Determine your tire needs before speaking to a salesperson. Let them know what you’re looking for such as appearance and performance of your preferred tires - that are within your price range. Some of the other factors to consider are the tread life, ride and handling and driving conditions. Its important to clarify these factors to your salesperson, in order to exceed your overall driving enjoyment.
Know the type of tire
There is a particular type of tire for a particular type of vehicle. The types of tires available today include SUV tires, performance tires, mud tires, all-terrain tires, truck tires, snow/winter tires, off-road tires, low tires, and all-season tires.
Each of these tires is designed to adapt to the type of road, weather, or season. For example, performance tires have soft rubber composition and stiff sidewalls, which are great for overall grip, traction, and maneuverability. Meanwhile, all-season tires, which last longer than other types, are good for driving on snowy, wet, or dry roads.
Therefore, it is also crucial to know the type of weather or season that your vehicle will have to endure frequently.
Know the size of the tire
All tires are not created equally. When choosing tires, you should know that each type is designed with a specific speed rating, load rating, radial construction, diameter of the rim, and others. When it comes to size, you can determine it by looking at the code located at the sidewall of the tire. An example of the code is LT190/60R16 60H M+S, wherein LT refers to the type of tire, 190 is the width across the tread, and 60 is the sidewall-width aspect ratio.
Usually, the old tire is replaced with one that has the same size. However, changing the size of the tires can help improve the performance of your automobile. For example, choosing a tire replacement with shorter sidewalls can improve tire handling and response. On the other hand, tires with a smaller size greatly improves handling and ride quality.
In addition, if there comes a time that only one tire should be replaced, be sure to choose a tire with the same speed rating, load capacity, line, and brand. Usually, this happens when only one tire is damaged, has irregular wear, or is defective. If you need to replace two tires, place them on the rear.
Dos and don’ts when buying larger tires:
- Don’t buy a tire that has a lower load carrying capacity.
- Choose a tire that is appropriate to the width range.
- Buy a tire that does not create rubbing during suspension, lock-to-lock, and tire-to-vehicle clearance.