Are you confused about tires? Let me put this question another way. When you look at the photo on the right, do you believe yourself to be:A) More confused about tires than an Alpaca...or
B) Just as confused about tires as an Alpaca...or
C) Less confused about life in general than an Alpaca, but I'm still not so sure about tires?!?!
If you answered A), B) or C) above, have no fear. Over the years I have had lots of opportunity to learn first-hand all about tires. Let me share a little bit of my experience. Here are some questions my customers have asked me, along with my time-tested answers.
Q: What the heck kind of tires do I have on my car?A: Tires come in all variety of sizes and types. You can see for yourself the type and size of your tire by reading a special series of numbers and letters found on the side of the tire. The number series might look something the one in the accompanying photo, which reads: “195/60R15”. Read on to learn more about what this strange code tells you about your tires.
Q: Is there some magical way to learn my tire's dimensions?A: Yes, but no need for magic. Take a look at the first three digits in our number series above: "195". This indicates the tire's width from sidewall to sidewall, as measured in millimeters. So in our example the tire width is 195 millimeters. The two-digit number that comes next tells the tire height, but in a tricky way, as a percentage of the tire width. A tire labeled "195/60" means that the tire height is 60% of the tire width of 195 millimeters. The math looks like this: 195 x .60 = 117. The tire’s height is 117 millimeters. Now that is some kind of fun with math!
Q: Do I have radial tires or what?
A: Yes you probably do, since radial construction is the most common type of construction for a tire these days. But let's find out for sure. In our number series, tire construction is represented by a letter. If it says “R” that means radial. Older tires have abbreviations such as “B” for bias belted and “D” for diagonal bias.
Q: Is there a top secret decoder ring I can buy to tell me my wheel size?A: Well, I'm not so sure about a top secret decoder ring, but you don't need that to learn your wheel size. Just read the final number in our number series, because that will tell you the wheel size for which the tire is designed. This measurement is given in inches and represents the wheel rim diameter. A “15” means the tire is meant for a 15-inch wheel. In case anyone asks you, you can tell them that most wheel rims measure between 13 and 18 inches in diameter.
Q: When should I replace my tires?A: Let's check the manufacturer’s production code, another number plainly displayed on your tire, to learn its age. This is critical information in deciding when to replace your tires because older tires, even those with good tread, can still be dangerous and cause a blowout. Tires over seven years old should probably be replaced. The last 4 digits on the production code tell us the manufacture date. The first 2 of these 4 digits tell the "production week" or week of the year. Since there are 52 weeks in a year, this part of the number will be between 1 and 52.. The last 2 digits represent the year. So for example, a production code ending in “5107” means “produced in the 51st week (next to last week of December) of 2007.
Q: What in the world is a Tire Pressure Monitoring System and why should I care?
A: A tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) is an electronic system for monitoring the air pressure in a vehicle tire and automatically transmitting a warning to the driver in the event of an under or over inflated tire. These systems have been legislated to be installed on all 2007 and newer passenger vehicles. You should care about maintaining proper tire pressure because the most common cause of tire failure and blowouts is low tire pressure. This is especially important on a trailer because if the air in a trailer tire goes bad you never can "feel" it if and when a trailer tire goes flat. A flat trailer tire often does flip the trailer send the car into a spin. We would always encourage you to think "safety first".
At Steve's Auto Service we can help with all your TPMS needs, including sales of aftermarket systems. And be sure to check out this month's special, a $75.00 value! We'll perform a free tire rotation, tire inspection, and a test of TPMS operation. Give us a call at 973-829-1618 and ask for the October Tire Service Special.
