What You Need to Know About Tires.

by Calyn Ehid

One of the most critical parts of our automobiles is the rubber on its wheels. The handling and the automobiles overall drive performance rests on the tires. Let us consider some of the most important factors when choosing the wheels driving your vehicle.

Choose the Right Size

Use your cars owners manual and look up the right size tire for your car. It is essential to purchasing the right size, so the tire does not rub on the inside of the wheel well because it is too wide. Or if you choose too tall of a tire can make your automobiles speedometer not accurate. Make sure you are selecting a tire compatible for your specific car.

Tire Tread Matters

Tire tread is an important consideration when choosing a tire. Tire tread can impact the comfort of the cars ride. By selecting a tread that has a flatter, tread pattern, the ride is usually quieter and more comfortable. The tread has a direct bearing on the outside noise that can be heard while driving. 

Tire tread can provide a vehicle to have more traction and grip the road in the rain and snow. There are distinctive tire tread patterns that even disperse water out of the tire while driving on wet roadways. This pattern makes driving in wet conditions safer.

Different tread patterns help a vehicle stay on track without getting filled -up with dirt, mud or snow while driving in rough terrains such as grass, mud, and snow. A tire tread that is deep, hard and rugged provides the best traction in those conditions. 

Treadwear Rating

The treadwear rating located on the tire’s sidewall is an important number. The rating number is bassed from a 100-treadwear control tire. To make this easier to understand. A tire with a 100 treadwear rating is the lowest rating possible. The tread will wear out the quickest. If you find a tire with a 500 treadwear rating it will last five times longer than the tire rated with the 100 treadwear rating. The higher the treadwear rating the longer the tire will last. 

Uniform Tire Quality Grading

Many tires have a Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG) score next to the tread wear rating number. The UTQG score is a system put into place by the department of transportation to help consumers compare and rate atire. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading rates the traction and temperature of the tire. The codes definitions are (A) superior, (B) good and (C) average.

So just for the sake of clarity, let us take, for example, you find a tire with a treadwear number that reads 400AA. This means the tread rating is 400, the traction rating is (A) superior and the temperature rating is (B) average.

The basic things you need to know about your cars tires are what the right size for your vehicle is, the tread and how to understand the tread ratings. Now you are ready to not only make a good investment and not throw your money away. But you are prepared to make a choice that will provide you and your loved ones a safe ride.