These are some of the more commonly asked questions
we receive. Click on a question to be taken
directly to the answer. if you cannot find an
answer to your question, please call us at
(416) 492-9992 and we will be more
than happy to help you out.
Q: Are all-season tires good
enough, or do I need snow tires?
A:
Although all season tires can prove to be adequate
on front wheel, or all wheel drive vehicle, nothing
gives better control in winter than winter tires;
whether it is emergency braking, wet braking or just
avoiding someone who doesn't have snows on.
Q: Are all snow tires the same?
A: There are three types
of snow tires to choose from.
- Studdable snow
tires
- Ice compound
winter tires
- Performance
speed rated winter tires
Each product has its
specific niche. Ask one of our sales staff which
tire best suits you and your vehicle's needs.
Q: Do I need winter wheels with
my winter tires?
A:
With the rapid advancement of today's vehicles in
not only performance and horse power, it is often
wise to remove the expensive original alloys and
replace them with either steel wheels or aftermarket
alloys. This can often be done at a cheaper price by
doing a "down size" in wheels and tires. For example
a 2005 Jetta that comes with P205/55R16 can be
downsized to a P195/65R15 winter tire package. By
reducing from 16" to 15" the package price will be
more reasonable, even when factoring in the 15"
steel wheel. (Note: this does not affect ABS,
speedometer or odometer readings, because outside
rolling diameter has not been affected.)
Another plus for
wheels is reducing maintenance of the alloys over
the years. Wheels that remain mounted and kept clean
and dry over the winter months will require far less
maintenance such as "grind and reseals", or
refinishing the face due to wear caused salt and
corrosion.
Q: How often should I check my
tire pressures?
A:
Tire pressure should be checked monthly at cold
temperatures. This cold temperature reading is taken
first thing in the morning when the tires have not
been driven on. Use manufactures specs to set your
pressures from the owners manual or door jam.
Q: How often should I rotate my
tires?
A:
Rotation schedules vary from manufacture to
manufacturer, so check your owner's manual for exact
numbers. If you need a guideline, usually every
8-10,000kms is sufficient for a front wheel drive
vehicle with a typical mix of city and highway
driving.
Q: How do I know if my tires
need changing?
A:
Tire manufactures provide tread wear indicators on
the tires tread face. These indicators are used as
guidelines for indicating when replacement is
necessary. Please check with a specially trained
tire technician to inspect your tires for unusual
wear patterns or alignment wear. This is a service
that we provide at Steelcase Tires at no extra cost
to our customers.
Q: When should I put on or take
off my snow tires?
A:
Snow tires can be put on early to beat the rush. A
reasonable time frame is usually 2nd to 3rd week of
October. You will not wear out a winter tire by
putting them on two weeks early. Save yourself an
extensive wait time that occurs in November and
December.
Taking off the snow
tires in late March to mid April is once again going
to help you avoid long line ups. 12-15 degree
Celsius are the temperatures that will cause your
winter tires to wear excessively if driven on for an
extended period of time.
Q: What are run flat tires?
A:
Run-flat, extended mobility, continuous mobility or
zero-pressure tires can be driven at normal speeds,
for some distance, without any air pressure in the
event of a puncture, a deep cut or the ravages of
just about any other road hazard.
A common design for these tires involves stiffer
side-walls (sometimes 50% thicker) that can bear the
weight of the vehicle even when the pressure within
the tire is greatly reduced. The side-walls are
typically constructed of layers of rubber and a
heat-resistant cord that prevent the side-walls from
folding or creasing. The bead around the edge of the
tire is also specialized to grip the wheel rim such
as to avoid becoming detached from the rim.
Self-supporting run
flat tires are fairly common on light trucks and
passenger cars and typically allow the vehicle to
drive for up to 100 km at around 80 km per hour.
However, they may still suffer irreparable damage in
the process. In addition, if the tire is punctured
in the sidewall or at the edge of the tread, repair
may be impossible or unsafe.
Q: What is a tire pressure
monitoring system?
A:
Tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) warn the
driver when a tire is significantly underinflated
and is standard equipment on every 2008 vehicle and
newer.
There are two types of TPMS, direct and indirect.
Direct uses pressure sensors located in each wheel
to directly measure the pressure in each tire and
warns drivers when the air pressure in any of their
tires drops at least 25% below the recommended cold
tire inflation pressure identified on the vehicle
placard.
Indirect uses the vehicle's antilock braking
system's wheel speed sensors to compare the
rotational speed of one tire vs. the others. If one
tire is low on pressure, it will roll at a different
number of revolutions per km than the other three
tires, and alert the vehicle's onboard computer.
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