The Effect of Bigger Tires on Your Vehicle

Bigger wheels and tires are a desirable upgrade for not only the off-road extremist but many everyday drivers as well. For example, you can go to Wal-Mart and count several SUVs in the parking lot with 20-inch rims because even “Glamma” wants to look cool. Tires can really make or break your vehicle in relevance to style and performance. Driving on bad tires can take a toll on your vehicle, and upgrading to new tires can make your vehicle drive like new again. When upgrading to bigger tires you also need to upgrade your rims. There are several benefits and disadvantages when considering an upgrade to tires or wheels.

If you are driving a truck, you may want to consider getting a lift kit. This would allow room for massive wheels and tires depending on how big of a lift you get. For ...[more]

Car Seat Safety Tips

Your child’s safety in the car heavily relies on them having the appropriate car seat or booster seat properly installed. Even if you are an expert driver with a clear driving history, you can’t stop other drivers from making poor decisions on the road. Correctly used child safety seats can reduce the risk of death by 71%, but half of all booster and car seats are not properly installed. To avert a tragic incident, make sure your kids are properly positioned in the appropriate seating. Follow these tips to provide your child with the safest ride.

Use the appropriate car or booster seat. One of the most common mistakes made is upgrading a child to a forward-facing car seat before they are ready. Your child should remain rear-facing until they are age 2 or when they ...[more]

History of the Modern Tire

Whether it’s the price of gas, the people you spend time with, or the level of satisfaction you have with your job, one thing in life is certain, things change. It may not be a surprise your vehicle, the way it works, and how much it costs has changed significantly over the years. But have you ever thought about how much tires have changed?

Before air was introduced into tire designs, they were covered in wood, iron, solid rubber, and even leather. Although these weren’t the most shock absorbent materials, they provided durability and grip. It took many years to develop the tires we use today. Let’s look at tires and how they have progressed through the years.

The modern tire was patented in 1847 by Robert Thompson but had little success. At the time, consumers preferre ...[more]

Diesel vs. Gasoline - Which is Better?

Are you in the market for a new truck and trying to decide between a diesel or a gasoline engine? When it comes down to it, it is truly a driver preference. There is no clear “winner” between the two types of engines, but there certainly are some pros and cons to each. The type of truck best suited for you will depend heavily on your budget and what you will be using your truck for. Is your truck going to be your daily driver on your 40-mile commute, or will you regularly be using it to haul heavy equipment from point A to point B?

Cost: It’s no secret a diesel-powered truck is going to cost you a bit more than the gasoline version…$5,045.00 more on average according to Forbes. Al ...[more]

What you Need to Know Before Buying New Tires

I can think of several things I would rather buy, but it looks like a new set of tires is going to be at the top of the list. There are many factors to consider before making this investment. Here is a quick guide to finding, buying, and maintaining your new tires.

Do you need new tires? Take a close look at your tires and determine if you actually need new tires. Tread is the best place to look. You can measure the depth using an old penny or by looking at the tread wear indicators built into most tires. If your tread is worn down to less than 2/32 of an inch you need new tires.

Who to buy new tires from can be a challenge. One option is the car dealer, but they are often the most expensive. You will have better luck with a tire retailer or local auto shop. Always check for ...[more]

What to do When Your Parking Brake is Stuck

Have you ever gotten a little too excited using your parking brake? At some point, most of us pull up just a little too hard and get our brake lever jammed. There are several situations that require a little extra braking power. Knowing when and how to use your brake will help you avoid sticky situations.

When should I use my parking brake?

If you drive a manual transmission you might use your emergency brake every time you park your vehicle. You might even be using it when you are driving! Those of us with automatics might only use our e-brakes when we are parked on a hill. In reality, you should use your parking brake all the time!

When we park our vehicles it engages a device know ...[more]

How to Increase Your Gas Mileage

Don’t you hate it when you try to find ways to save on gas and the first response you get is “drive less”? If that was an option, I wouldn’t be looking up solutions. Unfortunately, we all depend on our vehicles and we all have to drive. Which means we all have to buy gas. But how can we do all this and still save money?

You can’t make it far in search results without coming across dozens of tips on how to make your gas go further. In case you’ve missed out, here are some of the best tips I’ve found on how to save.

Drive Less- just kidding!

Braking and Accelerating- Nothing is more taxing on your gas bill than excessive braking and acceleration. Stea ...[more]

Be Aware of Your Spare

Do you have a spare tire in your car? If you have to think twice about that question, I bet you either don’t have one or the spare you have needs attention. Your spare tire is one of the most important accessories on your vehicle, but it is often the most neglected.

If you never check your spare tire, it might not be useful when you need it. Here are some general steps you should take to make sure your spare tire will be ready when disaster strikes.

Think about the most basic thing you check on your tires. That’s right, the pressure on your spare tire should be checked on a regular basis. Most tires should read between 30 and 35 PSI. This could change depending on the type of spare your vehicle is equipped with. A compact spare tire referred to as a donu ...[more]

What do the Belts in my Car do?

Your vehicle is made of many different parts. In fact, a single vehicle can have 30,000 components or more! With so many parts, it’s hard to keep track of what they all do. In order to maintain your vehicle’s performance, your belts are something you should be familiar with.

They might not be good at keeping your pants up but the belts in your car play a big role in your vehicle’s performance. The major belts in your vehicle are the serpentine belt and timing belt.

Serpentines are responsible for power steering pumps, cooling fans, injection pumps, air conditioning, and a variety of other functions depending on your vehicle. Sometimes serpentine belts can do it all!

With one long snaking path, the serpentine belt winds in and out of several different components in your vehicle. It is made of extre ...[more]

Tire Maintenance for Beginners

How much do you remember about tire maintenance from your driver’s education class? I bet you don’t remember much. Most courses cover the rules of the road, not how to maintain a vehicle. As a new driver, there are many things to learn. Taking care of your car is one of those things. Let’s start with the one part of your vehicle that touches the road, your tires.

That’s right, your tires are the only part of your vehicle that actually touch the road. That makes them an important safety feature, a factor in fuel economy, and a crucial part of your vehicle’s maintenance. I want to make sure that you can take care of your tires and make them last!

Know how to check your tire pressure! Low tire pressure is the leading cause ...[more]