Federal Tire suggests if a tire has been manufactured for more than 5 years, the tire should be inspected at least once a year by an auto mechanic or tire professional. If a tire has been manufactured for more than 10 years, we strongly recommend replacing it even the appearance of the tire seems to be usable or has not worn down to T.W.I.(Tire Wear Indicator). For your safety, when a tire tread has worn down to T.W.I.(Tire Wear Indicator), please change the tire as soon as possible.
Many drivers aren’t absolutely sure, but the difference can be between arriving safely to your destination, or getting stuck on the way.
All season tires have presented a promise that they can provide traction for all seasons; through spring’s rain, summer’s heat, fall’s cooling and winter’s snow. This however, does not guarantee winter snow and ice traction.
In 1999, The U.S. Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) and the Rubber Association of Canada (RAC) agreed on a performance based standard to recognize passenger and light truck tires that have a traction index equal to or greater than 110 (compared to a reference tire which is rated 100) during the specified American Society for Testing and Materials traction tests on packed snow. The new standard helps ensure that drivers can easily point out tires that provide a higher level of snow traction.
Tires are put through one of the toughest environments compared to any other consumer product. Along with being stretched millions of times as they roll through their life, tires are exposed to acid rain, brake dust, direct sunlight, harsh chemicals, as well as the extreme temperatures of summers and winters. While tires have anti-aging chemicals in their compounds, exposure to all the elements will inevitably cause rubber to lose some of its elasticity and allow surface cracks to appear.
The surface cracks that occasionally appear typically develop in the sidewalls or at the base of the tread grooves. As long as the cracking does not go deep in to the rubber, the cracking may be purely cosmetic in nature and may not need to be replaced. Since all tires are made of rubber, all tires will eventually show some type of cracking condition usually late in their life.
Here are some factors that can cause or accelerate cracking:
Here are some tips to prevent cracking:
The U.S. government has passed legislation that requires all passenger cars and light trucks under 10,000 pounds of gross vehicle weight to eventually be equipped with tire pressure monitoring systems. The main purpose of these systems is to let the driver know if their tires are losing air pressure, leaving the tires under inflated and dangerous. There are currently two systems: direct and indirect.
Direct Monitoring Systems:
Attach a pressure sensor/transmitter to the vehicle’s wheel inside the tire’s air chamber. An in-car receiver warns the driver immediately if the pressure of any one tire falls below a certain level.
Indirect Monitoring Systems:
Use the vehicle’s antilock braking system’s wheel speed sensors to compare the rotational speed of one tire vs. the other three positions on the vehicle. If one tire is low on pressure, its circumference changes enough to roll at a slightly different pace per mile than the other three tires. When that is the case, the onboard computer warns the driver that there is a change in the tire. Unfortunately, due to its lower development time and cost, these systems have several shortcomings. They won’t tell the driver which tire is low on pressure, won’t warn the driver if all four tires are losing pressure at the same rate, and they often have false warnings.
The direct monitoring systems is not faultless either. It is still unclear when the perfect time for the system to warn the driver is. Also, there is general concern that the drivers of vehicles equipped with these systems will become over-confident in the capabilities of their system and will be even less likely to follow good tire maintenance habits.
The Uniform Tire Quality Grade Standards (UTQG) were created by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to provide consumers with information to help them purchase tires based on their relative treadwear, traction and temperature capabilities. This is required by law for most passenger car tires sold in the U.S., but not required for deep treaded light truck tires or winter tires.
It is important to know that the Department of Transportation does not conduct the tests for UTQG ratings. The grades are assigned by the tire manufacturers based on their test results or those conducted by an independent testing company they have hired. The NHTSA has the right to inspect the tire manufacturer’s data and can fine them if inconsistencies are found. Tire manufacturers have a six month period to allow the tire manufacturer to test actual production tires. Once a grade is assigned it must be branded on the tire’s sidewall and printed on its label.
Treadwear Grades
UTQG Treadwear Grades are based on the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled conditions on a specific government test track. A tire graded 200 would wear twice as long on the government test course under specified test conditions as one graded 100. It is inaccurate to link Treadwear Grades with your projected tire mileage. The problem with UTQG Treadwear Grades is that they do not accurately portray how long a tire lasts. The test tires are assigned a grade after experiencing little treadwear as it runs only 7,200 miles. This means that the tire manufacturers need to extrapolate their raw wear data. It is typically more helpful to use the Treadwear Grades as a reference only, and not as helpful in deciding actual wear-rate between different brands.
Traction Grades
UTQG Traction Grades are based on the tire’s straight line wet coefficient of traction as the tire skids across the specified test surfaces. The UTQG traction test does not evaluate dry braking, dry cornering, wet cornering, or high speed hydroplaning resistance. Traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, B and C. They represent the tire's ability to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled conditions on specified government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. Since this test evaluates a slide tire at a constant 40 mph, it places more emphasis on the tire’s tread compound and less emphasis on its tread design.
Temperature (Resistance) Grades
The UTQG Temperature Grade indicated the extent to which heat is generated or dissipated by at tire. The temperature grades, from highest to lowest, are A, B and C. These represent the tire's resistance to the generation of heat.
As a tire wears, its ability to perform in rain and snow diminishes. At 2/32” or 0.2 centimeters of remaining tread depth, resistance to hydroplaning in the rain has been significantly reduced and traction in heavy snow has been virtually eliminated.
We recommend that you consider replacing your tires when they reach about 4/32” or 0.3 centimeters. You need enough tread depth on your tires to allow water to escape through the tire’s grooves. If water can not be dispersed fast enough, your vehicle’s tires will lose traction due to hydroplaning.
If you drive on snow-covered roads, you should consider replacing your tires when they reach about 6/32” or 0.5 centimeters of tread depth to maintain decent traction. Tread depth is more important for snow traction because your tires need to compress the snow in their grooves and release it as they roll. This is why winter tires begin with deeper tread depths compared to standard all-season or summer tires.
Driving at high speeds generate excessive heat, which increases the rate of tire wear. Turning fast around corners, hard accelerating, hard braking, and overall rough driving can also increase the rate of tire wear and reduce a tire's durability. Driving over rough surfaces, potholes, and other debris on the road also affects tire durability.
A wheel that is out of balance can cause uneven treadwear, an uncomfortable ride, and can increase stress on the suspension and other vehicle components. Proper balancing prevents uneven treadwear and is essential for a safe, comfortable ride. A common sign of wheel/tire imbalance can be noticed at highway speeds through vibration from the steering wheel.
If such condition occurs, have your tires balanced as soon as possible. Wheels should be balanced whenever a tire is first installed, and whenever they are remounted.
Proper alignment is essential for precise handling and steering response and will also increase the life and performance of your tires. There is no specific recommended alignment timeframe. However, alignment should be checked whenever new tires or suspension components are installed or when the driver notices a difference in the vehicle’s handling – usually after a strong impact with a road hazard or driving into severe potholes.
It is recommended to rotate tires every 3,000 miles. Regular rotation ensures a more even wear and prolongs the life of your tires.
The importance of maintaining proper tire pressure is too often overlooked by the average driver. According to recent study by the National Transportation and Safety Administration, more than 25% of all passenger cars and more than 33% of all light trucks have under inflated tires.
Keeping tires properly inflated improves performance, tire life, ride quality, ride safety and improves gas mileage! Always inflate tires to the manufacturer’s recommended psi (pound per square inch).
We recommend investing in a reliable pressure gauge and checking air pressure at least once a month. For accurate readings, check tire when it is cold, preferably in the mornings, before the vehicle is driven.
Tire pressure expands in heat and contracts in cold weather. For every 10 degrees Fahrenheit change in outside temperature, your tire’s inflation pressure will change by about 1 psi (up with higher and down with lower temperatures). Therefore, be more cautious if you live in a country where drastic temperature changes occur.
Tires also lose pressure over time, on an average of about 1 psi per month.
Finally, do not forget to keep your valve caps on. If left off, moisture can freeze in the valve and allow the air to escape.