Express Car Care of Denver

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Tire Balance or Alignment – Which Does Your Car Need?

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“My car shakes when I drive it.”

“My car veers off if I don’t hold tight to the steering wheel.”

Have you ever thought something similar when you drive your car? Maybe your car is in need of a tire balance or alignment.

Tire balancing and alignment are two phrases you might be familiar with. Drivers use them all the time. But what do they really mean? Are they the same thing? Can you use “tire balance” and “alignment” interchangeably for when you notice something wrong with the way your car drives?

What is tire balancing?

Tire balancing is also sometimes referred to as wheel balancing. Tire balancing corrects the distribution of weight onto each of the four wheels.

When a wheel is imbalanced, it leads to vibration while driving> If you’ve ever felt your vehicle shimmy and shake, it may be from imbalanced wheels. It can also cause excessive wear on the tires. If the tires don’t hit the pavement in the same manner on all four sides, it can cause some tires to wear faster than others. It can also damage the suspension system. The wheels are designed to keep your car stable as it moves. If it’s off balance, it can’t protect critical components of your car.

When a mechanic performs a tire balance on your vehicle, they apply zinc, lead, or composite weights to each wheel rim, both inside and outside. Because wheels are designed in different ways, there are several different types of weight application, determined by what your vehicle needs.

The weights are either pounded or taped into place to check balancing. Legislation has been enacted in some states to ban the use of lead weights, as many of them would fall off and wind up underground, potentially impacting our water supply.

What are the signs your car needs tire balancing?

Tire Balance or Alignment - Which Does Your Car Need?If you start to notice a vibration as you are driving, it’s a sign your tires need balancing. You might notice a shake in your steering column, feel it underneath your feet on the floorboard, or even notice movement in your seat.

Pay attention to the vibration as it can signal where your tires are out of balance. A tremble in your steering wheel can mean your front tires are impacted. If you notice your seat vibrating, it’s a sign it’s the back wheels.

You should also periodically inspect your tires. Do you notice uneven wear marks? Are certain parts of the tire wearing smooth before the rest? Does one tire look more heavily worn than others? All can be a signal your tires are imbalanced.

Also pay attention to your drive. Do you drive dirt roads frequently? Do you ignore potholes because you hit them often? Have you hit the curb recently? All of these things and more can damage your tires and wheels, and cause your tires to go out of balance.

What is wheel alignment?

Wheel alignment is also known as tire alignment. It refers to the practice of adjusting your car’s suspension system for a smoother ride. This isn’t an adjustment of the tires or wheels themselves, rather, the work is done to the suspension system to control the smoothness of the ride.

Alignment is what is needed to keep your car from veering off to the right or left when you drive. It can also improve the overall handling of your vehicle, and avoid certain vibrations that develop over time.

What are the signs your car needs a wheel alignment?

You might need a wheel alignment if you notice any of the following things:

  • Your car starts pulling to one side or the other while you drive
  • You notice uneven tire tread, or your tires are prematurely wearing down
  • You notice a squealing noise coming from your tires
  • You notice problems with your steering wheel, such as it tilts off-center, or vibrates when you accelerate

If you’ve been in a car accident, or you’ve recently slid into a curb, your vehicle is most likely in need of a wheel alignment.

Do I need a tire balance or wheel alignment?

Both tire balancing and wheel alignment should be a part of your regular maintenance routine. Just realize that the two are separate maintenance items, each being required to keep your car in good working condition as it ages.

While balancing is ensuring each individual tire is connecting well with the road, alignment is about modifying the angles of the wheels to ensure they are in proper position to each other, and to ensure the tires connect well with the road. An alignment ensures all four wheels are traveling in the same direction, and makes sure each tire stays well connected to the ground.

When do you balance your tires?

While it’s important to have your tires balanced if you feel a problem as you drive, there are also other times when you should rebalance your tires.

  • At a bare minimum, once every two years, more if you drive rough roads
  • When you get them rotated, which should occur about every 5,000 miles
  • When you have a flat and fix your tire
  • When you buy new tires
  • If you notice a weight missing from one of the rims
  • When you notice uneven wear on a tire

When do you align your wheels?

It’s suggested that you get your wheels aligned every time you have new tires put on your vehicle. You should also get an alignment:

  • If you have an accident
  • If you hit something, such as a curb, with your wheels
  • If you have severe wear on your tires
  • If you feel your car pulling as you accelerate
  • If you replace your tires

Keep in mind that not all vehicles need the same wheel alignment. A four-wheel drive doesn’t require a four-wheel alignment. Any vehicle with a single-tube axle can only have a front-end alignment.

And if your vehicle has other front end damage that may impact the alignment, it might be better off to wait until all work is completed. This way you won’t have to get an alignment twice.

Have more questions? We’re here to help. Just ask.

What If You Leave Winter Tires On All Year?

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This for a moment about a day of driving in January. You might start out with a sunny day on your way to work, but that can quickly change. Suddenly, the flurries start, it drops in temperature, and the snow starts to accumulate. Your drive home will be difficult at best.

Compare that to a day in the middle of July. You start out your day with a cool drive in, but the day quickly heats up from there. The temperatures climb – 80, 90, 100 degrees and more. It’s so hot even the pavement seems a bit gooey.

What about your tires? Should you prepare for each and get two separate sets? Or will one set of tires handle it all? Can you leave winter tires on all year? Or is there a better way to drive?

Get to know Colorado’s Traction Law

If you’ve ever driven Colorado roads, especially in the dead of winter, you know how treacherous they can be. When one car has trouble, spins out of control, and winds up by the side of the road, it can impact traffic for hours. It can turn one small accident into a major pileup in seconds.

What If You Leave Winter Tires On All Year?It can also be deadly.

The Traction Law is designed to require motorists to have:

  • 4WD or AWD vehicle with at least a 3/16 inch tread depth
  • Tires designated as mud and snow tires and a 3/16 inch tread depth
  • Winter tires with a 3/16 inch tread depth
  • All-weather tires with a 3/16 inch tread depth
  • Chains or an Autosock

It can go into effect at any time from September 1st to May 31st, depending on road conditions. If a Traction Alert is issued, you’ll have to stay off the road unless you have the specified tires on your vehicle.

This law was designed for two reasons. First, and the most obvious, is to keep Colorado drivers safe. Second, to keep the roads moving, and avoid hours of delay that can quickly occur in the event of a major pileup.

Your first question – Do your tires meet the Traction Law?

While this new Colorado law went into effect in 2019, if you haven’t evaluated if your car meets the guidelines, it’s time to give your tires a second look. All tires must have at least 3/16 inch tread depth to be considered compliant with Colorado law. If you aren’t sure what your tires’ tread depth is, measure it. Try this simple trick. Stick a quarter into the tread, making sure George Washinton’s head goes into the tire. If you can’t see the top of his head, your tire passes the 3/16 inch test.

However, don’t try the test just once and assume your tires are okay. Try all four tires. Try it in multiple places. In some cases, you might have a tire that isn’t wearing evenly, and you might be low in certain areas.

Don’t worry if you aren’t sure. The easiest (and possibly the best) way to determine if your tires are okay is to have them checked by one of our mechanics. We can tell you if they all meet required specifications, and how much traction you have left before replacement.

Winter tires, summer tires, what’s the difference?

Typically, you’ll find several different types of tires on the market: winter, summer, all-weather.

There are a few fundamental differences between them.

Winter:

Winter tires have a higher rubber content, which helps keep them softer, more supple when the temperatures dip low. The softer they are, the more able they are to grip the road surface in all kinds of weather conditions.

Winter tires have thousands of tiny grooves built into the tread blocks to disperse water and prevent hydroplaning. These grooves also can bite into the packed snow and provide optimal grip as you speed up and slow down.

Winter tires also have a deep tread pattern that allows snow to build up in the cavities. Snow helps grip snow, and intensifies the connection to the road.

Summer:

Summer tires are built from a harder compound that softens in milder and warmer weather conditions. This makes them more drivable on dry as well as rainy roads.

Summer tires have fewer grooves than winter tires, and are built more for handling afternoon rain showers and to prevent hydroplaning on suddenly wet roads.

Summer tires are made from a harder rubber compound that is designed to soften as the temperatures rise. They have more friction in the heat, which in turn gives you more fuel efficiency when the pavement reaches peak temperatures.

Summer tires also have a simpler block tread, which gives you better handling on hot roads, and has a massive impact on quickly you can brake.

All-season tires are somewhere in the middle. They are designed for average performance, no matter what the weather brings. You won’t have the grip and performance of summer tires, and will sacrifice more intense braking and handling in the winter. But overall, they get the job done.

Now let’s talk about winter tires. Are winter tires good all year long?

Should you leave your winter tires on all year? After all, the Denver metro area can see cold and snowy conditions ten months out of the year. It isn’t unheard of to have a snowstorm hit in May, while we’ve had sudden blizzard-like conditions as early as September.

And if you live in the foothills, the chance of snowfall increases from there. You might be tempted to trade in your tires for a good set of winter tires, and make those your year-round replacements. Here’s why you shouldn’t.

Winter tires are designed for traction and grip on snowy roads. They have unique features that make them great at what they do.

But if you leave them on, you’ll find:

They’ll wear down faster. Because winter tires are designed with deep treads that grip in cold weather, they can also wear down faster when they meet warm or hot roads day after day.

They won’t perform. You would never wear your snow boots to go jogging in the summer. You need the right tools for the job. Winter tires are designed for lower speeds and careful driving. When you want to hit the open road, you won’t get the same maneuvering or handling with winter tires.

You replace your tires faster. When we buy new tires, we focus on the manufacturer’s guidelines for how much mileage we can expect to see. If you’re not following the guidelines, the performance factors will decrease. You’ll replace your tires more often, and possibly have more problems (and repair bills) along the way.

It makes sense to have the right tire for the job.

Have you left your winter tires on all year long in the past?

Tire Rotation & Balancing

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You can make the tires on your vehicle last longer with a regular tire rotation and balancing.

Let’s start with the tire rotation.  In normal driving around town, your front tires wear more on the shoulders because they handle most of the cornering forces in the turns.  If you’re driving a front-wheel drive vehicle, there is even more force put on the front tires.

The reason we rotate the tires is so that all of the tires have some duty on the front end and it also gives the back end a little break.  By doing a tire rotation, all four tires should wear more evenly over their life, this helps them last longer.

Most vehicles have their tires rotated front to back, but some manufacturers recommend a cross rotational pattern that includes the spare tire too.  If you drive a high performance vehicle, they might have different size tires on the front and rear, or they may have unidirectional tires that can only be on the left or right side of the vehicle.  If you drive this type of vehicle be sure to ask your service adviser to help you figure out just the right tire rotation for your vehicle.

Tire manufacturers always have recommendations for how often they want you to rotate your tires.  These recommendations usually fall somewhere around 5,000 to 8,000 miles or 8,000 to 13,000 kilometers.

Now let’s talk about wheel balancing.  Balancing is when there are heavy spots on the tire and wheel that causes it to wobble.

Wheel balancing is adding weights to the wheel that balance it out so it doesn’t wobble.  These are very small weight differences.  There are variations in tire and wheel manufacturing that can cause slight imbalances.  The valve stem and the tire pressure monitoring sensors in the tire can also make a difference.

Even small differences can cause annoying vibrations.  The wheel is basically bouncing as it travels down the road.  Say you were driving on the freeway, if your wheel is out of balance it can slam into the road 14 times a second.  Besides being annoying it also causes your tires to wear out quicker.

If you have a front wheel out of balance, you’ll feel a vibration in the steering wheel, and a rear tire will vibrate your seat.  If you have any type of vibrations in your vehicle, come in and see us.  We’ll see if it’s a balance issue or another problem.

Simple Answers About Selecting Tires

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Question:  I need new tires, but how do I know which tires to select?

Express Car Care Answer:  Let’s look at selecting new tires in light of three factors:  Function, Fit, and Value.

Function:  This deals with what your needs are for new tires.  Weather conditions, terrain, temperatures, etc.

New family vehicles sold in Colorado come with all-season tires.  They can be used all year long and do pretty well on average road conditions – but they aren’t ideal in extreme conditions.

Winter tires have a more aggressive tread for handling snow and ice and they have a rubber compound that helps them have better traction as temperatures drop below 45 degrees Fahrenheit/ 7 degrees Centigrade.  In Colorado winter weather, that means better stopping and road-holding characteristics for driving than all-season tires.

Dedicated summer tires enhance warm weather performance driving.

If you drive off-road in the foothills and mountains around Denver, there is a spectrum of tire choices, from all-terrain ( a good mix of highway and off-road capability) to dedicated off-road tires.

The key to selecting tires is to discuss the function you’re looking for with your tire professional, so you get the type of tire, load rating, speed rating and wear rating you need.

Fit:  The easiest thing is to select tires in the same size that were installed at the factory.  If you want a different size wheel or tire profile, be sure to work with a professional that can make sure that your new wheels and tires fit properly and don’t rub when your vehicle bumps or turns.  It’s also important to make sure that safety systems like anti-lock brakes, stability control and traction control aren’t adversely affected by the new tire size. ( The computer may need to be recalibrated in order to make the necessary adjustments.)

Value:  Notice I didn’t say price.  The tire that meets all your needs and has the warranty and tread life you expect will probably not be the cheapest option – but it may well return the best value for your tire dollar.

Your friendly and helpful Express Car Care service adviser is ready and willing to discuss the options with you before you make this automotive decision.

Question on Tire Wear

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Express Car Care Question:  My name is Dan. The tires on my vehicle wore out early and I had to replace them.  What can I do to make my tires last longer?

Express Car Care Answer:  Dan’s problem, premature tire wear, is a very common problem for Denver drivers.  Here are several suggestions on ways to lengthen your tire wear:

First, tires lose air pressure over time, so check the tire pressure at least once a month and fill them up as necessary.  A sticker on the driver’s side door jamb has the recommended tire pressure listed for your vehicle.

Another suggestion for lengthening tire wear is tire rotation.  Tire rotation is an important step in increasing the life of tires.  Your front tires take the brunt of stopping and steering forces, so they wear out faster than rear tires.  They should be rotated regularly so that all four tires are allowed to wear more evenly.  Talk to us at Express Car Care if you’d like more information on tire rotation.

Out of balance wheels can also cause a tire to wear out too fast. If you feel a vibration in your seat or steering wheel when you’re driving, you may have a wheel out of balance. It’s important to have your wheels balanced properly so the tires wear as evenly as possible.

Finally, a poor wheel alignment and worn or damaged suspension can chew through a tire very quickly.  Ask your friendly pros at Express Car Care to have your tires inspected for signs of premature tire wear.  Your technician will be able to pinpoint the cause and take care of it.

These are just some simple steps you can take to prevent premature tire wear.  Give us a call and let us know how we can help.

Tire Rotation & Balancing Answers

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Question:  How do I know when I should get my tires rotated and balanced?

Express Car Care Answer:  The interval for tire rotation could depend on a recommendation from either the tire manufacturer or the vehicle manufacturer.  The background question for drivers is “why do tires need to be rotated?”

Front tires wear differently than the rear tires because steering wears the shoulders faster up front.  Rotating the position of the tires allows for more even wear among all the tires.   The suspension set-up on certain vehicles may also affect the relative wear between the front and rear tires.  There are several tire rotation patterns and your knowledgeable Express Car Care professional will make sure that you get the correct pattern for your particular vehicle.

Wheels and tires are not perfectly balanced due to slight variations in the manufacturing process and the placement of tire pressure monitoring sensors.  So weights are strategically placed on the wheel to ensure that the tire spins true.  When a wheel is out of balance it is essentially bouncing thousands of extra times as you drive.  This can result in an uncomfortable vibration for drivers in the steering wheel or through the seat.  An unbalanced tire will also wear more quickly and it’s also punishing on your shocks and struts.

Drivers should have their wheel balanced if they detect a vibration or uneven wear.  A wheel balance check every year is a good idea.  Because tires cost so much in our area, it’s a great idea to do everything you can do to make them last as long as possible.  Proper inflation, regular tire rotation and balancing are the keys to long tire life.  The team at Express Car Care can check your tires for signs of uneven wear and diagnose and correct the problem.

Simple Answers About Winter Tires

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Question:  What is the benefit of winter tires?

Express Car Care Answer:  This is a really good question.  Most new vehicles in Denver come with all-season tires that work pretty well in winter conditions that many drivers may encounter.  First, let’s talk about the things that dedicated winter tires do really well, we’ll touch on all-season tires, and then you should have enough information to help you in your tire selection.

The first thing to take into account about winter is fairly obvious, it’s cold.  The rubber compound used in summer and all-season tires gets a bit hard when the temperatures drop below 45 degrees Fahrenheit or 7 degrees Centigrade.  Winter tires, on the other hand, stay more pliable when the thermometer takes a dip.  This means better dry road traction in the cold.

Ice and snow is the next thing drivers need to consider during the winter.  Some drivers live where there is a lot of snow, a lot of the time.  Extreme winter condition snow tires have a tread design that cuts into and expels deep snow for maximum traction.  These tires have a mountain and snowflake icon on the sidewall of the tire.

If you live in an area where the ice and snow are more moderate, you can still benefit from having winter tires.  Their tread has many small “cuts” called sipes that really help them get a grip on ice.

Now, all-season tires are a year-round compromise between high summer performance and high winter performance.  They just don’t perform as well in extreme conditions as the tires that are dedicated to either summer or winter driving.  For example, winter tires offer 25% to 50% more traction than all-season tires.  And studies have shown that all-season tires can take upwards of 40% longer to stop than winter tires.  This could be enough of a difference to prevent getting stuck or getting in an accident.

So what’s the best tire for you?  Talk to  your service adviser about the conditions you drive in throughout the year and how important performance is to you.  For many drivers that put a premium on handling performance, dedicated summer tires in summer and dedicated winter tires in winter are what they need to satisfy their performance needs.  Other drivers don’t have that same need and all-season tires work well for them.

Whatever you choose, winter tires or all-season, we are ready to mount them for you, come on in and see us.

 

Tire Pressure Monitoring System

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All new cars and light trucks in Denver since 2008 have come equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system, or TPMS.  The tire pressure monitoring system detects when a tire becomes under-inflated and lights up a warning light on the dashboard.

So what’s the big deal for drivers?  Well, underinflated tires can be a real safety concern.  First of all, they don’t handle properly and that can lead to an accident.  Second, underinflated tires can overheat and cause the tire to come apart, which could also lead to an accident.

Government regulations requiring TPMS systems aim to reduce accidents in Colorado and save lives, a very worthy goal.  There are also positive environmental effects because underinflated tires are fuel wasters – they lose 1 percent of their fuel economy for every 3 pounds of pressure below ideal.  So proper tire inflation can save you a tank of gas a year.  Your tires will also last longer so you won’t have to replace them as often.

There are two kinds of TPMS systems.  So called, direct systems have a battery powered sensor in each wheel that measures tire pressure.  The sensor sends a signal to a receiver that illuminates the warning light if pressure is low on a tire.

Indirect systems use a computer program to detect underinflation by measuring wheel rotation speeds and other data.

Drivers will have to replace TPMS parts as they wear out.  Obviously, the batteries in the sensors will run out someday.  Road salt and grime can damage sensors too.  The system needs to be reset when you rotate or change your tires.

Because the TPMS system is so important to your safety, you should make the repairs when they are needed.  Also remember, a tire pressure monitoring system is no substitute for regularly checking your tire pressure – at least once a month is recommended.

Tire Service in Denver

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For most people buying tires can be a big deal, so play it safe and consult with your friendly and knowledgeable tire professional about the proper size, type and grade for your driving needs.  He can help you balance load requirements, performance, durability and cost.

It’s always best to replace both tires on the same axle when purchasing new tires, in order to keep the rolling diameter as close as possible.  Drivers with four-wheel drive vehicles should replace all four tires at the same time because they can run into problems if the tires have different rolling diameters due to wear or different types of tires.  Four-wheel drive vehicles should have all tires very close to the same rolling diameter to avoid binding and wheel hop between the front and rear axles.

Tire manufacturers also recommend that if you are buying just two new tires that they be installed on the rear for safer slippery road traction – regardless of which wheels drive the vehicle.  Express Car Care has you covered for all of your tire service in Denver needs including tire repair, tire mounting, and wheel balancing.

Rotate Your Tires

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Rotate Your TiresTire rotation is an important maintenance duty that extends the life of your tires and ensures safe driving.  Let’s take a look at this simple and effective procedure.

The main reason to rotate your tires is because the front and rear tires wear differently.  Think about it, parallel parking, three-point turns, with each turn of the steering wheel there is pressure put on the front tires.  This is even more true for front-wheel drive vehicles.  Resistance causes friction, friction produces heat.  The result?  The front tires will wear quicker than the rear.  Because of this, it’s necessary to rotate your tires front-to-rear several times during their life cycle.

The best indicator that it’s time to rotate your tires is uneven tread wear.  If you look closely at your tires, is the inside or outside of one tire showing more wear than the other?  Because the weight of a car isn’t evenly distributed to all four corners, uneven tread wear is unavoidable.  Most engines are located in the front of the vehicle and since the engine is the heaviest thing in it, the front tires carry more weight.  All of these factors contribute to the front tires wearing out faster than the rear tires.  When we rotate the tires, each tire is being moved to a different corner of the car to make it possible for them to wear more evenly.  Other indicators that the tires need to be rotated are poor handling when braking your vehicle, or poor tire traction in wet or slippery road conditions.

A general rule of thumb for rotating tires is every 3,000 to 7,000 miles.  But your vehicle’s manufacturer’s manual will have recommended rotation times.  Keeping a log of when you’ve had tire rotations can help you stay up to date.  Keep the log in your glove compartment for a quick and easy reference.

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