Monthly Archives: June 2019

All images by author unless otherwise noted.

A number of angles are measured and corrected when necessary when a wheel alignment is performed. Keeping these angles within specifications keeps the tires wearing evenly, improves fuel economy, and decreases excessive on suspension components and tires. Normal wear and tear will slowly allow these angles to change enough so that uneven tire wear will become apparent in as few as 500 miles. Potholes and hitting objects such as curbs can change these angles more acutely and cause increased tire wear and cause the vehicle to wander.

What Angles Are Measured When an Alignment Is Performed?

 For years wheel alignments were commonly called front-end alignments because the front-end is wear all the action took place; rear-end angle measurements might have been taken but only front-end angles could be adjusted. Vehicle design and technology changed and rear angles not only became more incorporate but also became adjustable with the advent

All images by author unless otherwise noted.

Your vehicle’s wheel lugs are what keep the wheels secured to your vehicle. There are anywhere from three to eight of these lugs spread evenly around the center hub of the wheel and axle. The arrangement of how they are spaced around that hub is called the wheel’s bolt pattern. The vehicle’s bolt pattern will determine which wheels of a given diameter and width will fit and which won’t.

Even If you look really close, automotive wheel bolt patterns don’t look very different. Sure, it’s easy to count the number of lugs a wheel has. However, what’s not so obvious is that two wheels with a four-bolt pattern might not fit the same cars. Manufacturers usually use a single bolt pattern for all of their vehicles of a specific size, but not always. It’s also common for different manufacturers to use different bolt patterns than other manufacturers.

How a Wheel’s Bolt Pattern Is Measured

Many people think that a wheel’s bolt pattern is the distance

Although they give you a general description of what a tire can do, it can be difficult to understand exactly what tire codes and descriptions mean. Load specifications are one major area of confusion. Many people ask “What’s the difference between ‘Load Index’ and ‘Load Range’? They’re both an indication of how much weight the tire can handle, right?” Well, yes and no.

Load Range Is Based on ‘Ply Rating’

A tire’s ‘Load Range’ can be found on the tire’s sidewall represented by a letter, usually after the tire size (35X12.50 R17/E for example). This code represents the ability of the tire to hold air and weight; the higher the load range (A→G) the heavier load the tire can carry.

Load range measurement is based upon an older metric called ‘ply rating.’ To understand ply rating we must first understand that tires aren’t made of just rubber; inside the tire, sandwiched within the rubber are cord (metal and fabrics) layers that are called ‘plies.’ Although tire technology has advanced

Is it okay to put two, three, or even four different tires on your car or truck? Tires are an essential component for your safety and the safety of those with and around you. It’s not really a good idea to put different tires on your vehicle except, of course, vehicles that require mixing fitments. Staggered fitments, for example, require different tire sizes on the front and on the rear.

It’s best that all four of your tires be the same brand and type of tire. For example, if you have winter tires, all four should be made for winter driving. We recommend replacing all four tires at the same time; however, there may be times when you don’t need four new tires. Maybe one of your tires is damaged by a nail in the road. If you're not able to replace all four, we recommend that tires should at least be replaced in pairs. This could potentially help in avoiding problems with your vehicle’s suspension and transmission.

Keep in mind when you replace only two new tires, you’re mixing tread depths.