According to an article from USAToday.com, the government is going to try and impose a label on tires that shows how fuel efficient they will be. The government believes that if consumers know how fuel efficient their tires are, they would be more prone to pick ones that have better gas mileage in the long run. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Americans use about 135 billion gallons of gasoline each year. And these warnings could help reduce that by at least 2 percent. The a [...more]

According to an article from June 22, 2009 on recyclingtoday.com Liberty Tire Company, which is one of the largest tire recycling companies in the entire country, has bought the Texas based company Able Tire Co. According to the article, the deal will merge the scrap tire market in Texas and Oklahoma. Able tire has been in business for about sixteen years and they do one of three things with their scrap tires: resold them, use them as fuel or use them as fill. Liberty tire will gain this from [...more]

With the Fourth of July just around the corner, road trip season is in the air. That’s why it’s very important to check your tire pressure. According to an article from eponline.com making sure your tire pressure is correct can save you money because your gas mileage will be more effective and better. The Auto Club and Rubber Manufacturer’s Association have put “Be Tire Smart” brochures at AAA offices around the country. AAA statistics say that they respond to over 144,000 calls related to tir [...more]

According to an article out June 15, 2009 from USA Today tire makers are doing their best to respond to the new influx of hybrid and electric vehicles. Now that more companies are looking into alternative ways to power cars, the tire industry is looking how to improve tires. “Tire makers are now trying to come up with the best technologies to go with other automotive features that squeeze every drop out of a gallon of gas. Both Michelin and Goodyear are touting their latest creations aimed at s [...more]

According to Modern Tire Dealer, the state of California is looking to figure out just how energy efficient those energy efficient tires are. California is taking its stab at tires with new legislation that proposes a fuel efficient tire program. A draft of the proposal was brought before the California Energy Commission on June 10th. “The commission is looking at a rating system for the rolling resistance of passenger and light truck tires sold or available for sale in California.” According t [...more]

According to an article from the Eastern Oregonian newspaper, a Portland based company has proposed using waste tires and cow manure to make methane. The company wants to do this on a dairy farm called Threemile Canyon Farms, near Boardman, Oregon. The company, Northwest Biogas, is currently looking to get a permit from the Oregon Department of Environmental  Quality in order to store the waste tires. The company is seeking to use at least 40,000 waste tires. Northwest Biogas wants to use the [...more]

According to an article from motorage.com, it’s that time of year again, for the Rubber Manufacturer’s Association’s National Tire Safety Week. Many major tire companies are very active in the association’s events including National Tire Safety Week. Some are Goodyear, Michelin and Pirelli. The National Tire Safety Week is now in its eighth year. And this year their campaign slogan is “Be Tire Smart, play your PART.”  The campaign is designed to help drivers do the simple maintenance that is n [...more]

According to an article on Bloomberg.com, Democrats along with Senator Arlen Specter backed a limit on Chinese Tire imports as a means for President Barack Obama to change United States trade policy. There was a hearing at the United States International Trade Commission on June 2, 2009, that had lawmakers predicting that the President would set aside $1.7 billion in automobile tires from China. Here is this quote from the article: “‘It is my hope that the Obama administration will go in a ne [...more]

An article from UPI.com reveals that several environmental groups have asked the Environmental Protection Agency to outlaw the use of lead tire weights. By banning the lead tire weights, the group says, will prevent future problems that they could cause with wildlife and children. The group and United States scientists sent the Environmental Protection Agency a petition asking it to add lead tire weights to the government’s lead-based products that are banned. Other products that are banned by [...more]

According to  an article from CNNmoney.com off of the Dow Jones wire service, Goodyear Tire is set to stop consumer-tire production at a French plant to cut costs. This will affect 820 jobs in the plant or 68 percent of the plant’s overall workforce in Amiens, France. The company is also looking to exclude its farm-tire business to the Asia-Pacific region. Sales of this type are not material to Goodyear. It sold its North American farm-tire operation in 2005. All of this is because of rising c [...more]

Looking to discover a different kind of sporting event? Involving cars? No not NASCAR, something way dirtier than that, like off-road racing. If you can get down to Mexico the world’s best will soon be competing. According to an article from Motorage.com , its time for some off-roading for three Yokohama Tires sponsored teams. The teams, who captured class championships in last year’s Baja 500 are heading south of the border to compete again in Ensenada, Mexico. The event in Mexico will take [...more]

Here are some characteristics of a tire rim to keep in mind when purchasing wheel and tire packages or rims and tires in general: Diameter: distance between the intersection of the bead seats and the vertical walls of the rim flanges. Width: distance between the rim flanges. Type: Depends on the type of vehicle and tire. There are various rim profiles, as well as the number of rim components. Modern passenger vehicles and tubeless tires typically use one-piece rims with a “safety&rdqu [...more]

A hot hatch is an informal or slang term for a high-performance derivative of a three to five door hatchback automobile. The term is more popular in Europe due to the popularity of the hatchback configuration. Within the United States they are commonly named sport compacts, however, this deviates from the original meaning of the hot hatch terminology. Vehicles of this class are typically based on a budget, family-oriented automobile, and equipped with improved suspension and a more powerful engi [...more]

California based car manufacture Telsa motors expanded there partnership with the second largest car manufacture, Daimler-Benz today. Daimler has acquired a 10% stake in the company. The partnership will help equip Mercedes-Benz vehicles with Tesla’s technology of lithium-ion batteries. Daimler has already been experimenting with their batteries in a fleet of 100 smart cars, which are moving into limited production. With this agreement, Mercedes plans to come out with there first battery powe [...more]

Practicing good driving habits will keep your tires in tip-top shape and will sustain tire life. In addition to monthly tire pressure check-ups, it’s a good idea for all motorists to install a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). These systems can help detect loss of inflation pressure and prevent damage to the tire. Another way for drivers to keep a close watch on their wheels, TPMS’s signal when tires are 25% under inflated – a federal regulation. However, this warning may be too late to [...more]

Lug nuts are extremely important to the safety of your vehicle. Although they may be small, these screws are essential to the integrity of the fastening system and needed to properly secure the wheel to the hub. If lug nuts are not fixed on right, the entire wheel installation process is at risk. A lug nut that is not tight enough will eventually loosen, resulting in damage to the wheel or separation from the vehicle.  One that is fastened too tightly can possibly crack during an installation. [...more]

A proper wheel installation is all about achieving the perfect fit for your vehicle. There are certain techniques that ensure your self-install will involve the necessary safety precautions, so that your car is fully prepared to take on the road. Below you'll find out how to fasten the wheel and hub parts with precision. 1. Check for a flush fit: Before moving forward with mounting the tires to the wheels, make sure that the hub face and wheel fit is flush. You'll be able to do this by installi [...more]

Preparing for a wheel installation is almost as important as actually performing one. Taking the time to inspect your tire parts may prevent any unexpected setbacks from occurring during the installation. A good installation, like most DIY projects, starts with an organized, careful approach. To prepare for a wheel installation, follow these steps: 1. Inspect the threads: Make sure that the nuts and studs or bolts and hub threads of the fastening system are not covered with any grease, dirt or [...more]

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 With the auto industry still trying to regain its footing in the market, many people are looking for new ways to spruce up their ride without replacing it. Rims can add an entirely new look and feel to a car, making even the oldest Oldsmobile look [...more]

In part two of the tire size series, we explore the second portion of the sidewall description, still using the tire size of a typical passenger car as a reference, P225/50R16 91S. With this detailed description of your tire sidewall information, you'll be able to pick out replacement tires and rims when the time comes for a change. Educating yourself on the important facts about your tires and wheels will make taking care of your vehicle easier. First letter after  Sidewall Aspect Ratio = Int [...more]

Tire rims come in a variety of shapes, sizes and looks. Located on your tire is information regarding the recommended size you need for the specific tire model (check out last week's post for clear directions on this). You can also find out which wheel size best suites your ride if you look in the owner's manual. Many cars can handle rims that are larger than the ones they are fastened with when they are first manufactured; specifications inside your manual should be able to guide you in your pu [...more]

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Making sure that your lug nuts are good and tight on your wheels is a high priority. The installation process should not be rushed or else you run the risk for damaging the surface of your shiny new set of rims. Below are some tricks of the trade th [...more]

No longer do tires simply function as a vehicle's transport mechanism; the tough tread is now being used to provide our feet with safe travels. Shoe manufacturer Timberland will soon launch it's "green" model of work boots, made from 42% recycled tires. Like many of today's new products produced by Eco-conscious companies, this innovative use of recycled rubber is a step towards cleaning up our landfills and creating a cleaner environment. With the help of Green Rubber, Inc., a company devoted [...more]

On every tire there is a code that provides specific size information. This obscure set of numbers and letters is located on the rubber right above the rim. Important sizing information is stated in this order: The the height of the tire, width of the tire (or the distance across the tread), and the size of rims. The video below provides a clear depiction of how to interpret these numbers.