Rims and Tires – What should I know?

Why should you check tire pressure? 

Suitable inflation pressure is needed for giving you the best tire performance, safety, and fuel economy. It would help if you kept in mind to check your tires when they are cool with an accurate tire pressure gauge for at least a month.

Tires should not be checked if they are hot. If necessary, add 4 to 5 PSI to the recommended pressure to find the exact pressure.

Maintain inflation pressure at the recommended level: 

Your tire will last longer and stay durable if you maintain proper inflation pressure. If you do not take care of this, it will reduce load capacity, and increase the rolling resistance!

Avoid unnecessary tire spinning when your vehicle is stuck in a snowy, Icey, muddy place. This will cause tire over-heating and irreversible damage. Use a gentle backward and forward swinging motion to free your vehicle. It would be best if you did not stay near or behind a tire spinning at high speeds.

Wear and Tear

All new tires have tread wear needles that appear as smooth banks in the tread grooves when they wear to 1.6mm level. Raining weather accidents can happen while skidding with bald or nearly plain tires. Excessively damaged tires are also more likely to undergo punctures (holes).

Check your tires for damage.

Frequent inspection of your tires for marks of wear and their general condition is essential for safety. 

Warning!

You must consider following your tire manufacturer's instructions and match tire diameter to rim diameter. You have to ensure that a trained and experienced person mounts your tires!

You should not confuse tires of different sizes and types on the same axle!

Wheel alignment

It is the process of lining up the wheels and axles properly. Wheel balancing balances the wheel and tires and ensures that your tire bearings and suspension are protected. It also helps prevent premature tire wear and vibration. 

You might feel vibrations and off-balance wheels while driving at high speed!

Post Puncture maintenance

Check tires carefully for damages because of holes and impact. You should use new tubeless valves or new tubes while replacing the tubeless or tube-type tires.

Before changing your tires, refer to the vehicle's owner's guide and follow the manufacturer's replacement tire commendations before changing your tires. Vehicle behavior will be considerably affected by a change in tire size or type. Also, if you are selecting tires that will differ from the original equipment size, grasp a professional installer to ensure proper load-carrying capacity and pressure. Do not surpass the maximum load capacity and inflation pressure registered on the sidewall of the tire!

The role of Rims 

Rims are an essential constituent of your wheels, and an upgrade can drastically change the overall appearance of your vehicle!

The rims are available in many materials ranging from steel, steel composite, one-piece cast aluminum, forged, billet, and modular. Some of the rims are single pieces, while others can include multiple pieces. 

The thing to consider is that multiple components need to be bolted together, hence providing you much more options without compromising on strength and durability. 

Also, the lighter the vehicle, the faster it can move. If horsepower maximization is important to you, then you should consider going for lightweight wheels!