We know there's a lot to do to prepare our car for the winter season, but today we're going to focus on tires. It's time to shop for snow tires. Snow tires have deeper treads and a specialized rubber compound for added flexibility in winter months. Summer only tires can get brittle in extreme cold weather. It's not recommended to keep snow tires on year-round, you'll end up paying more for fuel. So you should switch tires out each season. Tire chains for cars should only be used if there is a layer of snow or ice on the road, chains handle deep snow better than studded tires or winter tires. . Sometimes driving at a high speed and hitting a curb can cause a tire to blow. Bead chunking, is when small pieces of road debris get stuck between the rim and the tire causing damage to the tire; without your realizing it. Some damage we can't see visually, it will take an expert to assess the issue. It doesn't matter what cause the tire blowout or the flat tire. With our busy lives and schedules, we just want it fixed quickly and efficiently.
When should you check your tires? More often than you think-at least once a month and remember you'll get a more accurate reading in the early morning hours. A substantial amount of air missing from your tires in the morning is due to a drop in temperature. A 10° F in the temperature will cause a loss of 2% of tire pressure(1-4 psi). The opposite happens when weather temperatures rises.
If you get a flat, it's best to move over to the side of the road (if possible). Don't attempt to drive on a flat tire, you could damage your wheel; driving up your cost of repairs.Remove flat tire and put on your spare tire, also called donut. If you cannot remove tire and put on spare yourself, you can call an emergency road assistance, like AAA. Your emergency road assistant will remove the flat tire and put on your spare. Most spare tires have a limited top speed and a low amount of miles you can drive on it. Check your cars manual. Try to get to a tire repair shop as soon as possible. Hopefully, the tire only needs a patch or air, but a knowledgeable technician will take a look at the tire and give you a recommendation for repairs.
When I need a tire repaired, I love going to a local business that specializes in tires. Here are some of the local shops we patronized over the past 25 years of living in the Dayton area.
Neace Tires, 1605 Valley St, Dayton, OH 45404, open 8-3:45 p.m. Sat. Mon-Fri 8-5:45 p.m.
TireMaster, 820 Kauffman Ave, Fairborn, OH 45324, 8-2p.m. Sat. Mon-Fri 8-5:30 p.m.
Affordable Tire & Auto Repair, 2557 Valley St, Dayton, OH 45404, Sun. 10-5 p.m. , Mon-Sat 9-6p.m.
Detroit Tire & Auto Repair, 968 W 2nd St, Xenia, OH 45385, 7:30-2 Sat. Mon-Fri 7:30-6 p.m.
Tire Express, 4866 Wadsworth Rd, Dayton, OH 45414, 9-2 Sat. Mon-Fri 9-5 p.m.
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