4 Tire Companies to Avoid
November 6, 2013
If you're looking to replace the tires on your car or truck, you'll probably want to know which tire companies are most recommended as well as those that are best to avoid. There are many quality tire manufacturers that provide good-quality tires for American consumers. While most of the better quality tires are made by American manufacturers, there are some high quality imported tires as well. However, there are some imported tires that you should definitely avoid.

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Brands of Tires to Avoid at All Costs
In recent years, many Chinese tire manufacturers have come under attack for making substandard and unsafe tires available for sale in the United States. Furthermore, some Chinese manufacturers have been the subject of forced recalls by many state Attorney Generals and the Federal Trade Commission. While there are many variations of Chinese import tires that have come under attack, companies that have been the subject of forced government recalls include:

Westlake Tires
AKS Tires
Telluride tires
Compass Tires
All of these brands of cheap tires are made by the China-based Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Company; furthermore, it is alleged that these tires lack even the most basic of safety features such as gum strips which are a rubber feature that helps prevent steel belts inside the tire from separating or damaging the rubber.

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While these 4 brands are definitely brands you should stay away from, many motor industry experts recommend staying away from Chinese brands altogether. While some Chinese-made tires are a little better than the brands mentioned above, most Chinese-imported tires lack safety and performance features such as belt stiffeners, bead wedges and nylon cap plies that are considered to be industry standards these days. In short, don't buy cheap, imported Chinese tires. If you're searching for good values on discounted tires, consider tires from quality American manufacturers like Goodyear or Cooper Tires. All of these companies offer low-cost, high-quality tires that will fit most budgets.




Related Questions and Answers
What's the Difference Between Off Brand Tires and Normal Brand Tires?

Most people are not sure about the safety of using off brand tires on their vehicles. You may have wondered about the difference between your normal brand tires and the off brand tires that seem to be relatively unknown, and only available in certain parts of the country. The truth is, there is no difference when it comes to quality standards between the two. Almost all off brand tires are manufactured by the normal brand tire manufacturers. Though they will produce the off brands for specific dealers. For example, the manufacturers of Goodyear tires also manufacture Douglas tires, which are sold by Wal-Mart. Buying off brand tires will actually save you money, as they tend to be cheaper than normal brand tires.

Can You Mix a Brand Name Tire With 3 other Different Brand Tires?

Most manufacturers deliver a car with a brand name tire set. The reason for this is not just uniformity, but there are also safety considerations as to why you should not mix different brand name tires. Each tire is manufactured with particular specifications on tread life, temperature, speed rating and tread pattern. So despite being of similar width and height, two tires of different brand names are not the same. Having your car fitted with different brand name tires will reduce handling and traction, which means reduced safety for you. So the short answer to the question of having your car fitted with a mix of brand tires is no, for your own safety.

What are Private Brand Tires?

Simply put, private brand tires are tires that are manufactured by one company but sold and distributed by another company. Private brand tires are almost always produced by the same companies that produce name brand tires. Name brand manufactures will often produce private brand tires to make sure that they maximize on production capacity. They will apply the same materials, production lines and manpower to make the tires, which they do not have to go and market themselves. Private brand tires will often be cheaper than the similar name brand tires. Though they will be of similar quality as they undergo the same testing and have to meet quality assurance standards set by the government. Thus, serves you the same as the name brand tires.

Source m.carsdirect.com

Facts About Retread Tires
January 27, 2012
Retread tires (also known as recaps) are tires that have undergone a re-manufacturing process to strip away the used and worn tread and replace it with new rubber tread. While retread tires are usually cheaper than new tires, they usually wear out quicker than brand new tires.

Is Retreading Tires Just as Effective as Buying New Tires?
Retreading tires depends on the condition of the base tire or carcass of the tire. Retreading tires is used by the heavy-haul trucking industry to keep its costs down, as heavy-haul tires are made of stronger materials - sidewalls, plies - and lend themselves to retreading. Some retreads for cars are good, but you will find they wear out in about half the time of a new tire. Retreading tires are also not recommended if you are using your vehicle in extreme conditions such as long-distance, high-speed, high-heat driving. Retreads make sense only in light-duty service where the cost of a new tire cannot be justified.

Are There Any Restrictions on Retread Car Tires?
There are no states that do not allow you to retread car tires, although you are encouraged to purchase new tires for your car. In general, car safety laws encourage the replacement of any tire with less than 1/16th of-an-inch of tread with a new tire. In many cases, you cannot retread a tire unless there is 2/16ths of-an-inch of tread, so that the new treading will bond correctly with the retreaded tire. In light duty use, retreaded tires can be effective. But in heavy-duty use, such as in cab or limousine use, it is better to purchase new tires and let your tire dealer dispose of your old tires properly.

County Recycling Requirements
Many communities require that a tire repair shop recycles their tires. This means that tires that are worn or no longer in good working order cannot be simply tossed into a repair shop's garbage bin but must be handled differently and placed in a special landfill section. This results in additional costs to the repair shop, which is usually passed on to the consumer in the form of a county recycling fee of $10 or $25.

It should be noted that there are laws that affect tire repair and tire repair shops in a community. You should contact your local or county officials for more information on specific laws regarding tire repairs.

Source m.carsdirect.com

Essential Tire Repair Tools and Supplies
January 27, 2012
If you are going to fix a flat tire, you will need the right tire repair tools to do the job. A punctured tire can leave you stranded on the side of the road waiting for help unless you are in possession of the necessary hardware. On list that follows are the tools needed to plug a tire. Although a plug is a good fix, it's a good idea to get the tire checked out by a technician as soon as you can after the repair.

Tire Repair Tools
Pliers. keep an extra set of trusty pliers in your car's tool box at all times. When you get a puncture in a tire, the first thing to do is remove the foreign object. Pliers are a great way to do that
T-handle insert tool. there are usually two t-handle tools in a tire repair kit: the rasp tool and the needle insertion tool. The rasp tool is pushed into the puncture to clean out the hole in preparation for the rubber cement and tire plug. The insert tool forces the plug into the hole and secures it there
Tire plugs. You should always have a fair amount of these on hand. Tire plugs are treated pieces of cordage that are stuffed into the puncture and plug the leak
Rubber cement. This is the bonding agent that seals the plug into place
Tire inflator. either a portable inflator or an air compressor will get the tire full once again
You may be able to do the repair without removing the tire. If not, you will need a car jack and tire iron as well.

Where to Purchase Tire Repair Equipment
Tire repair kits can be purchased at any auto parts store, whether it's a chain like Napa or Schucks or an independent retailer. You can also find a wide selection of tire repair kits online.

How to Use a Tire Repair Gun
A tire repair gun is something that everyone should consider adding to their toolbox. Tire gun kits are available at most auto parts stores and can also be purchased on-line. Assuming you have already found the cause of the leak, the tire should be off the vehicle. Here is how a tire repair gun works:

Use the reamer tool in the kit to ream out the hole. This cleans out the puncture and prepares the hole for the plug
Prepare the plugger gun. Remove the nozzle of the gun barrel by unscrewing it. Release the lever at the back of the plugger gun. The plunger will pop out of the back
Put a mushroom shaped plug into the barrel. Use the nozzle you unscrewed to push the plug into the barrel
Locate the probe tool in the kit and screw the nozzle of the plugger gun onto the probe. Push the nozzle into the hole in the tire. Unscrew the probe tool, leaving the nozzle in the hole
Screw the loaded plugger gun back onto the nozzle
Pull and release the handle of the gun four or five times. The push rod will be pushing the plug into the tire
Release the push rod on the plugger gun. If the plug is out of the gun and in the tire then pull the plugger gun and nozzle out of the hole. If the plug is not completely out of the plugger gun then repeat the process of pulling the handle until the plug is in the tire
Use pliers to pull the stem of the plug out towards you about two inches. Re-inflate the tire to its full pressure and trim any remaining plug with a knife or scissors. You want to create as smooth a surface as possible
A tire plug will often last for quite awhile but to be on the safe side it is best to get the tire professionally repaired as soon as possible. It is important to remember that if the tire is splitting then a tire plug is not going to work and the tire should be replaced or fixed professionally. Easy to use and fairly inexpensive, a tire repair gun can be a real time saver when you get a flat tire.

I didn't read all the rehashed stuff so not sure if it's mentioned.

DO NOT repair any damage/hole on the sidewall or close to the sidewall, discard the tire.

CityNG:
I didn't read all the rehashed stuff so not sure if it's mentioned.

DO NOT repair any damage/hole on the sidewall or close to the sidewall, discard the tire.

That bolded advice isn't for Commercial contraption vehicle operators in ibadan, they will add rubber inside and outside and stitch it with shoe or nylon thread, add tube to the tyres then pump it to 40psi.

lomomike:


That bolded advice isn't for Commercial contraption vehicle operators in ibadan, they will add rubber inside and outside and stitch it with shoe or nylon thread, add tube to the tyres then pump it to 40psi.

Yes I've seen such. Luckily speed is very low mostly within the city so any tire explosion will simply result in a slow roll to the side of the road.

Na condition make crayfish bend.

CityNG:




Yes I've seen such. Luckily speed is very low mostly within the city so any tire explosion will simply result in a slow roll to the side of the road.

Na condition make crayfish bend.

It still boils down to governmental auto policy. I wish they stimulate the auto industry and allied industries and this will make tyre manufacturers come back into the Nation to build factories thus driving the cost of brand new tyre ownership south. This will make VIO and FRSC to enforce use of tyres in good condition thus giving these commercial vehicle drivers no choice than to comply.

CityNG:
I didn't read all the rehashed stuff so not sure if it's mentioned.

DO NOT repair any damage/hole on the sidewall or close to the sidewall, discard the tire.

It wasn't included in the rehashed stuff thanks for adding it

Car Repair / Car Tire Repair
Tire Repair: Tire Patch vs. Plug
January 27, 2012
Whether a tire patch or a plug is the way to go, a lot of drivers who have had tire problems on the road might be interested in the best way to fix a flat. Needless to say, local shops disagree on this all the time. The availability of options leads to some debate over what's the "best" way to fix a tire. Is it the patch or the plug? Here are some considerations for learning which you would rely on in a flat tire emergency.

The Case for Plugs

Some shops may recommend a plug in a tire because it is the cheapest and the quickest option. When someone has broken down on the highway and needs to get somewhere, they can enjoy the convenience of the quick plug (which often costs less than $10 and can be done in just a few minutes). Also, the technology for plugs has improved over time. In the old days, plugs were simply inserted into the tire, and that was that. Newer plugs "vulcanize" to the tire for improved stability on the road. As a result, a driver can get a quick tire plug and drive another 20k miles on the tire with no problems.

Limitations to Tire Plug Methods

Even though a tire plug by itself might be enough, national road safety agencies caution against a simple plug. Here are some of the situations where relying on a plug might be less effective:

When the hole is near the sidewall - many experts recommend a patch for when a tire puncture is near the sidewall, as the plug may not be able to completely seal the damage.
When the puncture is not straight - a diagonal puncture is more likely to need a patch solution.
Other Concerns About Plugs

Lots of experts also caution that a plug should not be applied without a patch unless a shop takes off the wheel for a visual inspection. Thorough inspection of the punctured tire helps catch additional damage that may go unnoticed when the tech is simply inserting a plug from the outside of the tire. The best and most effective solution, according to safety experts, is to combine a plug with a patch, to make sure the fix will stabilize the puncture.

Larger Tire Punctures

Some classes of tire puncture are not generally repair-worthy, according to those who understand tire safety. A puncture of greater than 1/4" in diameter will require a more complicated solution than a plug and patch. Some drivers deal with this by using a full-sized spare as a replacement and buying one additional tire.

The above will help drivers understand what they can do about the next flat that finds them on the road. Ask your mechanic about what specific methods they routinely use to repair a tire, and don't be afraid to ask for the option that you feel is the safest and the best.



Related Questions and Answers
What is a Vulcanizing Flat Tire Plug?
A vulcanizing flat tire plug is a piece of specialized rubber that keeps the air from leaking out a hole or puncture repair in your tire. Once you have cleaned and fixed the hole, ensuring the tire is safe, you then roughen the area and apply the specialized vulcanizing agent around the hole. The vulcanizing must become tacky. When it does, you then apply the flat tire plug, as it bonds with the vulcanizing agent you have placed down. The flat plug becomes part of the tire wall. You then make sure it's clean and, if necessary, put down a bit more vulcanizing agent on the plug so you have a tight seal.

Are Mushroom Tire Plug Kits More Expensive than other Tire Repair Kits?
In general, you will find that mushroom tire plug kits are a tad more expensive than standard repair kits. The reason behind the difference is that once you have inserted it, using the correct cleaning and vulcanizing techniques, the mushroom will not only become part of the tire, but it will also strengthen the tire area where it is used. Further, you will also find that "where the mushroom meets the road" or the external part of the plug, that it also strengthens the tread area. In short, although they are expensive, they are worth the money you are spending due to its features.

How Long Can you Expect a Tire Plug Repair to Last?
You can expect a tire plug repair, if it is done correctly, to last the length of life of the tire. In other words, if you have your tire repaired at 10,000 miles and your tire lasts for 40,000 miles, then your tire plug should last for another 30,000 miles. At an average, you can expect it to last 7-10 years if used properly. All it takes is ensuring that the plug is cleaned and dressed properly, and then you use the right vulcanizing agent so that the tire patch will last. Also be sure that the patch is done on the interior and tread-side of the tire.

Source m.carsdirect.com

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