Usually we don't need to think about driving on icy roads in Southern California. But with the crazy weather we have been having, it might be helpful to get a primmer on Driving Safely on Icy Roads. If you get into an accident, we're here to help, but maybe these tips will help keep your vehicle out of the body shop this season.
Driving safely on icy roads
Decrease your speed and leave yourself plenty of room to stop. You should allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the car in front of you.
Brake gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels start to lock up, ease off the brake.
Turn on your lights to increase your visibility to other motorists.
Keep your lights and windshield clean.
Use low gears to keep traction, especially on hills.
Don't use cruise control or overdrive on icy roads.
Be especially careful on bridges, overpasses and infrequently traveled roads, which will freeze first. Even at temperatures above freezing, if the conditions are wet, you might encounter ice in shady areas or on exposed roadways like bridges.
Don't pass snow plows and sanding trucks. The drivers have limited visibility, and you're likely to find the road in front of them worse than the road behind.
Don't assume your vehicle can handle all conditions. Even four-wheel and front-wheel drive vehicles can encounter trouble on winter roads.
If your rear wheels skid...
Take your foot off the accelerator.
Steer in the direction you want the front wheels to go. If your rear wheels are sliding left, steer left. If they're sliding right, steer right.
If your rear wheels start sliding the other way as you recover, ease the steering wheel toward that side. You might have to steer left and right a few times to get your vehicle completely under control.
If you have standard brakes, pump them gently.
If you have anti-lock brakes (ABS), do not pump the brakes. Apply steady pressure to the brakes. You will feel the brakes pulse — this is normal.
If your front wheels skid...
Take your foot off the gas and shift to neutral, but don't try to steer immediately.
As the wheels skid sideways, they will slow the vehicle and traction will return. As it does, steer in the direction you want to go. Then put the transmission in "drive" or release the clutch, and accelerate gently.
If you get stuck...
Do not spin your wheels. This will only dig you in deeper.
Turn your wheels from side to side a few times to push snow out of the way.
Use a light touch on the gas, to ease your car out.
Use a shovel to clear snow away from the wheels and the underside of the car.
Pour sand, kitty litter, gravel or salt in the path of the wheels, to help get traction.
Try rocking the vehicle. (Check your owner's manual first — it can damage the transmission on some vehicles.) Shift from forward to reverse, and back again. Each time you're in gear, give a light touch on the gas until the vehicle gets going.
More Tips
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Monday, November 1, 2010
Save money without compromising your safety or your car’s well-being
Food on the table or new tires for the family jalopy? An easy answer for most people. But driving on worn tires poses a safety risk. So, too, can a mechanical breakdown that leaves a car and its passengers stranded on the freeway.
Tough times can mean tough choices for folks struggling to make ends meet. Auto Club data suggest that Southern Californians are skimping on car maintenance, leading to a variety of mechanical failures and breakdowns. During the first half of this year, roadside assistance calls increased by 7 percent, an unusually high number.
Moreover, Southern Californians are keeping their cars longer. In just one year, the average age of the nation’s cars has risen from 10 years to 11 years, an extraordinary increase, says John Nielsen, AAA national director of auto repair.
Unfortunately, older cars require a higher level of maintenance to keep them running. The upshot? More motorists are experiencing firsthand the finite life of automotive parts.
Now or Later
Skimping on basic maintenance is false economizing, because if you keep up with low-cost minor adjustments to your car, you likely won’t have to pay for high-cost major repairs later. Or, as the mechanic in an old TV commercial for oil filters said, “You can pay me now, or pay me later.” For instance, if you replace a car’s dirty fuel filter for $50, you could avoid the $500 bill you’d have to pay for replacing a ruined fuel pump. Spending several hundred dollars to change an engine’s timing belt is far less costly than spending thousands for an engine rebuild. And the list goes on.
If you find penny-pinching to be a necessity these days, be assured there are ways to pinch those pennies while still being car smart. Based on feedback from the Auto Club’s Roadside Assistance and Approved Auto Repair programs, as well as test data from the Auto Club’s Automotive Research Center, here are 12 suggestions that can save you money by helping to prevent common breakdowns.
1. Open the good book.
Buried in your car’s glove box is the owner’s manual, which outlines the appropriate maintenance procedures and intervals to keep your car in top condition. Becoming familiar with the factory-recommended maintenance schedules in the manual is the first, and perhaps most important, step to cost-effective car care. If you can’t find the manual, buy one from your car dealer or download it from the automaker’s website.
2. Stay on schedule.
Automakers typically offer owners a choice of “normal” or “severe duty” service schedules, the latter requiring more frequent oil and fluid changes. Carefully consider how you use your car, and decide for yourself what’s best. But remember that given all the stop-and-go driving in Southern California, many cars fall into the severe-duty cycle, says Dave Skaien, program development manager of the Approved Auto Repair program.
3. Stay informed.
You may still be holding on to some outdated notions about car repair. For example, the traditional three-month/3,000-mile oil change has generally gone by the wayside, even for some severe-duty schedules. Follow the automaker’s maintenance schedule.
4. Dip the stick monthly.
Auto-maker-recommended service intervals of 5,000, 7,500, or even more miles don’t excuse you from checking your car’s oil level between changes. Approved Auto Repair shops are seeing more cars coming in for oil changes that are several quarts low, a recipe for catastrophic engine failure. But it’s normal for a car to use more oil as it ages—up to a quart per 1,000 miles.
5. Keep it cool.
When you check the engine’s oil level, note whether there’s enough coolant in the cooling system’s reservoir. The owner’s manual will show you where the reservoir is. Look for any signs of seepage around the radiator and for cracks or strange bulges in the radiator hoses that could be a tip-off to imminent failure.
6. Keep on chargin’.
Typically, a car’s battery life is three to five years, says Steve Mazor, manager of the Auto Club’s Automotive Research Center. Your battery may have a charge-indicator “eye.” If it’s charged, the eye should be green—although the eyes are notoriously inaccurate. Most batteries are sealed but not entirely maintenance-free. If the terminals look as if they’ve grown moss, gently scrub them with an old toothbrush and a 50-50 mix of water and baking soda. Be sure the cables are tight. And look for any cracks or fraying on belts that drive the alternator and other engine components.
7. Look down.
Your car holds a half-dozen or more fluids of one sort or another, and all of them should remain in your car, not on the driveway. An occasional drop of engine oil or a trickle of condensed water from the air conditioner is no cause for alarm. But puddles of fluids—especially those that are yellow, green, red, or pink—signal potentially serious issues with components, such as the brakes, transmission, or cooling system.
8. Avoid additives.
Be wary of any gas-saving claims for automotive devices or oil and gas additives, warns the Federal Trade Commission. Even for the few gas-saving products that have been found to work, the savings have been small. Much the same goes for other engine elixirs, Mazor says. Any benefit they might provide probably isn’t worth their cost.
9. Change filters.
Recent Roadside Assistance tow data show a spike in fuel pump failures. Mazor speculates that the cause may be the additional ethanol in gasoline or cash-strapped motorists running too low on fuel before refilling. Avoid running on empty, and be sure to follow prescribed fuel filter changes. By comparison, engine air filter changes aren’t as critical; the research center’s tests show that if anything, a slightly dirty filter may increase fuel economy, contrary to popular wisdom.
10. Buy a gauge.
Keeping your car’s tires at their proper pressure (as listed in the owner’s manual or on a plaque in the car, not on the tire’s sidewall) prevents premature tire wear and preserves your car’s handling and braking capabilities. Don’t rely on the beat-up gauge on the air hose at the gas station. You can buy one at an auto parts store for less than $5.
If your car doesn’t have a tire-pressure monitoring system, consider replacing the valve stem caps with caps that warn when tire pressures are dangerously low (less than $20 a set).
11. Keep shining.
Frequent washes and twice-yearly waxes enhance the resale value of your car. And you’ll also feel better about driving your older but spiffy-looking car. Touch-up paint from a new-car dealer will hide little chips and parking-lot “rash.” And if an errant rock dings your windshield, have the crack filled immediately by a windshield repair specialist before it spreads and makes a costly windshield replacement necessary.
12. Build a relationship.
Repair shops may charge differing labor rates—even the shops of new-car dealers for the same make in the same area. But once you find a shop that you believe to be fair, stick with it. The service personnel will come to know you and your car. When your budget is limited, they’ll help you prioritize maintenance and repair tasks, allowing you to safely put off less pressing ones.
Tough times can mean tough choices for folks struggling to make ends meet. Auto Club data suggest that Southern Californians are skimping on car maintenance, leading to a variety of mechanical failures and breakdowns. During the first half of this year, roadside assistance calls increased by 7 percent, an unusually high number.
Moreover, Southern Californians are keeping their cars longer. In just one year, the average age of the nation’s cars has risen from 10 years to 11 years, an extraordinary increase, says John Nielsen, AAA national director of auto repair.
Unfortunately, older cars require a higher level of maintenance to keep them running. The upshot? More motorists are experiencing firsthand the finite life of automotive parts.
Now or Later
Skimping on basic maintenance is false economizing, because if you keep up with low-cost minor adjustments to your car, you likely won’t have to pay for high-cost major repairs later. Or, as the mechanic in an old TV commercial for oil filters said, “You can pay me now, or pay me later.” For instance, if you replace a car’s dirty fuel filter for $50, you could avoid the $500 bill you’d have to pay for replacing a ruined fuel pump. Spending several hundred dollars to change an engine’s timing belt is far less costly than spending thousands for an engine rebuild. And the list goes on.
If you find penny-pinching to be a necessity these days, be assured there are ways to pinch those pennies while still being car smart. Based on feedback from the Auto Club’s Roadside Assistance and Approved Auto Repair programs, as well as test data from the Auto Club’s Automotive Research Center, here are 12 suggestions that can save you money by helping to prevent common breakdowns.
1. Open the good book.
Buried in your car’s glove box is the owner’s manual, which outlines the appropriate maintenance procedures and intervals to keep your car in top condition. Becoming familiar with the factory-recommended maintenance schedules in the manual is the first, and perhaps most important, step to cost-effective car care. If you can’t find the manual, buy one from your car dealer or download it from the automaker’s website.
2. Stay on schedule.
Automakers typically offer owners a choice of “normal” or “severe duty” service schedules, the latter requiring more frequent oil and fluid changes. Carefully consider how you use your car, and decide for yourself what’s best. But remember that given all the stop-and-go driving in Southern California, many cars fall into the severe-duty cycle, says Dave Skaien, program development manager of the Approved Auto Repair program.
3. Stay informed.
You may still be holding on to some outdated notions about car repair. For example, the traditional three-month/3,000-mile oil change has generally gone by the wayside, even for some severe-duty schedules. Follow the automaker’s maintenance schedule.
4. Dip the stick monthly.
Auto-maker-recommended service intervals of 5,000, 7,500, or even more miles don’t excuse you from checking your car’s oil level between changes. Approved Auto Repair shops are seeing more cars coming in for oil changes that are several quarts low, a recipe for catastrophic engine failure. But it’s normal for a car to use more oil as it ages—up to a quart per 1,000 miles.
5. Keep it cool.
When you check the engine’s oil level, note whether there’s enough coolant in the cooling system’s reservoir. The owner’s manual will show you where the reservoir is. Look for any signs of seepage around the radiator and for cracks or strange bulges in the radiator hoses that could be a tip-off to imminent failure.
6. Keep on chargin’.
Typically, a car’s battery life is three to five years, says Steve Mazor, manager of the Auto Club’s Automotive Research Center. Your battery may have a charge-indicator “eye.” If it’s charged, the eye should be green—although the eyes are notoriously inaccurate. Most batteries are sealed but not entirely maintenance-free. If the terminals look as if they’ve grown moss, gently scrub them with an old toothbrush and a 50-50 mix of water and baking soda. Be sure the cables are tight. And look for any cracks or fraying on belts that drive the alternator and other engine components.
7. Look down.
Your car holds a half-dozen or more fluids of one sort or another, and all of them should remain in your car, not on the driveway. An occasional drop of engine oil or a trickle of condensed water from the air conditioner is no cause for alarm. But puddles of fluids—especially those that are yellow, green, red, or pink—signal potentially serious issues with components, such as the brakes, transmission, or cooling system.
8. Avoid additives.
Be wary of any gas-saving claims for automotive devices or oil and gas additives, warns the Federal Trade Commission. Even for the few gas-saving products that have been found to work, the savings have been small. Much the same goes for other engine elixirs, Mazor says. Any benefit they might provide probably isn’t worth their cost.
9. Change filters.
Recent Roadside Assistance tow data show a spike in fuel pump failures. Mazor speculates that the cause may be the additional ethanol in gasoline or cash-strapped motorists running too low on fuel before refilling. Avoid running on empty, and be sure to follow prescribed fuel filter changes. By comparison, engine air filter changes aren’t as critical; the research center’s tests show that if anything, a slightly dirty filter may increase fuel economy, contrary to popular wisdom.
10. Buy a gauge.
Keeping your car’s tires at their proper pressure (as listed in the owner’s manual or on a plaque in the car, not on the tire’s sidewall) prevents premature tire wear and preserves your car’s handling and braking capabilities. Don’t rely on the beat-up gauge on the air hose at the gas station. You can buy one at an auto parts store for less than $5.
If your car doesn’t have a tire-pressure monitoring system, consider replacing the valve stem caps with caps that warn when tire pressures are dangerously low (less than $20 a set).
11. Keep shining.
Frequent washes and twice-yearly waxes enhance the resale value of your car. And you’ll also feel better about driving your older but spiffy-looking car. Touch-up paint from a new-car dealer will hide little chips and parking-lot “rash.” And if an errant rock dings your windshield, have the crack filled immediately by a windshield repair specialist before it spreads and makes a costly windshield replacement necessary.
12. Build a relationship.
Repair shops may charge differing labor rates—even the shops of new-car dealers for the same make in the same area. But once you find a shop that you believe to be fair, stick with it. The service personnel will come to know you and your car. When your budget is limited, they’ll help you prioritize maintenance and repair tasks, allowing you to safely put off less pressing ones.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Why Rotate Your Tires
Rotation means you are changing where the individual tires are mounted
on the vehicle. Let's assume you have a front-drive car with all four
tires the same size. Each tire will carry a different load and be faced
with different situations. The front tires will carry over 60 percent
of the car's weight. They are also responsible for putting the power of
the engine to the road, and for all the steering. Finally, they are
responsible for about 80 percent of the braking.
It stands to reason, then, that the front tires will wear much more
quickly than the rears. Not only that, but the right front tire might
tend to wear out more quickly than the left front because the nature of
American traffic means that left-hand turns (which load the right-front
tire) tend to be taken at higher speeds, and under higher loads, than
right-hand turns (which load the left-front tire). And, right-side
tires are more likely to be faced with road hazards and hitting curbs.
The result of all this is tires wearing out at different rates.
Rotation Schedule
To make the entire set wear at the same rate, that is, to equalize tire
wear and thus maximize tire life, you can rotate them. With some
vehicles, the owner's manual will have a recommended tire rotation
schedule and a diagram of the rotation. A typical schedule may call for
rotation every 5,000 miles with a pattern that's sometimes called
"cross-rotation." For example, the front tires will be moved to the
opposite sides of the rear, right-front to left-rear and left-front to
right-rear, and the rears moved straight forward. If you follow this
through, you will see that, eventually, every tire will have been to
every spot on the car, and then it starts all over again.
on the vehicle. Let's assume you have a front-drive car with all four
tires the same size. Each tire will carry a different load and be faced
with different situations. The front tires will carry over 60 percent
of the car's weight. They are also responsible for putting the power of
the engine to the road, and for all the steering. Finally, they are
responsible for about 80 percent of the braking.
It stands to reason, then, that the front tires will wear much more
quickly than the rears. Not only that, but the right front tire might
tend to wear out more quickly than the left front because the nature of
American traffic means that left-hand turns (which load the right-front
tire) tend to be taken at higher speeds, and under higher loads, than
right-hand turns (which load the left-front tire). And, right-side
tires are more likely to be faced with road hazards and hitting curbs.
The result of all this is tires wearing out at different rates.
Rotation Schedule
To make the entire set wear at the same rate, that is, to equalize tire
wear and thus maximize tire life, you can rotate them. With some
vehicles, the owner's manual will have a recommended tire rotation
schedule and a diagram of the rotation. A typical schedule may call for
rotation every 5,000 miles with a pattern that's sometimes called
"cross-rotation." For example, the front tires will be moved to the
opposite sides of the rear, right-front to left-rear and left-front to
right-rear, and the rears moved straight forward. If you follow this
through, you will see that, eventually, every tire will have been to
every spot on the car, and then it starts all over again.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Keeping Your Teenager Safe
Car crashes are the leading cause of death among 16- to 20-year-olds. In fact, one of five teen drivers will be in a crash during the first year of driving. The Auto Club is working to improve teen driver safety by raising awareness of the problem.
At Holmes Body Shop collision repair is a family affair. We've been around for over 36 years, so we're seeing the next generation (and the one after that) of drivers (and accidents) come into our shops. No one wants to be in an accident, but it's especially hard when your teen driver experiences one. If it happens, We're here to help! Auto Club has some sound advice to start your teen's driving career off right.
The Auto Club urges parents of teen drivers to learn and follow California’s graduated driver license law and help improve their teen’s safety by following:
AAA’s list of 10 Things Parents Can Do to Keep Their Teen Driver Safe.
1. Know and understand your teen
Not all teens are mature and responsible enough to drive at age 16.
2. Be a positive and responsible role model
AAA research shows that teen drivers with collisions and citations often have parents with similar driving records. Familiarize yourself and your teen driver with all of the state driving laws and rules of the road, with the California Driver’s Handbook.
3. Locate a quality driving school
Driving schools with significant amounts of interaction and highly trained instructors are best. Parents should select a driving school that encourages parental involvement and progress reports.
4. Create a parent-teen driving agreement
Agreeing to rules, conditions, restrictions and consequences of teens’ driving behavior written down in advance establishes driving as a privilege and not a right.
5. Make a smart vehicle and insurance choice for teens
As the family member most likely to crash, a teen should drive the safest vehicle the family owns. Make sure your teen is properly insured and ask if your teen is eligible for the new driver and/or good student auto insurance discounts.
6. Practice might not make perfect but it can make for a better teen driver
Supervised practice with parents obtaining a license provides teens with opportunities to reinforce proper driving skills and receive feedback from those who care the most about their safety.
7. Set a time each week to discuss safe driving
Parental communication is critical in the prevention of teen-related crashes, injuries and fatalities. Teens who might be tempted to race can find a safe and fun outlet through the NHRA Street Legal Program oval tracks.
8. Keep teen drivers free of passengers and off the road at night
AAA research shows that a teen driver’s chances of crashing increase two-fold with additional passengers. Research also shows teen crash rates spike at night and that most crashes occur between 9 p.m. and midnight.
9. Encourage teens to get enough sleep
Teens need about nine hours of sleep every night. Drowsy driving can be as risky as drunk driving and impacts perception, judgment and reflexes.
10. Eliminate distractions
Cell phones and text messaging are hazardous distractions while driving, and are illegal for teen drivers to use.
At Holmes Body Shop collision repair is a family affair. We've been around for over 36 years, so we're seeing the next generation (and the one after that) of drivers (and accidents) come into our shops. No one wants to be in an accident, but it's especially hard when your teen driver experiences one. If it happens, We're here to help! Auto Club has some sound advice to start your teen's driving career off right.
The Auto Club urges parents of teen drivers to learn and follow California’s graduated driver license law and help improve their teen’s safety by following:
AAA’s list of 10 Things Parents Can Do to Keep Their Teen Driver Safe.
1. Know and understand your teen
Not all teens are mature and responsible enough to drive at age 16.
2. Be a positive and responsible role model
AAA research shows that teen drivers with collisions and citations often have parents with similar driving records. Familiarize yourself and your teen driver with all of the state driving laws and rules of the road, with the California Driver’s Handbook.
3. Locate a quality driving school
Driving schools with significant amounts of interaction and highly trained instructors are best. Parents should select a driving school that encourages parental involvement and progress reports.
4. Create a parent-teen driving agreement
Agreeing to rules, conditions, restrictions and consequences of teens’ driving behavior written down in advance establishes driving as a privilege and not a right.
5. Make a smart vehicle and insurance choice for teens
As the family member most likely to crash, a teen should drive the safest vehicle the family owns. Make sure your teen is properly insured and ask if your teen is eligible for the new driver and/or good student auto insurance discounts.
6. Practice might not make perfect but it can make for a better teen driver
Supervised practice with parents obtaining a license provides teens with opportunities to reinforce proper driving skills and receive feedback from those who care the most about their safety.
7. Set a time each week to discuss safe driving
Parental communication is critical in the prevention of teen-related crashes, injuries and fatalities. Teens who might be tempted to race can find a safe and fun outlet through the NHRA Street Legal Program oval tracks.
8. Keep teen drivers free of passengers and off the road at night
AAA research shows that a teen driver’s chances of crashing increase two-fold with additional passengers. Research also shows teen crash rates spike at night and that most crashes occur between 9 p.m. and midnight.
9. Encourage teens to get enough sleep
Teens need about nine hours of sleep every night. Drowsy driving can be as risky as drunk driving and impacts perception, judgment and reflexes.
10. Eliminate distractions
Cell phones and text messaging are hazardous distractions while driving, and are illegal for teen drivers to use.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Preparing for a road trip
Preparing for a road trip
It's Summer, and gas prices seem to be cooperating. Let's hit the road! Safely, of course. At Holmes Body Shop we're all about being safe on the road. If an accident happens, we're here to help. But here are some steps you can take to avoid automotive avoid on your Summer road trip:
Check the fluids in your car. Checking the oil, coolant and brake fluid levels may help you avoid an accident or an unnecessary breakdown.
Check your air pressure. These should be printed in the owners manual or a sticker on the body where the drivers door shuts. The pressure marked on the side of the tire is the max which must not be exceeded. Also, don't forget to check your spare tire pressure. Often neglected, not doing so will turn a bad time into a worse one if unusable.
Get your oil changed. If your car is getting close to due for an oil change get it changed right away. A long trip can put additional stress on your motor.
Check your tire wear by using a penny or tread gauge. Tires heat up on long trips which can cause blowouts on worn out tires.
Check your car's air filter.A plentiful supply of clean air to your engine improves it performance.
Wash your car. At the minimum, clean the windows of your car for the best visibility.
Check to be certain that all lights and signals are functional on your car. You will need the help of another person for this. Sit in the car, turn on each light or signal and ask your friend to tell you if it is working or not. Replace bulbs as necessary. Note: occasionally, lights may not work because a fuse needs replacing.
Ensure that you have all emergency equipment inside your car, and that everything works properly. Emergency equipment includes, an up-to-date map, cell phone, spare tires and emergency tools. Though usually absent; flares, flashlights, medical kits and fire extinguishers may come in handy in worse-case scenarios.
Recommended : Clear out trash or unnecessary "junk" from your car. Nothing spoils a road trip like the smell of stale french fries (fries if you're lucky) that fell under the seat.
Happy Travels from Holmes Body Shop!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Accident Avoidance
Of course Holmes Body Shop is interested in repairing vehicles that have been involved in an accident. That's what we do. We also care about accident avoidance, and keeping drivers and passengers safe. With the recent focus on Toyota's problems with unintended acceleration, we thought it would be a good idea to talk about what to do should this happen to you while driving. What follows is an excerpt of an article in Westways Magazine:
Dealing With Unintended Acceleration
In the unlikely event that your car accelerates unexpectedly, do the following:
In the unlikely event that your car accelerates unexpectedly, do the following:
- Stay calm, but act quickly. Keep your eyes on the road so you can maintain control of your car.
- Be sure your foot is off the accelerator. Apply the brakes firmly, with strong, steady pressure. Don’t pump the brakes.
- Shift into neutral. On a car with a standard transmission, depress the clutch.
- Steer the car to the side of the road, come to a full stop, and turn off the engine. Don’t turn off the engine until the car has slowed down or is stopped; otherwise, you’ll lose the power steering and power brakes, and the steering may lock. (If you have a push-button start/stop mechanism, you need to know the proper procedure to turn off the car while it’s moving. In Toyotas, for example, you must hold the button in for three seconds.) Check your owner’s manual to find out the proper procedure for your car.
- Turn on your emergency flashers. Call the Auto Club or your dealer to pick up the vehicle. Don’t restart the car.
.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Vehicle Maitenance
If you have an accident, We're here to help. But we'd like to help you avoid one on the first place. One simple way is to keep your vehicle in good condition, from the ground up. Let's start with your tires. Are they in good shape?
Look at the tread pattern. All tires have what are called "tread wear bars". These are small bridges that form between your treads. Look at the tread pattern and you will see the beginnings of these bars start to form between the treads, or running across the tires. As the tires wear, these bars will become flush with the tire's tread. At this point it is time to replace the tires.
Look at the tread pattern. All tires have what are called "tread wear bars". These are small bridges that form between your treads. Look at the tread pattern and you will see the beginnings of these bars start to form between the treads, or running across the tires. As the tires wear, these bars will become flush with the tire's tread. At this point it is time to replace the tires.
- Check the tread by using the "penny test." Take a penny, and place it upside down with Lincoln facing you in the center of the tread (at the thickest part of the tire).
- If you can see the very top of Lincoln's head or the copper above it, replace the tires immediately.
-
-
- If Lincoln's hair on the top of his head is partially visible, it is time to go shopping for tires.
-
-
- If you cannot see the hair on the top of his head (if the coin is inserted enough that the tire tread is at least as deep as Lincoln's forehead), your tires do not need replacing yet
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)