Thanks to their special compound, winter tires offer the elasticity required to ensure maximum grip throughout the cold season, regardless of the road conditions. Summer tires can become hard when the temperature falls below 45 degrees, thereby losing the flexibility needed to build up sufficient grip for braking, starting off and cornering. Because of their greater suppleness in the cold, winter tires are able to interlock with asphalt, snow and ice, even at lower temperatures.
Here a few tips to keep you from slipping and sliding on the way to work in the morning:
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Proper tire care and safety is simple and easy. The Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) recommends getting in the habit of taking five minutes every month to check your tires, including the spare.
Your tire maintenance checklist:
Pressure: Underinflation can lead to tire failure. It results in unnecessary tire stress, irregular wear, loss of control and accidents. A tire can lose up to half of its air pressure and not appear to be flat!
Alignment: A bad jolt from hitting a curb or pothole can throw your front end out of alignment and damage your tires. Have a tire dealer check the alignment periodically to ensure that your car is properly aligned.
Rotation: Regularly rotating your vehicle's tires will help you achieve more uniform wear. Unless your vehicle owner's manual has a specific recommendation, the guideline for tire rotation is approximately every 6,000-8,000 miles.
Tread: Advanced and unusual wear can reduce the ability of tread to grip the road in adverse conditions. Visually check your tires for uneven wear, looking for high and low areas or unusually smooth areas. Also check for signs of damage.
Summer tires are designed for warm weather only use only. It is not advisable to use summer tires in temperatures below 45 degrees. Regardless of the weather conditions.
Do not attempt to mount tires on your own, you run the risk of seriously injuring yourself as well as the rim. See a qualified professional with proper training and experience.
Temporary spares are designed to carry the same load as the standard size tire on your vehicle and can be applied to any position.
Maintain the proper inflation pressure as shown on the sidewall of the tire (a temporary spare tire requires a higher inflation pressure than a standard size tire).
Refer to the information on the sidewall of the tire for proper usage.
Have your standard tire repaired or replaced as soon as possible, then return the temporary spare to the trunk to conserve its useable tread life.
The temporary tire can be worn down to the tread wear indicators, the same as your standard tire.
Unfortunately, no. These tires are specifically designed for warm weather use. When average daily temperatures are at or below 45 °F /7 °C, you should make the switch to winter tires.
Properly balanced tire/wheel assemblies are important for driving comfort and long tire life. An unbalanced tire/wheel assembly can cause vibration, resulting in driver fatigue, premature tire wear and unnecessary wear to your vehicle's suspension. The assembly should be balanced when tires are mounted on wheels for the first time or when they are mounted after repair. The tire/wheel assembly should be re-balanced at the first sign of vibration or "shimmy." Vibration may also be due to vehicle misalignment or mechanical problems.
There are many factors that contribute to the wear of your tires. Because driving habits and conditions vary it is impossible to predict the exact life of your tires. To ensure the longest life out of your tires take good care of them by:
Using Nitrogen to Inflate Passenger and Light Truck Tires in Informal Service Applications
Introduction & Purpose Nitrogen is being offered as an alternative to air for tire inflation. The purpose of this bulletin is to provide general information about inflating tires with nitrogen.
Tires are designed and built to provide many miles of excellent service but must be maintained properly. The key element of proper tire maintenance is maintaining the recommended tire inflation pressure. The proper tire inflation pressure is recommended by the vehicle manufacturer and can be found on the vehicle’s tire placard or in the vehicle owner’s manual. Continental Tire recommends that the consumer check his/her tire inflation pressure at regular intervals of at least once per month and before every long trip or twice per month depending on local regulations, customs, or conditions.
Using Nitrogen in Tires Nitrogen is an inert (non-flammable) gas – basically, nothing more than dry air with oxygen removed. For example, ambient air contains about 78% nitrogen. Because of nitrogen’s inert properties, it is often used in highly specialized tire service applications and/or demanding environments. These tire service applications usually include aircraft, mining, and commercial/heavy use. Also, nitrogen is used in professional motor racing involving extreme vehicle speeds. We understand that dry nitrogen is used in this regard to help reduce tire pressure variations where even small differences in pressure can affect vehicle handling at the extreme limits of performance. For normal everyday consumer tire service applications, nitrogen tire inflation is not required. However, nitrogen tire inflation does not harm tires and may marginally contribute to reductions in tire inflation loss by permeation. Nevertheless, nitrogen will not prevent any tire inflation loss caused by punctures, tire/rim interface (bead) leaks, valve leaks, valve/rim interface leaks, wheel leaks, and other mechanical leaks. Again, the use of nitrogen alone does not substitute for the importance of regularly checking tire inflation pressure. If the tire inflation pressure is below the pressure specified on the vehicle placard, the tire must be re-inflated – whether with air or nitrogen – to the proper inflation pressure. Do not operate tires underinflated and/or overloaded (see “Warning”). Whether inflated with air or nitrogen, regular tire inflation pressure maintenance remains critical and necessary. Use of nitrogen alone is not a replacement for regular tire inflation pressure maintenance.
WARNING ! Underinflation and/or overloading tires will create excessive stresses and heat build up that can lead to tire disablement, such as by a tread-belt separation and/or detachment, causing serious injury or death.
A consumer should never repair a damaged tire. Only a trained tire specialist who can base his/her assessment on a thorough and comprehensive inspection of the specific tire can determine whether an individual tire is suitable for repair or should be removed from service. This assessment should also take into account the complete service life history of the tire including inflation, load, operating conditions, etc.. If the tire specialist decides to repair the tire, then he should strictly follow all appropriate national tire industry repair standards regarding the inspection process and repair procedures. Continental is not responsible for the specialist's decisions or the repaired tire. Continental advises that a repair to one of its tires invalidates the manufacturer's warranty.
SSR TIRES: Even a trained tire specialist may be unable to recognize internal structural damage to a Self Supporting Run Flat (SSR) tire resulting from having been driven in an under inflated or zero pressure condition. Such damage may not be visible on the surface of the inner liner or sidewall making it impossible to determine the tire suitability for repair or reuse. General Tires does not recommend any repair to or reuse of Run Flat (SSR) tires.
There are often early warning signs of wear problems. Watch for these early warning signs and you can prevent many wear problems that shorten tire life by thousands of miles. Here are some of the most common signs to look for:
Inspect your tires frequently, look for any stones, pieces of glass, metal or other foreign objects that may wedge in the tread, they may eventually cause air loss.
Visual Alignment Indicator (VAI)
The vehicle manufacturer specifies the proper inflation pressure for your original equipment tires, (this also applies to aftermarket tires of the same size and type). The proper inflation for your vehicle's tires can be found in several places:
Yes you can. Check your tread wear indicators, and remember to keep your spare properly inflated.
TIRE ROTATION:
To achieve uniform wear and to maximize tread life, your tires should be regularly rotated. Follow the vehicle manufacturer's recommendation for the rotation pattern and interval. Unless otherwise specified by the vehicle manufacturer, rotate your tires every 6,000 to 8,000 miles (10,000-12,000 kilometers) or sooner if uneven tread wear begins to appear. If tires start to show uneven tread wear, ask the service person to check and/or correct any vehicle wheel misalignment or other mechanical problem.
Full-size spare tires (not temporary spares) of the same size and construction as the ground contact tires should be included in the tire rotation. Always check and adjust the inflation pressure of the full-size spare when incorporating it into rotation.
Adjust the tire inflation pressures according to the vehicle manufacturer's recommendation for the new wheel position (specified front and rear position tire pressures may be different).
Rotation of your tires may affect the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). Consult your vehicle owner's manual or a qualified service professional to make the proper adjustments or recalibration of the system. Please note: Do not reverse the rolling direction of directional tires.
TIRE MIXING:
It is recommended that the tire size, load index and speed symbol are in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer's specification for all wheel positions. In many countries, this is a legal requirement. Driving your vehicle with a non-recommended mix of tire sizes, constructions, and speed ratings can be dangerous. Follow the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations and/or seek the advice from a trained tire specialist if you consider upgrading your tires with different sizes, constructions, load ratings or speed ratings.
Some vehicles may come factory equipped with different size tires fitted to the front and rear axle. Do not change this configuration unless approved by the vehicle manufacturer.
Do not operate your vehicle with more than one temporary spare in use. A temporary spare may only be used at the limited speeds and distances as indicated on the sidewall and/or the label attached to the tire/wheel.
On which axle should the new tires be fitted?
It is recommended to replace all ground contact tires at the same time. If you do not replace all ground contact tires at one time, then at least, replace all the tires on one axle.
If only one axle set of tires is replaced, then it is recommended to install the newest tires on the rear axle. This may complicate tire rotation, and caution is urged if the tires have significant differences, such as state of wear, tire size, construction, and speed ratings. Consult a trained tire specialist for best practices.
Placing greater traction on the rear axle is recommended to prevent a possible oversteer condition and loss of vehicle stability on slippery surfaces.
Other important considerations:
The date of manufacture and condition (e.g., signs of cracking, remaining tread depth) of the spare tire should also be checked and considered for replacement.
For 4-wheel drive and All Wheel drive vehicles, especially those equipped with electronic systems such as anti-lock brakes, traction control or stability control, consult your vehicle owner's manual for any special tire fitment requirements. If you do not follow these requirements it may even cause damage to your vehicle/ transmission. Winter tires should be fitted to all wheel positions, not mixed with all season or summer tires. If only one axle set of winter tires are used, then it is recommended to install them on the rear axle. Placing greater traction on the rear axle is recommended to prevent a possible oversteer condition and loss of vehicle stability on slippery surfaces.
TIRE ROTATION:
To achieve uniform wear and to maximize tread life, your tires should be regularly rotated. Follow the vehicle manufacturer's recommendation for the rotation pattern and interval. Unless otherwise specified by the vehicle manufacturer, rotate your tires every 6,000 to 8,000 miles (10,000-12,000 kilometers) or sooner if uneven tread wear begins to appear. If tires start to show uneven tread wear, ask the service person to check and/or correct any vehicle wheel misalignment or other mechanical problem.
Full-size spare tires (not temporary spares) of the same size and construction as the ground contact tires should be included in the tire rotation. Always check and adjust the inflation pressure of the full-size spare when incorporating it into rotation.
Adjust the tire inflation pressures according to the vehicle manufacturer's recommendation for the new wheel position (specified front and rear position tire pressures may be different).
Rotation of your tires may affect the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). Consult your vehicle owner's manual or a qualified service professional to make the proper adjustments or recalibration of the system. Please note: Do not reverse the rolling direction of directional tires.
TIRE MIXING:
It is recommended that the tire size, load index and speed symbol are in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer's specification for all wheel positions. In many countries, this is a legal requirement. Driving your vehicle with a non-recommended mix of tire sizes, constructions, and speed ratings can be dangerous. Follow the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations and/or seek the advice from a trained tire specialist if you consider upgrading your tires with different sizes, constructions, load ratings or speed ratings.
Some vehicles may come factory equipped with different size tires fitted to the front and rear axle. Do not change this configuration unless approved by the vehicle manufacturer.
Do not operate your vehicle with more than one temporary spare in use. A temporary spare may only be used at the limited speeds and distances as indicated on the sidewall and/or the label attached to the tire/wheel.
On which axle should the new tires be fitted?
It is recommended to replace all ground contact tires at the same time. If you do not replace all ground contact tires at one time, then at least, replace all the tires on one axle.
If only one axle set of tires is replaced, then it is recommended to install the newest tires on the rear axle. This may complicate tire rotation, and caution is urged if the tires have significant differences, such as state of wear, tire size, construction, and speed ratings. Consult a trained tire specialist for best practices.
Placing greater traction on the rear axle is recommended to prevent a possible oversteer condition and loss of vehicle stability on slippery surfaces.
Other important considerations:
The date of manufacture and condition (e.g., signs of cracking, remaining tread depth) of the spare tire should also be checked and considered for replacement.
For 4-wheel drive and All Wheel drive vehicles, especially those equipped with electronic systems such as anti-lock brakes, traction control or stability control, consult your vehicle owner's manual for any special tire fitment requirements. If you do not follow these requirements it may even cause damage to your vehicle/ transmission. Winter tires should be fitted to all wheel positions, not mixed with all season or summer tires. If only one axle set of winter tires are used, then it is recommended to install them on the rear axle. Placing greater traction on the rear axle is recommended to prevent a possible oversteer condition and loss of vehicle stability on slippery surfaces.
To achieve uniform wear and to maximize tread life, your tires should be regularly rotated. Follow the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendation for the rotation pattern and interval. Unless otherwise specified by the vehicle manufacturer, rotate your tires every 6,000 to 8,000 miles (10,000-12,000 kilometers) or sooner if uneven tread wear begins to appear. If tires start to show uneven tread wear, ask the service person to check and/or correct any vehicle wheel misalignment or other mechanical problem.