Tires Make the World Go Round (Part 2 of 3)

Rock, Paper, Car

Beware of Tire Plugs:

Well it finally happened – as you prepared to take your car out for a spin, you noticed one of your tires appears flat and you’ve spotted a nail in it. What do you do now? No , don’t pull out the nail!

Whether you pump up the tire to get to a tire repair shop, put on your spare tire, or call for a tow service, you still have to deal with correctly repairing or replacing that tire. With today’s economic climate, let’s look at what constitutes a proper repair.

Tires have evolved over the years and we no longer remove the nail and patch the inner tube like your great grandfather did or perhaps you did with your bicycle tire when you were a kid. Perhaps you remember that you could have had a tire plug put in your tire from the outside in, which was quick and inexpensive, or have a patch put on the inside of your tubeless tire, which was better. But much more is required for today’s belted radial ply tires. Tires have changed and repairing any tire with a “plug” is a potential disaster waiting to happen! In fact, the tire industry as a whole warns against making any “string plug” or tire plug repairs for any tire repairs today.

The tire technology has evolved requiring a specific procedure to ensure a proper repair and to protect the integrity of the tire’s belts. Also, because many people drive on a flat or nearly flat tire for some distance before they realize they have a problem or can safely pull over, a considerable amount of internal damage can be done to the tire. The damage can be mechanical or heat damage because an under-inflated tire can become extremely hot due to excessive flexing when driven on. Careful inside inspection by a properly trained technician is required to detect damage.

The following repair is endorsed by the Rubber Manufactures Association (RMA) and the Tire Industry Association who, together represent the majority of tire manufacturers. The RMA procedure specifies that the tire be removed from the rim and inspected from the inside to determine what damage may have occurred internally from running the tire while flat. This procedure also specifies the maximum size, location, and angle of injuries that are repairable. The RMA procedure calls for the wound channel to be reamed out to remove damaged material and the repair to be made from the inside out with a plug and patch combination that seals the wound channel and also seals the inner liner to retain air.

The item of most importance is, “Never repair a tire that has an existing, improper repair, (non RMA); the tire must be scrapped.” That would preclude the use of “string type” tire plugs.

If you are stuck with a flat and don’t have a spare, and need to do an emergency repair, then the use of a tire sealant is preferable to ruining any possibility of repairing the tire with a plug. (Plus you run the risk of damaging the expensive wheels your tires are mounted on.) In fact, some manufacturers are equipping new cars with a can of sealant and an inflator instead of a spare tire to save space, weight and manufacturing costs. It is possible to wash out the tire sealant and repair a tire properly with the RMA approved method, although getting all of the sealant out can be difficult.

Finally, if your tires are fairly old, six years or older, and you need a repair, perhaps you should err on the side of caution and replace all of your tires because of potential age related issues.

Tires Make the World Go Round (Part 3 of 3)

Tire PMS - Rock, Paper, Car

T.P.M.S. Is it your cars time of the month?

What is T.P.M.S.? Tire Pressure Monitoring System. The TPMS is an electronic system designed to monitor the air pressure inside the tires on various types of vehicles. The system is also sometimes referred to as a tire-pressure indication system (TPIS). These systems report real-time tire-pressure information to the driver of the car, either via a gauge, a pictogram display, or a simple warning light.

Why do I need a T.P.M.S.? The Firestone Recall in the United States in the late 1990s, which was attributed to more than 100 deaths from rollovers following a tire tread-separation, pushed the Clinton Administration to publish the TREAD Act. This act mandated the use of a suitable TPM technology in order to alert drivers of a severe under-inflation condition of their tires. This act affects all vehicles weighing less than 10,000 pounds and sold after September 1, 2007.

How does the system work? Direct-sensor TPMSes use physical pressure sensors inside or outside each tire and a way of processing and sending that information to the vehicle's instrument cluster. These systems can simultaneously identify under-inflation in all four tires and in any combination.

Typically, tire pressure monitoring systems operate with four or five battery-powered transmitter-sensors, one RF (radio frequency) receiver, and some other satellite hardware which can perform the function of identifying which tire has the inflation problem. Each tire-pressure sensor periodically sends a message regarding pressure status, or it can poll the pressures continuously. Note: These batteries are not replaceable; the whole sensor unit must be replaced.

Indirect style TPMSes do not use physical pressure sensors. They measure the "apparent" air pressure, by monitoring individual wheel rotational speeds, and other various signals available outside the tire itself. Most indirect TPMSes use the fact that an under-inflated tire has a slightly smaller diameter than a correctly inflated tire and therefore has to rotate at a higher speed to cover the same distance as the correctly inflated tire.

A TPMS helps to improve vehicle safety, and aids the driver in maintaining proper vehicle tire pressures. (Which actually is a new California Law -2010.) Properly maintained tires help with vehicle safety, performance and economy. In the U.S., the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has estimated that every year, 533 fatalities are caused by tire defects in road accidents. Adding TPMS to all vehicles could avoid 120 of the 533 yearly victims and spare as many as 8,400 injuries every year. (Don’t you love statistics?)

On the maintenance side, it is important to realize that fuel efficiency, and tire wear are severely affected by under-inflation. According to NHTSA data, tires leak air naturally and over a year a typical new tire can lose from 3 to 9 psi, roughly 10%, or more, of its initial pressure. Environmental conditions also affect tire psi.

Water Star Motors has the specialized equipment needed to test and repair your TPMS. All of these systems with transmitters have a battery that wears out in 7-10 years. These batteries are not replaceable. Is it time to replace your sensors with new ones?

Some of these systems are excellent and need little care. Others are more problematic. No problem, we can take care of all your needs in the TPMS arena!

Tires Make the World Go Round (Part 1 of 3)

Rock, Paper, Car

Tires Make the World Go Round - Part One

All car owners have one thing in common; cars use tires. As we have mentioned in previous articles tire condition and tire pressure are important factors in how well your car will perform; especially in the handling, safety, and gas mileage departments. Tires will always wear out eventually. Sometimes this happens sooner than we think. Tires also go flat. Many factors play a part in how long tires will last.

What circumstances will shred miles off the life of my tires? Most commonly worn out struts and shocks, loose steering linkage, improper tire pressure, the vehicles alignment being out of adjustment,

worn out suspension bushings or simply being out of balance can all shorten the life of your tires. Driving habits are also something to consider.

What can I do to optimize the mileage of my tires? At Water Star Motors every time we serviced your car our technicians inspect all the components that can affect tire wear. We then make any recommendations necessary to correct improper tire wear. On a personal note, just looking at your tires regularly will clue you in on how they are. Are they wearing more on one edge or the other? Is the center wearing but not the outer edges? Are there any bulges or cracks on the side walls? Is there cupping or uneven wear on the treads? All these are signs of problems that need to be addressed by your repair shop. Basically being proactive about your car’s maintenance will add to the life of your tires.

Driving definitely increases your chances of experiencing at least one flat scenario. It is best to remain as calm as possible and find a safe way to the side of the road. Turn on the emergency flashers. Here is where a AAA membership may pay off. Particularly if you don’t know how to change a tire or if you simply don’t want to get a little dirty. If you do have this service, just call and they will send someone out to change the tire or tow it to a shop to be fixed if there is a major failure.

When today’s highly developed tires go flat, they require specific procedures to ensure a proper repair and to protect the integrity of the tire’s belts. Also, because many people drive on a flat or nearly flat tire for some distance before they realize they have a problem or before they can safely pull over, a considerable amount of internal damage to the tire can occur. The damage can be mechanical damage or heat damage because an under-inflated tire can become extremely hot due to excessive flexing when driven on. Careful inside inspection by a properly trained technician is required to detect damage.

So, whether if your tires are worn funny or are brand new, getting them checked on a regular basis will help keep you safe and rolling down the road called life. It will also extend the longevity of your tires and the investment you have in them.

When we were taking road trips with our children we informed them that this sign meant, “Beware of the tire snakes.” Quite often we would also see bits of tire laying on the road close by. (Case in point.)

California Regulates Air

California Regulates Air  

Brought to you by Water Star Motors: Import Car Repair                                                          
    Your Serene, Green Auto Repair Team and Small Business of the Year.
    Written by Henry & Lisa Carter


California Air Resources Board (CARB) has enacted an effective date of September 1, 2010, for the adoption of Section 95550 in Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations.
This is a regulation to REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMMISSIONS FROM VEHICLES OPERATING WITH UNDER INFLATED TIRES.

Phew! What does this mean? Automotive service providers are required to check and inflate each vehicle’s tires to the recommended tire pressure rating at the time of performing any automotive maintenance or repair service, as well as indicating on the vehicle service invoice that a tire inflation service was completed. 

A customer may decline the check and inflate service if the customer affirms one of the following: (A). S/he has performed (or had) a tire pressure check and inflate service within the last 30 days. Or (B) S/he will perform (or have) a tire pressure check and inflate service within the next 7 days.

Before the Regulation and Beyond: Your tires support the weight of your vehicle, right? Well they don't! It's the air pressure inside them that actually supports the weight. Maintaining sufficient air pressure is required if your tires are to provide all of the handling, traction and durability of which they are capable.
However, you can't set tire pressure...and then forget about it! Tire pressure has to be checked periodically to assure that the influences of time, changes in ambient temperatures or a small tread puncture have not caused it to change.
For the Analytical: Check and adjust the pressures first thing in the morning. Set them according to the vehicle manufacturer's cold tire pressure(s) recommended on the vehicle's tire sticker found on the driver’s side door jam or in its owner's manual. This must be done before rising ambient temperatures, the sun's radiant heat or even driving short distances which temporarily warms the tires.

Road Trip Tip: Heat generated while being driven extensively (or at sustained speeds greater than 45 mph). Set 6 psi above vehicle manufacturer's cold inflation recommendations.
Since air is a gas, it expands when heated and contracts when cooled. The rule of thumb is for every 10° Fahrenheit change in air temperature, your tire's inflation pressure will change by about 1 psi (up with higher temperatures and down with lower).
 

Mention this article and receive your California Tire Pressure Regulation Compliance for FREE!

Green Car, Happy Car!

Every day people are becoming more attuned to being 'green'. From the Serene, Green Auto Repair Team stand-point there are many pro-active things to do to keep you driving green.

What can I do to make my car be on the Green side of things? One well known thing is to check your tire pressures regularly and make sure they're not lower than factory specs. Some folks say set tires higher than normal. This is OK if you monitor your tire wear, making sure the center of the tire treads are not worn. It is not too green to get merely half the life out of tires because the pressures are set too high. (Do not go more than 2-4psi [pounds per square inch] over factory specifications.)

Maintenance: A properly maintained vehicle gets better fuel mileage and puts out less smog producing fumes than a poorly running car. A clean air filter and fresh spark plugs can make a world of difference in how efficient your engine runs. Changing the oil and filter regularly also affects fuel mileage as well as the life of the engine. Oil, as it ages, thickens and the oil filter gets clogged. Also using the wrong weight oil, (to heavy) will affect fuel mileage.

Bodily Fluids! It is not green to have a car that constantly leaves fluid deposits on an already contaminated planet. Most leaks leave a spot under the car. Other fluids leak primarily when the car is running. In this case there may be a spot when parked, but a large leak while driving down the road. There is no good reason, financial or otherwise, to let a car leak any of its highly toxic fluids on our planet earth. Get those leaks fixed!

On occasion, tightening up the 'loose nut behind the wheel', will help with fuel mileage. In other words, slow down a little. Don't make jack rabbit starts, and accelerate smoothly to cruising speed. 'Drive like there is an egg between your foot and the accelerator pedal.' Smooth controlled stops also help prolong the life of brake pads and rotors.

New car vs. old car? It takes a tremendous amount of energy to produce a new car. One way to recycle is to fix up that old car and give it a new lease on life. (It's better to start with a mid 1990's or newer due to emissions technology. Also, they generally are more reliable.) Cars can be immortal.

To be green is good! Check out Water Star Motors, a certified green Import Auto Repair shop in Santa Cruz. http://www.waterstarmotors.com/

Thanks, The Sage Mechanic