare tire, do not drive at excessive speeds. Be sure to take your vehicle to a mechanic as soon as possible to replace the tire. To help prevent blown tires, have your mechanic check the tire tread during a Phoenix brake repair or a Albuquerque transmission flush.

Tags: Albuquerque transmission flush, Flat Tire, Phoenix brake repair
Posted in Automotive Maintenance, Car Repair, Tires | Comments Off

How Does Wheel Alignment Affect Your Vehicle

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

The straight facts on wheel alignment and why it’s important.

All of the elements that determine whether or not your car drives straight are called the alignment. Wheel alignment involves three main measurements. These are caster, camber, and toe. There are standards for each of these measurements and it is best that they are as close to these as possible. With most new cars, you only need to be concerned with adjustments for the toe. That being said, if you are not familiar with wheel alignment, it is best to have this job done by a technician at your next El Paso car tune up.

Caster is the tilt of the steering axis either forward or backward. Caster affects your directional control when steering, but it will not affect the wear on tires. You will especially feel if the caster on your car needs to be corrected when turning.

Camber is the tilting of the wheels in their vertical position when looking at them from the front of the car. If the camber is not correct, the wheels will wear faster on either the inside or outside depending on if they are tilted positively or negatively.

Toe refers to how much the wheels are turned either out or in from a straight ahead position. Toe ensures that the wheels roll parallel. If toe is adjusted improperly you will again face tire wear and also steering instability.

These are just the absolute basics on wheel alignment. What you need to remember above all is that tires are expensive and in order to keep yours from wearing out prematurely, you need to have your alignment checked at least every 10,000 miles. Not only will your car be easier to drive, but you will save yourself money by extending the life of your tires. Make sure your alignment is check at your next Las Cruces car tune up.

Tags: Camber, Caster, Vehicle Alignment, Wheel Alignment
Posted in Tires | 29 Comments »

How To Check Your Tire Pressure

Friday, February 5th, 2010

Learn the right way to check your tire pressure.

Maintaining the proper amount of pressure in your tires will save you both time and money on maintenance and gas.

Checking your tire pressure is something you need to do quite often. Ideally, you should check your tire pressure every month and anytime they appear to be a bit low. Also, any time you intend to drive more than normal (such as on a road trip) you should check your tire pressure prior to leaving and make sure they have the proper amount of air. They should also be checked next time you get a Phoenix car tune up.

The first thing you need in order to check the tire pressure is a tire pressure gauge. You can purchase a tire pressure gauge at any car parts store or most gas stations. Next, it is important to know the amount of pressure your tires should have. This information can be found either in the owner’s manual of your car, or some cars have this information on the driver’s side door jamb. Now that you have this information, you are ready to check your tire pressure.

Begin by unscrewing the cap on the tire air valve and press the tire pressure gauge on it. Keep the tire pressure gauge held firmly against the air valve so all of the air is released into the gauge. Immediately upon pressing the gauge down on the valve, the gauge will read the tire pressure.

If the tires are filled to the correct amount, you simply need to remove the gauge and screw the cap back onto the air valve. If the number is low, you will need to put more air into your tires. Make sure not to overfill your tires!

When your tires have the right amount of air pressure, they wear longer and you will save fuel. So, next time you are getting your Albuquerque car tune up, remember this is good not only for your car, but also for your wallet. You will spend less on gas and repairs.

Tags: Albuquerque Car Tune Up, Tire Air Valve, Tire Pressure
Posted in Tires | 4 Comments »