Category: Uncategorized

Rubber Match (Tire Replacement)

A set of new tires isn’t probably high on anyone’s list of exciting purchases. But since your life is literally riding on them, it’s probably a good idea to know when it’s time for you to buy new ones.

If you’ve been feeling your vehicle slipping more in wet weather or it takes a longer distance to stop, those are a couple of signs you may need new rubber all around. Here’s how to make your decision.

First thing to do is look at your tires. The surface of the tire that contacts the road is the tread. When that tire was new, the tread was deep (the grooves in the rubber that provide traction). If they’re starting to look somewhat smooth, you have a seriously worn tire that definitely needs replacing. Bring your vehicle in for us to look at your tires and we can check your tread with a tread gauge.

Also look at the sides of your tires. If they have cuts or cracks in them, or if you see signs of bulges or scrapes made by hitting curbs or potholes, those could be signs of serious damage.

Keep an eye on your tire pressure monitors. If you notice one or more of your tires showing frequent pressure changes, that needs to be checked out.

One other thing you probably didn’t know is that your tires all have birthdays, and they’re printed on each sidewall. When you bring your vehicle in for us to inspect your tires, we can tell you how old they are. That’s important because rubber deteriorates with age, even if they don’t have that many miles on them. Tire manufacturers recommend replacing tires when they reach a certain age, usually from six to ten years old.

Now the question is, which tires should you buy? That’s one for your service adviser who can recommend replacements based on your driving style, the model of vehicle you own, where you drive most often, and other factors.

Oh, and if you want your new set of tires to last as long as possible, remember to have them rotated regularly, keep the right pressure, and don’t drive aggressively.

Autotronics of St. Peter
111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290
http://autotronicsstpeter.com

No Fountain of Youth (Aging Tires)

Can you think of anyone who enjoys aging? Wrinkles where you don’t want them, gray hair, eyes that won’t focus any more, no stamina.

Believe it or not, your tires age, too, and they don’t get better the older they get. And here’s the important thing to know, even if they can still pass a tread depth test, they may simply be too old to be safe

Here’s the best way to understand this. Have you ever found an old deck of playing cards with a rubber band wrapped around them? Try stretching the rubber band. SNAP! It’s all cracked and brittle. And you haven’t stressed that rubber one bit since the time you put them in that drawer.

Now you know what’s happening to your tires. Rubber ages. Just like us, the day we come into the world, we start to go downhill (no pun intended). Oh, engineers are able to make a tire last longer than ever before. But that gas that keeps us alive—oxygen—seems to love to chemically mix with some components in rubber. Oxidation causes rubber to become hard and brittle. The rubber band test.

Is there an age test that can tell you when a tire is tool old to roll? Well, not really. They don’t all age the same. Hot climates can make tires wear out more quickly. Some experts say a tire can last up to 10 years but should be inspected every year after the age of five. Others say tires should have an expiration date at six years old.

Since no one would ever ask a tire its age, how do you know how old one is? Believe it or not, tires made after the year 2000 have a date code stamped on either the inside or the outside of the sidewall. It’s a four-digit numbers; the first two tell you the week, the second two tell you the year. So if it has the number 1916, it was made in the 21^st week of 2016.

Another way to find out if your tires still have enough life in them is to have your vehicle service facility inspect them. They look for signs of age, such as developing cracks in the rubber, the condition of the sidewalls and, of course, that old standby: tread. If it’s time to “retire” them, discuss options with your service advisor.

Autotronics of St. Peter
111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290
http://autotronicsstpeter.com

Steering You Right (Power Steering Signs of Problems)

Nearly every modern vehicle on the road today has power steering, a wonderful invention that makes steering take far less effort than it did in the “good old days.” Today, we take our steering for granted: until something goes wrong, that is.

Most power steering these days is rack-and-pinion, the rack being a metal bar between the front wheels with notches in it and the pinion being a gear whose teeth fits into those notches. Adding power assist makes it easy to turn. That assist comes in the form of hydraulic fluid that is pressurized by a pump powered by the engine, an electric motor that adds a power assist or a system that uses both an electric motor and hydraulic fluid.

Your vehicle usually gives you a heads up that something is going wrong with its steering. Here are a few signs to look for:

A humming, whirring, rubbing or grinding sound coming from you engine compartment when you turn.
Signs of hydraulic fluid leaking, such as wet spots under your vehicle.
The smell of burning oil while you’re driving.
Steering wheel hard to turn or vibrating.

If you notice any of these signs, it’s a good idea to have a trained technician check them out. They may be signs of:

Power steering pump going bad
Steering rack or gear seals wearing out, causing them to lose hydraulic fluid
Broken fluid hose
Defective power steering cooler
Loss of pressure in the power steering gearbox
Worn out steering pump belt
Failing electric power steering motor

It’s important to have these checked out sooner rather than later. You need to be able to steer properly in order to drive safely. Plus, some of these problems can cause more serious—and expensive—damage if they’re not fixed. Power steering is a wonderful feature of your vehicle. Keep it well maintained and it will steer you right.

Autotronics of St. Peter
111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290
http://autotronicsstpeter.com