When you only need two tires, you’d think they would go on the front of a front-wheel-drive, but it’s the opposite.
That’s because when the rear tires on a front-wheel-drive lose grip, it’s almost impossible to keep control.
It’s one of the Ten Commandments of Being in the Tire Business – We all agree, when you only need two new tires, put them on the rear axle of your car, van, SUV, or light truck.
Watch Michelin demonstrate this on a wet test-track with a front-wheel-drive –
HI, I’m Spencer, the owner of Kenwood Tire & Auto Service – I’m first in and last to leave because I’m always looking for ways to make your visit easy and value-added.
Tire sipes are the small slits in the tire tread that give your tires grip in wet and winter conditions.
On snow and ice, tire sipes act as biting edges. In wet conditions, they act as a sponge to absorb standing water to reduce hydroplaning.
Siping was invented and patented in 1923 by John F. Sipe, a slaughterhouse worker who brilliantly cut slits in the soles of his shoes to stop slipping on wet floors. Siping was not incorporated into tires until the 1950s.
Sipes work on tires the same as they do on shoes. Generally, the more sipes a tire has, the better it is in snowy, wet, and icy conditions, In extreme weather locations, there are tire companies that will add sipes to tires – Check out how Performance Tire Siping is done at Les Schwab Tires with has locations in Alaska, Montana, and Idaho.
But more sipes can also lead to mushy handling on dry roads as the tread blocks squirm under the weight of your car. So what do tire manufacturers do?
The point of this post is to demonstrate that not all tires sipes are alike. Most tires look good and perform well when they’re new, but during the last 50% of tread wear it’s hit or miss, literally!
Check out these General Altimax RT43 tires – the sipes disappear faster than the tire is wearing and at 70% worn, these tires have so few biting edges for winter driving, I would recommend replacing them.
New tire tread -General Altimax RT43.
30% worn General Altimax RT43 Used Tire Siping
70% worn General Altimax RT43- This tire is no good for a New England winter!
But didn’t you pay 100% of the price of your tire?
By comparison, look at these BFGoodrich Advantage Sport tires. At 70% worn, the tire sipes are still there!
That’s because BFGoodrich has the technology to give their tires full-depth siping without the trade-off in handling, and that’s what I like about these tires the most.
The Internet makes buying tires easy if you know what you’re looking for.
With a little research, online tire stores like TireRack, TireBuyer, TireAmerica, and SimpleTire can help you can make a good tire choice, and save you money.
TireRack’s recommended tire installers near me are mostly chain stores!
The problem with buying tires online is that you need to find someone to install them for you.
At Kenwood Tire and Auto Service, we welcome internet tire installations, no matter where you buy them.
But other tire stores will do their best to make you regret buying your tires online.
How do you think Tire Rack’s “recommended installers”, who are the chain stores and franchises like Pep Boys that you were probably trying to avoid in the first place, will treat you when you show up with your own tires?
The best way to find a professional tire installer near you is to call around, read reviews, and ask for a recommendation.
I also recommend checking out the TireBuyer installers in your area, because they partner with local independent internet tire installers like us.
Our customer-supplied tire installation includes replacing the tire, high-speed balancing including road-force optimizer, hand-torquing the wheel nuts, and resetting the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
For most vehicles, we charge $30-40 per tire for internet tire installation.
I hate to see people having hard-time buying tires, so if you’re still looking, check out Kenwood Tire’s online tire catalog to find tire recommendations and fully-installed tire prices.
Stay safe and let me know if you have any questions or comments about customer-supplied and internet tire installation.
Tire manufacturer warranties will cover tire cracking and dry rot, as well as other defects, but most warranties expire after 6 years.
Most tires will wear out before cracking becomes a warrantable condition.
That’s because antiozonant, the rubber additive manufacturers use to resist tire cracking and tire-blooming too, is only released as the tire is being used, going through its normal heating and cooling cycles. That’s why RV, trailer, and classic car tires don’t get used that much, so cracking and dry-rot appear faster.
There is no way to fix dry-rotted and cracked tires, but you can slow down the process by using a tire cleaner and protectant.
I use Superior Products Dark Fury to clean wheels at the shop, but for occasional use, I recommend Chemical Guys Diablo Wheel Gel – Used with a soft brush, both of these are awesome at dissolving brake dust without hurting the wheel finish.
And to keep your wheels looking good after cleaning, you can use a non-solvent protectant Wizards Tire and Vinyl Shine.
Check out examples of dry-rot in tires – If you’re concerned about your tires, e-mail me some pictures and I’ll give you my honest opinion.
