Car Tires, Truck Tires

For all of you out there that are grumbling about the ever rising price of gasoline, how many of you have truly considered ways that will save your precious fuel. Sure, you probably considered car pooling or maybe are even actively doing it. Others will swelter in the summertime, afraid that using the air conditioner will increase the amount of fuel that is consumed. The question is have you ever considered if your tires are costing you gas money?

When your tires are correctly inflated, it can save you money. If your tires are under inflated, they are pliant and cause too much friction with the road. This causes your engine to work extra, driving up your gas needs. If they are too soft they can lower your gas mileage by .4 percent for every pound in drop of pressure. According to the Department of Energy, correctly inflated wheels can increase your gas efficiency by 3 %. When your wheels are correctly inflated they will offer you a smoother ride, better vehicle handling, and better gas mileage. If you don’t know what the proper pressure is for your car, you can find that information on the inside of the glove compartment, or your car manual. The label will list a PSI, and you should use the highest number possible to increase your gas efficiency. Not only should your wheels have the right PSI, they should also be evenly inflated.

When cold weather rolls around, your wheels will need some TLC. When the temperature drops 10 degrees your tire pressure drops 1 lb, which adds to the rolling resistance. If the pressure drops quickly, it is recommended that you check your tire pressure with a store bought PSI gauge.

Correct tire alignment will also help in gas economy. Your wheels should be aligned at least once every 12 months. If your wheels aren’t lined up straight they will drag and not roll correctly, which adds to the resistance and increases your gas consumption. Balancing your wheels is a good idea too. When your car’s tires are out of balance you will feel strong vibrations as you steer. These vibrations will lead to a shortened suspension life and uneven wear on your wheels.

When you rotate your wheels you are saving even more money at the pump. When your wheels are rotated you are distributing the wear more evenly throughout all 4 wheels. You can find the recommended rotation for your vehicle in its manual. The type of tire you choose for your car also affects your car’s gas economy. Before you replace your wheels you should take into consideration the kind of car you have and which wheels will do the best job. Consulting the owner’s manual is a helpful idea that can take the guess work out of tire shopping. The best attributes of a replacement tire are low rolling resistance and durability.

When your wheels are properly maintained you will see a difference at the pump, putting more money in your pockets and less gas in your tank!

 

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For months, I had gone from one mechanic to another, seeking to understand why my car was making a scraping sound when I applied pressure to my brakes. The mechanics assured me that the problem was not the brakes. Yet, the problem grew worse.

The scraping sound was like a phantom. It was elusive at best. One moment it was so loud that other drivers would stare as my car moved past them. The next moment, there was no sound at all.

As a woman, I admit that I’m leery of mechanics. We have all been told that mechanics prey on defenseless women often taking us for hundreds of dollars. I don’t know if this is factual, but I believe it improves the odds if you have an idea what is wrong. Maybe this is why I feared being jerked around at first. But, it didn’t make sense. Neither mechanic had a thing to gain by my not getting new brakes.

The culminating event was when I took my son to get his driver’s license. The officer at the DMV reprimanded me for the poor condition of my brakes. In fact, he said, “I almost didn’t give your son his driver’s license because your brakes made so much noise. Several times, I came close to telling him to just pull the car over.” How embarrassing was that! I tried to explain the situation but he was emphatic that he had years of experience with cars and it was in fact the brakes.

I was not only perplexed but almost in tears as I could hear the scraping sound while driving and even worse when I put on the brakes. What a colossal headache!

At first, I was determined not to rush to another mechanic. Meanwhile, the scraping sound got worse and worse. I heard that awful sound like an 18-wheeler makes when coming to a stop. It was quite unnerving! I could no longer ignore it.

I took the car once again to my mechanic. He instructed me to back the car up then roll forward as he stood outside and listened. No scraping sound. I did this several times defending the fact that there was a problem. I asked the mechanic to drive the car for himself. He drove the car around the block several times and could not identify the scraping sound that I had complained about.

By this time, I was quite agitated, even more perplexed and embarrassed. I assured the mechanic that there was a problem and suggested that if we continued to drive, maybe we’d trigger it. The mechanic told me to jump in the passenger side and we drove even further. I rolled down my window and listened intently as we drove. After he made a sharp road turn, I heard the sound. Eureka! At first, he could not hear it. But I coached him to keep driving. He finally heard it.

We went back to the automotive repair shop and drove my car onto the lift. He and another mechanic did a variety of tests to recreate the sound and identify its cause. I sat and observed. Despite several tests, he could not recreate the sound. As I needed to get back home, the office arranged transportation for me. I silently prayed that they would identify and fix the problem. And most of all, that it not cost me goo-gobs of money.

A couple of hours passed then I received a call. The mechanic said that the problem was not the brakes — it was the tires. I couldn’t believe it. My front tires, appearing to be in good condition, were the problem. He explained that the sound only occurred when the tires were in contact with the road. I consented for the mechanic to replace both front tires. The scraping stopped.

Admittedly, I am by no means a mechanic. But I wanted to write this article to caution that you get your tires checked before you spend hundreds of dollars in brake work that you might not need.