Tires Help General

I work for a tire place, and I'm here to help with any questions you may have regarding your tires.

>Are gas station/gummy plugs safe?
For the long run, absolutely not. For a temporary fix just to get you to a safe place, yes they are.
The reason gummy plugs aren't very safe is because as you drive on the tire with the gummy plug, water can get into that repair, that will expand the plug, and as the plug dries out, it'll shrink. As the plug continues to shrink and grow continuously, there's a chance it can fall out as you're driving, which can even result in a blow out.

>How should a tire be repaired?
The correct way to do a proper repair is to remove the nail if there is one, drill through the hole to remove any obstructions, pull a glue coated plug through the hole, snip both sides so it sides even with the tire, grind the area on the inside down, coat it with glue, place a patch over it, and place sealant on the patch. If done properly, the repair will last the life of the tire.

>I've got a tire light on, and it won't go away?
If it's solid, then that means you just need to add, or remove air. If your light is flashing, that means your sensor is dying and may have to be replaced to remove the light.

>I need to replace my sensors in my tires, is it worth it?
In all honesty, no. At my store we charge $60-$100 per sensor. They are not important at all. I usually just give them to customers, if nobody else is around. If you want to get rid of that tire light, then you must replace the dead sensors.
***ASK THE TECHS TO SHOW YOU WHICH SENSORS ARE DEAD BEFORE PURCHASING***

>I aired up my tires, but my light is still on?
You may have to just reset the light.
Hondas, jeeps, and newer toyotas relearn on their own.
Fords, chevy's need to be taken to a tire shop to be relearned.
BMW's/Mercedes can be relearned on their own through the menu.

Continuing in next post.

Other urls found in this thread:

tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Potenza RE-71R&sidewall=Blackwall&partnum=25WR8RE71R&tab=Sizes
twitter.com/SFWRedditVideos

Are normal tire shops allowed to sell motorsports rubber over there?
I asked several local tire suppliers here, but a few select motorsports companies have monopolized the market to the point where a local tire guy just simply isn't allowed to sell a racing slick even though he carries the brand.

Tire help cont.

>I'm feeling a vibration when I drive, what could it be?
Depending on the tires that you've got, it could be an uneven cupping in the tread which is causing the bumping. Or it could be that the tires are out of balance. I would suggest having them re balanced before taking it to an alignment shop, or replacing any parts in the front axle. Reason being, most places offer free rebalances. So if it is the balancing, you won't have to pay a large amount of money for nothing.

>Where do tires with the better tread go?
Most places will recommend that the tires with the best tread go on the rears, regardless of whether it's A/F/RWD. My store recommends placing them on the rear, to prevent over steering.
Even if stores recommend placing tires in a certain place, you could just request they be put on in a certain place.

>I've got a bubble in my tire, can it be fixed?
No, it cannot. That tire is dead now. Bubbles in tires usually come from hitting pot holes, rocks, or anything that you might hit in the road, replace the tire as soon as possible.

It really depends on the store, and what the company policy. My store is not allowed to SELL racing slicks, just because they deem them unsafe for daily driving, but we will mount, and balance them.

Do tire "truing" machines still exist? For fixing cupped tires. I think its like a big belt sander.

mounting and balancing is no issue here either, as long as I supply the slicks myselves, but the market is shut tight as far as stores being able to supply them.

Not exactly, the best way to safely combat that is to just rotate them.

For TPMS sensors, how long do they last before they need replacement? Can just the battery be replaced or does a whole new sensor need to be purchased? If I have to purchase a replacement, it is cheaper to get it at your tire shop, or is it cheaper to buy them online and then have a tire shop install them?

Sensors tend to last around 6-8 years. The battery itself cannot be replaced, so the whole sensor must be replaced.

After doing some research, it's cheaper to get online, specifically Amazon, but there is a chance that the sensor would not work with the ECU of your vehicle. I would recommend giving your information to a tire shop, asking them which sensors your vehicle would need, have them help you out, then once you know what to do, go ahead and take it to a tire shop and ask them if they'll just put them in for you.

Are you the goy that works for discount tire?

Do y'all price match tirerack.com sales price?