Q: Are all tire brands created equal?
As with any product, there are tiers of manufacturers. Generally top-tier manufacturers tend to be leaders in engineering and technical advancement.

Q: Why are some tire brands so much cheaper than others?
Many times the cost is related to engineering time put into the tire and thus value you receive, but again like other products, marketing investment varies from brand to brand.

Q: How often do you need to check your tires for air loss?
Tires should be checked at the minimum monthly. If you have dual tires and are traveling, it is important to check them more frequently since a tire that is low can be concealed by the adjacent tire.

Q: Why do we need to rotate our tires? How often?
Tire rotation can be beneficial in several ways. When done at the recommended times, it can preserve balanced handling and traction and even out tire wear. Tire rotation can even provide performance advantages.

Many tire mileage warranties require tire rotation to keep the warranty valid. When should tires be rotated? We recommend that tires be rotated every 3,000 to 5,000 miles even if they don’t show signs of wear.

Tire rotation helps even out tire wear by allowing each tire to serve in as many of the vehicle’s wheel positions as possible, hopefully promoting even wear across the tire tread pattern.

Q: If tires have a load rating, what about wheels?
They do have a load capacity; it is stamped or cast into the wheel. The wheel must have enough load capacity when compared to the gross axle weight rating of the vehicle.

Q: Is there a break-in period for new tires?
Tires are comprised of many layers of rubber, steel, and fabric. Due to these different components, your new tires require a break-in period to ensure that they deliver their normal ride quality and maximum performance.

When tires are cured, a release lubricant is applied to prevent them from sticking in their mold. Some of the lubricant stays on the surface of your tires, reducing traction until it is worn away. Five hundred miles of easy acceleration, cornering, and braking allows the mold release lubricant to wear off, allowing the other tire components to begin working together.

Q: Is there any way to know how old your tire is?
In addition to the tire’s brand and line names (tire model), there is a lot of information provided by the manufacturer on the sidewalls. Since 2000, the week and year the tire was produced has been provided by the last four digits of the Tire Identification Number, with two digits used to identify the week immediately preceding the two digits used to identify the year.

Some of the branded information provides the tire’s basic dimensions and identifies the week it was produced. Other branding lists the types of materials used internally to reinforce the rubber, along with the tire’s maximum inflation pressures and loads. And others confirm that the manufacturer certifies that the tire meets various industry standards and measures up to the government regulations of the nations in which it will be used.