Tire Care and Repair Basics

When shopping for tires, it's important to know the meaning of all those mysterious embossed letters on the sidewall of the tires. It's not as complicated as you may think. Here's how to decipher them.

Proper tire alignment is critical to the tread-life of your tires as well as to your car's steering performance. Improper alignment typically produces uneven tread-wear (figure above ) either to the inside or outside shoulder of your tire. Simple alignments, at the proper intervals, will save you money in the long run in tire costs. It's best to have your car aligned at least once a year.

If you think you have a leak in a tire, check out the valve stem on the tire before you take it to a mechanic.

Changing A Flat

Portable sealants are useful for repairing a small tire-puncture in a pinch, but for larger damage, such as that occurs in a blowout, you'll have to change the tire. You'll need a fully inflated spare tire. It's a good idea to check the pressure in your car's spare each time you check the pressure on your regular tires. Here are the basic steps for changing a tire.