Tag: truck tires

what are directional tires

What Are Directional Tires & Should You Use It For Your Truck?

Truck tires differ in various ways, and the tread patterns are one of the notable differences. Tires have various designs suitable for various terrains and purposes based on their treads’ shape, size, depth, and pattern. In this guide, you will learn the directional tires and why you should use them for your truck. 

What Are Directional Tires? 

As a truck owner, you have come across various tires and noted that they differ in their treads’ features. Based on their tread patterns, directional tires can only rotate uniformly. When closely monitoring directional tires, you will realize that the lateral voids and channels on the tread point forward or down. The channels on the sides of the treads run like two waterfalls from the opposite direction.

Directional tires are the best for traveling at high speeds as they channel water away and offer the best hydroplaning resistance giving you a sporty performance on off roads. It is not easy to rotate directional tires on a truck since you must dismount the tires from the wheels and remount them after rotating. Due to this, many truck owners only switch directional tires from back to front when performing a rotation. 

How To Tell If Your Truck Uses Directional Vehicle Tires

Directional tires have treads that look like an arrow pointing where the tire rotates, mainly the front of your truck. When you keenly look, you will realize that the tread pattern has a solid ribbed center, which moves up and away from the center of the tire, like a V or Y. 

You can also look at the mounting direction to determine if your tires are directional. During installation, directional tires can only face a specific direction. They usually have an arrow or an indicator on the side wall that indicates the side it should be mounted on.

Why You Should Use Directional Tires on Your Truck

Directional tires have a unique tread design, and some are wide. The V-shape treads with a wide surface give them a better look.   These are the reasons you should consider installing directional tires on your truck. 

Good Looks

Directional vehicle tires are popular because of their looks, and they have an eye-catching tread pattern with v-shaped grooves to resist hydroplaning when driving on wet surfaces. Wider tires need to come with an anti-hydroplaning design due to their wider contact patch on the road, but currently, the v-shaped directional pattern is now popular in wider and slimmer tires. 

Improved Performance

Installing directional auto tires on your truck will improve its handling and performance compared to traditional tread patterns. Besides expelling water, the V-shape treads offer better traction when driving on sand, gravel, and dirt. Water expulsion and improved traction enhance the way your truck handles when driving. 

Conclusion

Directional vehicle tires are becoming popular by the day. The main reason for their popularity is the ability to expel water when driving on wet surfaces and improved traction on various driving surfaces. Consider installing directional vehicle tires on your truck for a better driving experience.

tire safety tips and maintenance

Car Tire Safety Tips & Maintenance

In this guide, you shall learn tire safety tips and maintenance. Tires are an essential part of a car, and the tires anchor the entire weight of your car. It is also the part that is in constant contact with the road. It is thus essential to ensure that your tires are in perfect working condition.

Tire Wear

Tires have a lifespan, which can be affected by poor maintenance that can lead to tire blowouts or even flat tires. It is thus essential to perform a regular visual tire inspection to ensure tire safety. During this process, watch out for the below signs.

Over Inflation

Too much pressure in the tires indicates that the middle part of the tires comes into contact with the road. The central tread thus wears out very fast compared to the edges of your tire.

Under Inflation

When there is inadequate air pressure, the edges of your tires will come into contact with the road. More wear will be on the edges of your tires.

Tread Wear on a Single Edge

A tread wear on a single edge indicates poor wheel alignment.

Inconsistent Tread Wear

Did you know that something as simple as tire treads can improve tire safety? Uneven wear is called cupping, indicates a poor balance, and calls for replacing your suspension system.

When Driving, Watch Out For These Signs.

A Sideways Pull

Driving constantly and feeling your car pulling on one side indicates underinflation and bad wheel alignment.

Thumping Noises or Vibrations

When driving and feeling vibration, your tires might be poorly balanced, or the treads might be flat on a section of the tires. 

How To Check Tire Pressure

  • Locate the valve cap on your wheel and remove it.
  • Put the gauge over the valve stream of your tire and press it until you don’t feel any escaping air.
  • Make necessary adjustments when you feel the pressure is low or high. 
  • Place the tire valve cap back.
  • Perform this procedure on all your tires.

Tire Maintenance

There are various maintenance procedures you can perform on your tires. All these should be done by a professional since it involves special skills. These are the essential activities involved in tire maintenance.

Tire Rotation

Any vehicle’s rear and front tires do not operate identically due to their precise braking and steering functions. The wearing patterns of the wheels of your vehicle will never be similar.

It is thus essential to perform tire rotation for maximum lifespan and performance. Consider performing tire rotation after covering at most 7,000 miles.

Tire Balancing

Tire balancing will reduce uneven tire wear and increase your car’s life span and performance. Well-balanced tires do not vibrate when turning. It is essential to perform tire balancing whenever you remove your tires for minor and major repairs. 

Conclusion

Tires are the foundation of your car. When the foundation is poor, you will experience many issues with your car. It is thus essential to know some of the visible signs of tire wear and the signs you will experience when driving. When buying new tires, consider checking their expiry date and always install the right tire for the season. 

All-Season vs Summer Tires

All-Season vs Summer Tires For Trucks – Top Differences

Knowing the difference between all-season vs summer tires can be tricky, especially if you are an average driver. These types of tires are designed to serve specific functions, and using them interchanging can impact your driving experience in terms of handling, performance, and safety.

What Are All-Season Tires?

All-season tires are designed to provide optimum performance in any weather conditions. If you live in places where both summer and winter are mild, all-season tires will give you the best services.

All-season tires will offer you almost everything you require in terms of performance as long as the temperatures do not go to extremes. Such tires are versatile, and they suit most drivers’ needs despite the condition they drive in.

All-season tires have a longer lifespan compared to summer tires. Having them will reduce the frequency of tire changes as the season change. 

However, all-season tires may not provide the best performance in extreme conditions. If you live in areas that experience harsh summers, you should consider investing in more specialized tires.

What Are Summer Tires?

Summer season is scorching, and there are special tires designed for such a season. Summer tires have a rubber compound that offers the best grip on dry and wet roads in warm temperatures.

Such tires are quiet when cruising on the highway. They maximize the contact between your truck and the road, giving you the most excellent control, stability, and braking capabilities of your truck when the roads are dry and hot, as well as during summer rains. Such tires have wide channels that keep water away and help in cooling the tires.

Summer tires are designed for hot seasons and may not give you the best performance during winter. 

All-season Vs Summer tires 

What’s the difference between all-season vs summer tires? One handles warmer weather perfectly than the other, but why?

Tread compound is the most significant difference between the two. Summer tires are made with rubber, silica, and polymers, enabling them to handle extreme heat and continue offering a good grip. Such compounds are not flexible and may not provide better traction during winter. On the other hand, all-season tires are made of moderate compounds to give them a long life under average environmental conditions. 

The summer tires have optimized tread patterns and shallow tread depths for better traction and low rolling resistance. You will also realize that summer tires have a vast circumferential grove that evacuates water to resist hydroplaning. On the other hand, all-season tires have deep treads for better moisture evacuation and a good grip on various surfaces. They offer good traction in both summer and winter seasons. All-season tires can handle freezing temperatures but cannot handle scorching temperatures the way summer tires do. The most significant benefit of all-season tires is that they offer a comfortable ride and a long life span.

Conclusion

Shared above is a comparison between all-season vs summer tires. They are both are designed to perform better in specific conditions. All-season tires can handle all seasons, but they cannot handle the scorching summer well. After reading this guide, you can now tell the difference between these two types of tires. 

Is It Safe To Drive Your Truck With a Tire Bulge?

Is It Safe To Drive Your Truck With a Tire Bulge?

Having tire bulge sucks. Sometimes you are smartly cruising. Then you note something weird on your tire. Upon checking, you realize that it is an egg-shaped swollen bulge on the side wall of your vehicle. Is it safe to keep driving with such bumps or should you straight away consider replacing the tire? Is it safe to drive your truck with a tire bulge? Here, we delve deeper into that and whether you need to change the tires.

Is It Safe To Drive Your Truck With a Tire Bulge?

What is Tire Bulge?

Various terms refer to bumps on the side wall of tires. Some call them tire bubbles, bulges, or sidewall protrusions. No matter the word you use to refer to them, they still symbolize a damaged tire. Tire bulges are egg-shaped, and it might be challenging to identify them if you never do a regular tire inspection.

Causes of Tire Bulge

The impact on the road, such as hitting potholes, is the common cause of tire bulge. Sometimes you might fail to know the cause of tire bulge, but you will see it when performing a tire inspection. If you know of a tire bulge, talk to your mechanic for tire replacement.

If your vehicle is heavily loaded, the absolute pressure is subjected to the wheels by overloading. However, if your wheels are not correctly inflated, they might fail to support the whole weight of the vehicle. It is necessary to know the maximum quantity of weight it can handle and keep your tires inflated.

Tire bulge results from air getting into the internal tire layer and settling under the outer layer of your tire. The air then collects in the inner part of your tire’s outer layer as air tries to escape from your tire. 

Tire bulge can lead to tire failure because it weakens the tire and can never handle hostile terrains like potholes, curbs and rocky surfaces. It is necessary to replace your tires as soon as you see swellings on them.

Is it Safe To Drive With A Bulging Tire?

Any tire with sidewall swellings is not safe to keep using. When your tires bulge, the fabrics on the inner walls can no longer protect the tire from bursting. If you hit a small bump, make a sharp turn or even apply an instant brake, the pressure will increase in the tires, and the one with swellings will burst. 

If you are driving and realize that your tire is bulging, you must fix a spare wheel or drive to the nearest mechanic for assistance. 

A tire bulge is a sign that your tires are no longer safe. Tire burst is one of the causes of fatal road accidents. Keep yourself and other road users safe by taking the necessary precautions when you see a tire bulge. 

Conclusion

To avoid tire bulges, perform regular tire services such as checking the pressure in your tires and driving carefully, especially on potholes and bumpy roads. It is necessary to check the quality of the tires you buy. Fixing expired tires might lead to tire bulge. Driving with the tires’ swellings protruding on the side walls of the tires can lead to a fatal accident. It is necessary to replace the bulging tire as soon as you note it. 

You should know when your truck needs new sets of tires. After reading this guide, you will be able to know when to replace truck tires.

How To Know When To Replace Truck Tires

Our daily life demands compel us to forget about the health of our tires. Whenever we take our trucks for mechanical check-ups, our mechanics never fail to check the condition of our tires and give us appropriate advice. If the tires in your truck have served you for more than five years, then you need to change them. Tire replacement should be routine. Why? Truck tires determine the safety and reliability of your truck. When your tires are in good health, sure, your truck will take you anywhere without any stress. You should know when your truck needs new sets of tires. After reading this guide, you will be able to know when to replace truck tires.

How To Know When To Replace Truck Tires – The Signs

Weathering

Your tires are exposed to various elements as you drive on different surfaces. A tire is made of natural rubber, so as you drive on snow, ice, hot surfaces, and even water, it will start to weather with time. How will you tell if your tires are weathering? You see fine cracks on the surface of your tires. It would help if you replaced your tires as soon as you see such cracks across/along the treads of your tires. 

Tire Bulge

Your tire will likely bulge if you hit your truck on potholes or bumps or even drive recklessly on rough roads. Your tire will bulge when the air gets into the inner surface of the outer layer of your tire. The air will form pockets that will swell on the walls of your tires. Tire bulge is a serious issue that you should address urgently as soon as you note it. Ignoring tire bulges can lead to tire bursts.

Truck Vibrations

Several factors can lead to truck vibration. For instance, when there is a problem with your transmission system, you are likely to feel your truck vibrating when in motion. Another culprit to truck vibration is your tire. When you fix a new tire slightly different from the rest, your truck will likely vibrate. Wheel balancing is another cause of truck vibration, it is not easy to see unbalanced wheels, but when your truck is in motion, you will feel vibration which will increase with the increase in speed. Vibration is a clear sign that you need to replace your tires.

Depth of Tire Tread

Another way of determining whether to replace your tires is by checking the depth of your tires. You can measure the depth of your treads by using a tread depth gauge. If you do not have this gadget, do not worry, you can check the depth of your treads by doing the following.

Place a coin on every tread around your tire with the queen’s head facing down.

Confirm if the head of the queen is visible.

If you can see the head of the queen, then your treads have 2/32 or less, and you should consider buying new ones.

Conclusion

Tires are an integral part of your truck. Its health determines the safety of your truck. The above signs will help you determine whether you need to buy or replace your tires.

truck tires wearing out on one side

Truck Tires Wear Out On One Side – What Is The Problem?

When you use your truck more often, the tires will wear out, and there will be a need to replace them. As you remove the old tire, you should examine the tire you are removing. Check the pattern of its wearing out. A tire should have a uniform wear out, but if it does not wear out uniformly, there might be a problem with your truck, not the tire itself. Let us focus on the issue of truck tires wear out on one side and what might cause it.

Choosing the Wrong Tire

Always ensure you choose the right tire for the right job and driving terrain. It will help to consider your driving terrain and the tread when buying a tire. If you have highway tires, but you run more off-road, or in case you have the wrong tread design, your tire is likely to wear out on one side. Wrong tire choice not only causes uneven tire wearing but can also interfere with the rate at which your truck consumes fuel. It is necessary to have highway tires, off-road tires, and winter tires. A variety will ease your time as all you will do is change depending on where you intend to drive.

Under-inflating Tires

The leading cause of tires wearing out on the side is either over or under-inflating the tires. If you never inflate your tires correctly, they will wear on the shoulders, and their side walls will be fragile. An underinflated tire also reduces your mileage. If you want to increase the lifestyle of your tires, ensure you give them the correct air pressure. 

Road Debris

Road debris like nails, broken glasses, gravel, and other objects on the road can cause the wearing of the side of tires. If you regularly drive on roads full of debris. Always check your tires and remove any foreign object stuck on them to prevent this. If your tire has a puncture, consider sealing it. It is necessary to be careful of where you drive. If you realize where you want to go is full of debris, checking if the garbage can damage your tires is essential.

Poor Wheel Alignment

Poor wheel alignment causes tires to wear on one side. If you realize that your tire is wearing out on one side, check if your alignment is straight. If your alignment is improper, your wheels might be pointing inwards or outwards, and they feel more pressure on one side. In such a scenario, consult your mechanic to do alignment by adjusting the axles and the suspension. 

Mechanical Issues

Uneven wheel alignment is a sign that your truck has mechanical problems. Loose wheel bearings, broken suspension components, worn-out ball joints, damaged tire rods, or bent axles are some of the mechanical issues that can make your wheels wear out on one side. In case of this, perform a thorough truck diagnosis to determine the cause. 

Conclusion,

Sometimes it is common for tires to wear out on one side. Do your truck tires wear out on one side? If it happens, the above are the possible causes. 

How Truck Tires Affect Fuel Efficiency

How Truck Tires Affect Fuel Efficiency – Choosing Fuel Efficient Tires

Several factors influence the rate at which your truck consumes fuel. The wheels and tires might seem to be the least that can have such an impact, but they play a more significant role in how your truck consumes fuel. Large tires are heavy, reducing fuel economy, while small tires are light, increasing fuel economy. Bigger tires require more effort and resistance to rotation, but the larger tire will increase fuel efficiency when you drive more freeway at high speed. Let us now delve deep on understanding how truck tires affect fuel efficiency.

How Truck Tires Affect Fuel Efficiency – Choosing Fuel Efficient Tires

Low tire pressure creates road resistance making your truck burn more fuel to keep the truck going. The air pressure can also affect the rate at which your truck consumes fuel. You can fix this by regularly checking the tire pressure.

Tires treads have an impact on the fuel economy. The treads assist in braking in bad weather. If you use rugged tires meant for off-roading but rarely drive off-road, your truck will likely consume more fuel. You can purchase street tires to reduce fuel consumption for your truck.

If your tire has good air pressure, good size, and good treads, but still your truck consumes more fuel, consider checking the wheels. Most truck wheels are made of heavy steel, which impacts fuel consumption. In such a case, replace them with lighter alloy wheels. Alloy wheels will reduce the weight of the truck and minimize its resistance. Fixing alloy wheels may affect the type of tires you choose for your truck. Some alloy wheels require big tires, which might interfere with fuel efficiency.

Choosing Fuel Efficienct Tires

Fuel-efficient tires are costly but very economical over time. The fuel prices are scaling higher and higher, so you need to minimize the rate at which your truck consumes fuel. Choosing fuel-efficient tires will help you to do this. 

When buying tires, you will keep in mind the resistance levels, performance, and fuel consumption. Tires with the above features are less marketed but are the best fuel economy. Tires with eco-friendly marks, low rolling resistance, and all-season tire provide the best fuel economy.

To reduce fuel consumption by 5%, improve the rolling resistance of your tires. There are tires with less rolling resistance in the market. If you want to find such tires, consider going through the online consumer report charts. 

There are many fuel economy tires you can choose from at the market. Take your time to look at the features of each and compare. For example, check the Uniform Tire Quality Grade (UTQG) of various tires you have in mind. Check the one with the highest ratings of traction and tread wear. Tires with increased tread wear and traction ratings perform better and are fuel efficient.

Conclusion,

The tires your truck runs on can make it consume more or less fuel. The fuel prices are rising, and it is necessary to choose the kind of tires that will enable you to save some money. The tire, tread, and air pressure can make your truck consume more or less fuel. When buying a new tire set, buying those will reduce your fuel expenses is necessary.