Gleaming Your Wheels Effectively

If you are looking to having a sleek looking car, in addition to making sure that the paint work gleams, you would also have to ensure that your wheels shine at the same time! Most people fail to keep their wheels gleaming as they do not know the exact ways or methods to keep their wheels sparkling clean. Perhaps this articles might help guide you in the right direction in this aspect!

Firstly, ensure that your rims are clean before you plan on making them gleam. How do you make your wheels clean you may ask. Well, work on one rim at a time, and spray the dry rim with a rim cleaner, one that is available in most auto stores or even departmental stores. Let the chemical soak for a bit before you rinse it off with a pressure spray. If you don’t own a pressure spray, a normal water hose would have to do. Remember to direct the spray downwards so that the abrasive wheel grime does not damage your vehicle’s paintwork. Thus try to use a medium-pressure spray, a high-pressure spray would be difficult to control.

The chemical within the wheel cleaner would be able to successfully clean any brake dust on your wheels, thus it would help your wheel cleaning and gleaming process extensively. Next use a solution of soap and water together with a sponge and clean away all remaining dirt and grime from your rims. Remember always to rinse the sponge clean before you dip it into the bucket again, as this would significantly reduce the amount of grime that would pollute your soap and water solution.

Some of the tight areas within your wheels would not be accessible with your sponge, thus what you could do is to use a soft- or medium-bristle toothbrush to access and clean these areas. Avoid using hard-bristle toothbrushes as they can scratch your wheels. The toothbrush would be exceptionally useful if your wheels are designed complicatedly.

Next you would need to rinse off the soapy solution off your rims, again with the use of a medium-pressure spray, or you could also use a normal hose. Finally dry your rims with a dry cloth or towel. The use of a dry cloth would help remove any water spots or remaining bits of dirt and grime off your wheels, making them gleam and shine just like how you have always wanted them to be! Follow the above-mentioned pointers, and be the proud owner of a vehicle that has extremely shiny and gorgeous rims that would be the envy of all!

Careful Selection and Maintenance of Vehicle Rims

When a car owner wants to modify his or her vehicle, one of the first things that would be considered would be an upgrade of the car rims. The fact that a change of car rims reflects positively on the aesthetics portion of the car is reason enough for most car owners to swap to bigger and lighter rims. But one has to be careful before swapping the original rims with new ones, as there are several factors that have to be considered before the modification is done.

The selection process has to start by first determining if the size of the new rims fit your car’s specifications. Most cars come with standard 15-inch rims, and car owners usually try to swap these rims for 16-inch, 17-inch and even bigger rims. Swapping to one size bigger usually does not pose much of a problem, but if you are jumping two sizes, check with your vehicle’s specifications to ensure that rims of that size are allowed. As long as the overall diameter of your new wheels is similar to your current measurements, or less than 3% bigger, you would not face any complications with the rims. Usually car owners purchase lower profile tires to match their bigger wheels when the swap to larger rims, to compensate for the larger wheels. As long as you have sufficient wheel arch clearance with the new rims, you are doing good.

Selecting lighter rims would also be a commendable move, as it would proceed to reduce the overall weight of your vehicle, and in return you get better fuel efficiency figures from your car. Top speed and acceleration figures would also improve when you have lighter wheels, nevertheless make sure that your wheels are not too light, or they might affect your stability factor.

In terms of maintenance of vehicle rims, you could either accomplish the maintenance works yourself or send it to auto spa to help you with the maintenance. If you want to accomplish the task yourself, get a rim cleaning solution (usually a spray), and spray the rims with this solution before letting the chemical soak for a few minutes. Next you would need to rinse the chemical off with a medium-pressure water spray. The chemical would be able to clear off any brake dust from your wheels, and next you would need a water and soap solution (with a sponge) to help clean away all remaining dirt off your rims. Finally rinse your rims again, and use a dry cloth to wipe your rims dry. This task is pretty simple, and as long as you have the right solutions in place, you should be able to complete it in a few minutes.

Keep your car looking good at all times with proper selection and maintenance of vehicle rims! 

The Importance of Proper Tire Pressure

Almost every day we hear of accidents happening on the federal roads as well as highways. Most of the time, these accidents are caused by negligent drivers that do not take care of their vehicles. One of the most commonly ignored maintenance portion of a vehicle is the tire maintenance.

A lot of drivers out there are not actually aware of how important is it to maintain proper tire pressures in their vehicles. Nor are they aware of the dangers they face when their tires are under-inflated or over-inflated. Maintaining a good tire pressure would do a world of good for your vehicle, and would assist greatly in enhancing safety features for not only you but also your family.

When it comes to tire conditions, there are three different situations that one could face. The first is tires with the correct pressure, the second is under-inflated tires and the third would be over-inflated tires.

Under-inflated tired come into more contact with the road, thus they need more traction to move. In return, the load on the vehicle increases, and you realize that your tires wear our much faster than usual and your fuel consumption increases.

When your tires have more contact with the surface, heat tends to build up faster especially when you travel long distances. This could damage the tires internally, and damage the material properties of the tires themselves.

Unwanted mishaps such as sudden tire blowouts could materialize due to this excess heat as well. And the consequences could be catastrophic if you are travelling at high velocity and the tire explodes. With under-inflated tires, wearing happens more on the sides of the tires, and uneven wear properties expedites the need to replace these tires, which would definitely burn a hole in your wallet.
On the other hand, having over-inflated tires proves almost as bad as having under-inflated ones. With over-inflated tires, you have less contact area with the surface, thus stability of the vehicle is compromised.

Expect less grip on the road, especially during rainy days and during sharp cornering. The tires also do not wear out evenly, as over-inflated tires tend to wear the centre segment of the tires faster and reduce their lifespan. Over-inflated tires are also stiffer, thus you would experience bumpier rides as well with them.

To conclude, it is always advisable to keep a portable air compressor as well as a reliable tire pressure gauge within your vehicle at all times. This could help you ensure that you maintain the correct tire pressure whenever you are driving. Check your tire pressures at least once every two weeks, the more frequent the better.

Goodyear Tyre Safety Tips

Take the time to study this guide and learn how to best prepare your tyres for the road. With just a little of your time, you can add years to the life of your tyres while helping to ensure a safer drive for you and your family.

• Proper Inflation
• Balance & Alignment
• Regular Rotation
• Visual Inspection
• Repairs

Proper Inflation

Maintaining proper air pressure is the single most important thing drivers can do for their tyres. In the space of just one month, a tyre can lose 10 pounds of air pressure. It is important to check your air pressure regularly, to make sure your tyres are neither under- nor over-inflated.

Under-inflation is the worst enemy your tyre can have. It causes increased tread wear on the outside edges (or shoulders) of the tyre. It also generates excessive heat, which reduces tyre durability. Finally, it reduces your fuel economy by increasing rolling resistance - soft tyres make your vehicle work harder.

Over-inflation is also detrimental to the tyre. Too much air pressure causes the centre of the tread to bear the majority of the car's weight, which leads to faster deterioration and uneven wear. Any kind of uneven wear will shorten the lifespan of your tyres.

To find the proper air pressure for your tyres, look in the vehicle owner's manual, on the driver's side door jamb or in the glove box. And if you buy new tyres, be sure to learn the correct pressure from your dealer. Check your pressure at least once a month, and use a good quality air gauge. Or, stop by your local Goodyear dealer and have your air pressure checked and corrected for free.

Balance & Alignment

Having your tyres balanced and your vehicle properly aligned is important not only to the longevity of the tyre, but to the safety of the driver and to the performance of the car.

Unbalanced tyres cause road vibration, which leads to driver fatigue, premature tyre wear (also known as cupping or dipping) and unnecessary wear to your vehicle's suspension. tyres should be balanced when they are mounted on wheels for the first time or when they are remounted after a repair. They should be rebalanced at the first sign of a vibration or shimmy, and should be balanced at least once a year, regardless.

A vehicle is said to be properly aligned when all suspension and steering components are sound and when tyre and wheel assemblies are running straight and true. Proper alignment is necessary for even tread wear and precise steering. Uneven front or rear tyre wear, or changes in your vehicle's handling or steering can indicate misalignment.

The cost of keeping your tyres balanced and your vehicle properly aligned will more than pay for itself in tyre mileage, performance and comfort. Your local Goodyear dealer will be happy to make an appointment for you.

Regular Rotation

The weight of a vehicle is not evenly distributed to all four tyres. Therefore, regular rotation is necessary to maintain even tread wear and get the most out of your tyres.

There are several methods of rotation. For all-season tyres and most vehicles on the road, tyres from the rear axle are moved to the drive axle and crossed to opposite sides of the vehicle. The tyres from the front axle are moved to the rear, but remain on the same sides. This is known as the 'modified X' pattern.

Tyres with 'directional design, such as Goodyear's Eagle F1, are rotated differently. In this case, all tyres remain on the same side of the vehicle and are rotated straight forward and straight back.

For four-wheel drive vehicles, it is recommended to switch all four tyres, both from side-to-side and in axle position.

Check your owner's manual for the manufacturer's rotation recommendations. If no rotation period is specified, tyres should be adjusted every 10,000 km's. Four-wheel drive vehicles may require rotation as soon as every 4,000 km's. The first rotation of your tyres is the most important, and be sure to remember to adjust inflation pressures to the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations after every rotation. Your local Goodyear dealer can schedule a rotation for your vehicle at any time.

Visual Inspection

Often, discovering potential problems for your tyres is as simple as giving them a good visual once-over. The next time you check your air pressure, scan your treads for any sharp objects that may have punctured your tyres. Even if the puncture is not deep enough to flatten the tyres immediately, the cracking and pitting caused by smaller punctures can eventually worsen and lead to problems down the road.

Check the wear patterns on your treads as well. Excessive shoulder wear can indicate under-inflation, while wear to the centre of the tread can mean over-inflation.

Many tyres have tread wear indicator bars moulded into the tread. When the tread is worn down to where you can see a solid bar of rubber across the width of the tread, it is time to replace your tyre.

At any sign of potential problems, or if you feel you are ready for new tyres, be sure to take your vehicle to the Goodyear retailer nearest you.

Repairs

It is crucial to know when it is okay to have a tyre repaired and when a tyre should be replaced. If a tyre loses its air pressure, it must be removed from the wheel for a complete internal inspection to be sure it is not damaged. tyres that are run even a short distance while flat are often damaged beyond repair.

Most punctures, nail holes or cuts up to 1/4 inch can be repaired by trained technicians as long as the damage is confined to the tread. DO NOT repair tyres with tread punctures larger than 1/4 inch, or any sidewall puncture. Also, never repair tyres which are worn below 1/16 inch of tread depth.

Most tyre repairs should be handled by trained professionals. Quick-fix flat tyre remedies are okay to get you to safety, but for the most part, your best bet is to keep a good spare tyre in your trunk. Be sure that the spare is inflated to the proper pressure and looks to be in good shape.

When any problems with your tyres occur, head to the nearest Goodyear retailer immediately for expert service from our trained technicians

What are the dangers of old tyres?

It is common knowledge among car enthusiasts that tyres have a definite expiry date regardless of the amount of use. For the average vehicle owner, this piece of information seems to have got lost along the way.  

Even if a tyre has never been used and appears to be in perfect condition, it is still unsafe to use if it is more than 6 years old.

The life span is shorter still for tyres in use which have other factors that contribute to their longevity such as wear and tear. The concerning thing is that many drivers don’t know this fact and the number of accidents attributed to aged tyres is on the increase. 

An aged tyre straight off the shelf looks brand new but the internal structure is significantly degraded. Like other rubber products tyres have a limited life span. Over time this degrading of the structure of the tyre leads to reduced adhesion which creates tread separation. No matter whether the tyre is used or not, this degradation will occur.  

These internal structure changes are impossible to identify without extensive testing so even an expert would not be able to tell the difference between a new and aged tyre.  

Old tyres can cause a number of problems including:

• Loss of control of the vehicle
• Reduced grip on the road
• Reduced ability to grip, particularly in wet conditions

All of these can have fatal consequences for the driver and other motorists. In recent years car manufacturers have become more aware of the increase in accidents related to aged tyres and have begun to issue warnings with their tyres. Still, motorists are largely unaware of this as these warnings are usually hidden inconspicuously on the tyre. 

As a car owner there are a few things you can do to ensure your tyres are safe. Some suggestions are:

• Firstly, check your tyres for information from the manufacturer that tells you how old the tyre is. If you can’t find that information, have your tyres tested by a professional
• If you have to use an old tyre such as a spare, drive more slowly and carefully and change the tyre as soon as possible
• Be very wary of buying used tyres if the dealer can’t specify the age of the tyre
• Replace your tyres even if they look okay after six years of use