All Tire Questions & Answers

Toyota is probably one of the most commercially used vehicles in the world because of how easy they are to purchase and maintain. Because of the Flexibility Toyota affords, many users have had several questions to ask including “will Nissan wheels fit Toyota?” The answer to this popular question is NO; Nissan wheels will not fit a Toyota wheel. As long as the tire in question was made in a Nissan factory, there’s almost no chance; however, stock tires might fit. The reason is quite simple; even if they both have similar lug sizes (6 X 5.5), Toyota hubs are quite bigger than those of Nissan. Trending Searches How Long Can A Car Sit On A Flat Tire? Can I Leave My Car Parked With A Flat Tire? What rims from other vehicles will fit your car? Rims have a special way of bringing out the beauty of a vehicle, and for those who have more than one car, exchanging wheels can help you save a lot, especially if you often use one car than the other. However, you have to note that simply because they have the same number or pattern of lug nuts does not automatically guarantee a successful swap, there are other things you have to consider such as the center bore, and the offset, amongst several others. This segment of this article will help you with all you need to know in this regard. Kindly continue reading. Core factors to note before using a wheel from another vehicle or brand The bolt pattern of the wheel Before any tire swap can be considered a success, the bolt pattern would have to be a perfect fit. If this box isn’t ticked, you might as well forget about changing the wheels of your vehicle. The tire size Once the bolt pattern has been sorted out, the next thing you have to check is the size of the tire. Ensure the tire diameter and the wheel assembly are the same or almost the same as the original car tires. If you can get this right, you can rest assured that the speedometer and odometer will work correctly. Balance wheels need to be measured so that the original diameter can be maintained. The wheel size A tire can only function if the wheel size matches that of the tire. The wheel size in question will have to be the perfect fit for the tire that comes on it. If you don’t know how to get the measurement, kindly read the next segment of this article for more clarity. The offset of the wheel The offset of the wheel is the distance between the hub mounting surface and the wheel centreline. They come in three parts namely; negative, positive, and zero offset. An offset is set to be negative when the hub mounting surface looks in the direction of the rear end of the centreline. An offset is said to be positive when the hub mounting surface looks in the direction of the front of the wheel. Positive offsets are more common in newer models than older ones.  An offset is said to be zero when the center line and the hub mounting surface are on the same level. If all these boxes are ticked, then you can go right ahead and swap the wheels of your vehicle, if not, I would suggest you seek professional assistance from an Auto repair personnel. How to determine the wheel size for my vehicle? There are many options available in wheel size which can cause confusion when it comes to picking a wheel for your car. The following steps below will help you solve this dilemma no matter what vehicle you drive or own. Stage 1 Know the bolt pattern Knowing the bolt pattern of your vehicle is the first knowledge you must have. I have previously stated the Audi bolt pattern to be 5X112 for most of the car series except the TT model and Q7. If you are not sure about the bolt pattern of your car, you can always Google it, or better still, count the number of lugs on a wheel, then use a tape to measure the distance between any opposing lug nut. Stage 2 Measure the stock component of your wheel To get a genuine estimation of a wheel, you need to quantify the wheel measurement and the general width utilizing your tape. If the substitution tire you have fits the estimation, feel free to do the exchange. A few wheels could likewise fit regardless of whether they have a bigger breadth or more extensive wheels, yet note that you will have issues with regard to leeway. Be that as it may, in the event that you actually wish to introduce wheels with bigger breadths than required, introducing low-profile tires would be the best approach since they assist with putting the external element of the tire and wheel in a similar section – one doesn’t surpass the other. This likewise implies that utilizing a more extensive wheel will expect you to introduce more extensive tires. Stage 3 Know the offset of your back tires For the people who don’t have the foggiest idea, the offset of a wheel is the position where a wheel is found in the hub. In deciding the offset of a wheel, you need to take note of the place of a mounting cushion concerning the centreline of the said wheel. An offset is supposed to be negative while the mounting cushion of a wheel is confronting outwards of the centreline, which can regularly be found on back tire drives. Then again, an offset is supposed to be positive assuming the wheel’s mountain cushion faces the internal centreline of the centerline nearer to the body. At the point when wheels are utilized with inaccurate balances, loads of things can turn out badly. For example, assuming the wheels are excessively far from the bodywork of the vehicle, the tires could wind up scouring the … Read more

Depending on how long your car tire has been in use, it is only a matter of time before beginning to notice evidence of tire wear, particularly around the road surface of the tire. While tire wear is inevitable as this is a resultant effect of the use of the tire and the constant frictional force created between the tire and the road, the pattern of tire wear, tells a lot about an underlying problem. Following the purchase of a car tire, it is not expected to experience tire wear until a certain mileage period of usage. The pattern of tire wear is equally expected to be uniform. A deviation from any of these, that is, premature occurrence, before the expected time or mileage, and unusual patterns such as chunking, raises several questions. Here in this article, the focus will be on Goodyear tire chunking, what tire chunking is all about, what the causes of this abnormal tire wear pattern are, how it can be prevented, and whether it is fixable or not, if fixable, how to go about this, finally, what chunking tells about the quality of the tire. Trending Searches What causes tire chunking? Rather than moving straight to stating the various causes of tire chunking, let’s take a step back to explain precisely what tire chunking is. In my experience, assuming car owners are familiar with tire and automobile terminologies is usually erroneous. Most people are clueless about what may seem like a common tire or car probably because they may have never experienced it or they are simply novice car owners. So, have you ever heard of tire chunking? How did you hear about this and from whom? Irrespective of the build, tires and brake pads must wear, this is inevitable. However, when you observe the road surface of your tire, how is the wear pattern? When all you see is a uniformly worn tire, then there is no cause for alarm, however, if there are parts of the tire that looks like a big chunk of the tire rubber fabric has been taken out, then you may be dealing with tire chunking. What is tire chunking? Tire chunking is when a tire wears down to the point where it starts to break apart into small pieces. This can happen gradually or suddenly, and it can be extremely dangerous. This is mostly common to tires frequently driven off-road or on unpaved or gravel roads. Tire chunking can cause a blowout, which can lead to a serious accident. It’s important to regularly inspect your tires and replace them if they are showing signs of wear. With tire chunking, the tire does not wear evenly, rather, chunks of the tire rubber fabric are taken out in a random order in the area of wear, seen as indentation. Chunking in a tire is not one of the categories of tire damage that can be glossed over without taking action. There are catastrophic consequences that such negligence some of which the driver may not come out unharmed. Cars have been recorded to skid off the road, tumble over, collide with other vehicles on the road and get involved in road accidents on account of tire issues such as tire chunking. This is therefore not a simple tire problem, but rather a serious one. The cause of tire chunking includes but is not limited to: a) Misalignment generally speaking, central to the cause of tire chunking are problems associated with the car’s suspension. Misalignment is one of the commonest suspension issues. When tires go out of alignment, either due to being driven over a pothole or speed bump without first slowing down, driving with an under-inflation tire or for other reasons, a misaligned tire is one of the powerful causes of tire chunking. To keep misalignment at bay, ensure to keep the tires optimally inflated, slow down when driving on a road filled with potholes and bumps, and avoid testing your skills of driving or replicating the fast and furious movie on such road. b) Worn shock absorbers when the tire runs over a speed bump or pothole, especially when this is done without adequate application of the brakes, what helps cushion the effects of such shock is the shock absorber. However, when this setup is defective, you will be at risk of the tire including tire chunking. c) Bent wheel the car wheel is shaped in a way that allows for a balanced rotation. A dent or bend on any of its edges will cause an uneven or unbalanced rotation of the wheel which may cause an abnormal wear pattern in the tires such as tire chunking. Is tire chunking a sign of poor tire quality? In the past, more than one type of Goodyear tire has been recalled from the market. Reasons for a recall include issues such as a poor design, tire chunking, poor quality, unannounced loss of tire air pressure, sidewall cracks, and others. In the case of Goodyear tires, the Dunlop SP50 P205?70R15 was recalled on account of showing signs of tire chunking. While others have been recalled for other reasons such as tread separation. Therefore, a poor-quality tire can lead to tire chunking and can lead to the recall of such tires from the market. When companies withdraw a particular tire from the market, users must respect their honesty and stay clear of such a product. Tires are perhaps the most common cause of accidents caused by defective car parts. How good is Goodyear tire? Goodyear tires are ranked quite high. They fall within the first 10 tire brands on the list of top tire companies in the world. It is rare to find issues such as tire chunking with Goodyear as the company keeps up with post-manufacturing testing and monitoring and does not hesitate to recall defective products. Signs to look out for in a tire suspected of tire chunking include noise, vibration, bouncing off the road, and the car may skid off … Read more

I remember traveling to Africa – Nigeria to be precise – for an engineering conference when I overheard some technicians funnily referring to the BMW model, they practically called it “Be My Wife”; and while it sounded funny back then, I bet we can all agree that having a BMW packed in our garage is considered a big step up. However, there have been some questions raised concerning the wheels with some asking “will Mercedes Wheels Fit BMW?” NO, Mercedes wheels won’t fit because Mercedes wheels are designed with a bolt pattern of 5X112, while BMWs have a bolt pattern of 5X112. What this is means is that the massive difference between the bolt pattern makes it practically impossible to not only fit BMWs but also dispels the use of wobbles since it is more than the 2mm safety line required for wobbles to be used. Trending Searches Do all BMWs have the same lug pattern? As a matter of fact, most of all the BMWs in the market today come with a 5-lug bolt and a 120mm bolt circle. The few exemptions would be the G01 7-series (2009 model), and all the G-chassis as well. These vehicles use the 5X112 bolt pattern with the same amount of lug bolts, with a difference of an 8mm tighter circle. Which wheel will fit perfectly for my BMW? I will be taking out time to outline some of the best wheels that would be adequate or perfect for your BMW depending on the model. Based on the information I got from www.bimmerworld.com the wheel specs are broken into categories to give you the best fit possible. Stock The wheels labeled ‘stock’ in the table I will be providing shortly mean they are rather aggressive than your regular wheel and if they are offered by BMW, then they must definitely fit. Easy The wheels labeled ‘easy’ means you have to make an upgrade using a lower offset that sits right with the bodywork. There are also chances that you would find wheels below this given offset that will work. Mild The wheels labeled ‘mild’ will generally fit without you making any real modification on your part. Bold The wheels labeled ‘bold’ are sizes that are approaching or have exceeded the physical fit of your BMW. Track A Wheels labeled Track A are usually the preferred size based on the expert’s recommendation. Track B/C/D These wheel sets offer a different dimension to the Track A wheels. Kindly note the following; The track and bold wheel recommendations will not fit directly on your bolt, but they will work with the help of fitments and you might also need to trim your plastic fender liners, extra negative camber, or use wheel spacers where necessary. Ideally, the real offsets are the best options available, however, using wheel spacers will help solve the problem of placing difficult fitments. ET will be used in place of offset in the table unless otherwise stated. BMW fitments for E82 and 128i For the E82, it squeezes the E9X into a smaller and tighter exterior, which directly means narrow wheels and high offsets. Also, note that any wheel over 8.5 inches will be very difficult to fit in an E82. Forward/rear Stock Roll diameter Easy Mild Bold Track A Track B F 18 X 7.5   ET 49 24.77 Inches 18X8   ET 45 18 X 8.5   ET 45 18 X 8.5   ET 40 18 X 8.5   ET 45 18 X 90   ET 45 R 18 X 8.5   ET 52 24. 27   Inches 18 X 9   ET 50 18 X 9.5   ET 58 18 X 9   ET 45 18 X 8,5   ET 45 18 X 9   ET 45 BMW fitments for E82 1M Note that the 1M model of E82 uses the same brakes and suspension from M3 albeit with more space and wide fenders. Finally, wheels from E9X M3 will adequately fit on 1M. Forward/rear Stock Roll diameter Easy Mild Bold Track A Track B F 19X 9   ET 31 25.75 Inches 19X9   ET 19 19 X 9.5   ET 35 19 X 9.5   ET 22 18 X 9.5   ET 22 18 X 10   ET 25 R 19 X 10   ET 25 26. 30   Inches 19 X 10   ET 15 19 X 10.5   ET 27 19 X 10.5   ET 24 18 X 9.5   ET 22 18 X 10   ET 25 BMW fitments for F22 228i-M240i Owners of the F22 may be disappointed with the relatively small tires this series is designed with, and if you look carefully, the E82 and F22 wheels are quite similar (compare the charts), with the offsets being low upfront. Forward/rear Stock Roll diameter Easy Mild Bold Track A Track B F 19X 7.5   ET 45 25.20 Inches 19X8   ET 38 19 X 8.5   ET 45 19 X 8.5   ET 40 18 X 8.5   ET 45 18 X 9   ET 50 R 19 X 8.0   ET 52 24.79   Inches 19 X 8.5   ET 45 19 X 9.5   ET 58 19 X 9.5   ET 43 18 X 8.5   ET 45 18 X 9   ET 50 BMW fitment for F87 M2 This series of BMW uses the same offsets and wheel size as the M4/M3, but note that it doesn’t have enough room for wide wheels. The 10-inch wheels might fit, but because of the little fender space available, your tires might rub against it. Forward/rear Stock Roll diameter Easy Mild Bold Track A Track B F 19X 9   ET 29 25.75 Inches 19X9   ET 24 nil 19 X 8.5   ET 28 18 X 9.5   ET 35 18 X 10   ET 33 R 19 X 10   ET 40 26. 30   Inches 19 X 10   ET 35 nil 19 X 10.5   ET 40 18 … Read more

There is an alarming number of car owners who lost the performance of their cars following the installation of a different tire size. This number is growing because not everyone understands what the tire size cause and how crucial it is to cross-check whether the tire size is right for your car or not. why gear ratio and how does tire size connect to gear ratio? So, does tire size affect gear ratio? Yes, it does.  This question got me thinking about tire size beyond just big or small. When tire size is mentioned, don’t think much about it aside from bigger tires having an aesthetic advantage over the small size tires. It is high time we begin thinking beyond this scope and ask relevant questions concerning which aspect of the car’s performance would the tire change impact negatively. It is questions such as this that will reveal what necessary measures to take when going for a large or smaller size tire to ensure that no aspect of the car’s performance is compromised. While it may not be a crime to go beyond the factory tires or carry out other car modifications to create a customized look that sets your car on a different pedestal from others, it could be liable to legal action when such is done without following the right procedure or taking the necessary precautions as some modifications can increase the risk of road traffic accidents. I do not expect you to be a car expert, however, if you are a quick learner like myself or a car enthusiast or someone who prefers to have things done with their own hands, then be ready to learn how to determine your tire diameter,  how to calculate the gear ratio and other parameters. Buckle up and get ready for some learning. Yes, there are a few calculations and formulas mentioned here, particularly on how to determine the tire diameter amongst other parameters. You must not force yourself to understand this formula or learn how to apply them. For some tires, it is unnecessary, as the diameters are well stated. Aside from the calculation or formula method, a gear ratio calculator equally exists. If however, you wish to feel powerful coming up with a value from the mathematical equation that is the same or close to the values provided by the calculator, then you are welcome to give the formula method a shot. Trending Searches How Long Can You Ride On A Patched Bike Tire? Can I Use Tire Jack To Change oil?Find Out What is the effect of bigger tire size on the gear ratio? when speaking of gear ratio, this aspect of the car performance cannot be glossed over without apportioning any form of significance. This is because the gear ratio has bearing on how well or poorly the car accelerates and also dictates other aspects of the car’s performance. Therefore, if looking to change the size of the tire from the factory size to a customized size, and hoping to maintain the optimal performance of your car, you must ensure the size is not such that compromises the gear ratio. Technical terms such as gear ratio are not easily understood by those who are unfamiliar with automobile terminologies or those who did not major in this field. It is, therefore, necessary for my experience to always state what these terms mean to offer a better and more in-depth understanding of the topic of discussion. So, what do you understand by gear ratio in the first place? Every car has an output and input shaft, these two are compared to arrive at what is being referred to as gear ratio. Simply put, the gear is the ratio of the number of turns or rotations made by the output shaft to the single turn made by the input shaft. Do not be taken away by the thought of how good a tall tire will look on the car. that desired final finish is as important as another aspect of the car can good be affected adversely. Therefore, before attempting to have a new set of tires installed, the size of your current tire, the current gear ratio, the size of the incoming tires, and the gear ratio this will produce should all be figured out. Without undertaking the necessary calculations, you could inadvertently compromise the car’s acceleration and overall performance at the expense of beauty. If the larger size tires were desired given improve the performance of the car, then this will be equally defeated when the right thing is not done. Yes, I understand you are not a mathematical and probably do not like to do any form of mathematical calculations, simple or complex. But if you are asking these questions, there is a chance you are familiar with simple calculations associated with the automobile field, if not, you can turn to your tire dealer to explain this to you and do the calculation on your behalf. However, if you are ready to form some simple mathematical calculations, here is how to determine on your own what your tire diameter is; Tire diameter = 2 x section width x aspect ratio + rim diameter Note however that some tire types do not require you to undergo this calculation. The large tires, off-road tires, street style tires, and similar categories of tires come with the tire diameter specified of the sidewall and therefore do not need to be calculated. This is because this size of tires is more likely to need you to account for the gear ratio than the regular size tires. However, for tires such as passenger and light truck tires, this calculation becomes necessary.  What you are mostly concerned about is the drive ratio, therefore, after figuring out what the diameter of the current tires about to be replaced is, and the diameter of the tires you wish to install, these two diameters can be multiplied by each other and the total multiplied by the … Read more

When we talk about alignment, even those who lack the proper technical term to define what this is can explain how it feels like when the alignment is no longer in order. The most obvious of these signs is the battle that ensues between the driver and the steering wheel over who is in control of the car. In order not to fall into such a situation, it is best to learn what affects the allotment and ways to maintain the car alignment.  So, Does tire size affect alignment? Yes, tire size is one of the factors which greatly affect alignment. A questionnaire was to be passed around amongst individuals shopping for a new size tire for their vehicle. The majority of the population in such research would indicate their need for a bigger tire as a desire to have their car look better than its pairs. Only a handful will remember to consider the after-effects of such size such as the impact on alignment, fuel consumption, the gear ratio, and others. There is nothing much to changing car tires. The skill sets required include learning how to use the jack to raise the tire off the ground, knowing how to unbolt all the nuts using the appropriate tool, and learning how to unmount the tire and replace it with a new one that is secured. The Jack is released and you should be good to go.  If the new tire is of the same size as the old one which just got replaced then the above procedure ends there without any complication. However, if you decide to buy a tire, not of the same size as the original follow come tires, which came with the vehicle from the car company, then know that such tire may not be a perfect match for the car and as such may require some adjustments. The latter scenario, that is, when the new tire is of a different size from the old one is what is considered in this article. Here, we shall take a close look at what relationship exists between the size of the tire and alignment, if any, how does tire size affect alignment?. Other similar questions such as the effect of a large size tire on alignment, why there is a need to have an alignment done whenever you install new tires, and more are covered here. Trending Searches Can Tire Rotation Throw Off Alignment?Find Out Will A Bad Tires Affect Alignment? What happens to the alignment when you change your tire size? As long as you only make use of factory-size tires, you may never have to bother about alignment following a tire change except for other causes of misalignment such as curbs, speed bumps, and potholes ( this will be explained later). Sometimes, even with the same size tire as factory tires, you may have to get an expert to inspect the alignment after a tire change to make sure the process did not mean up with it. However, most cases of worrisome misalignment are seen when the newly installed tires are not of the same size as what is recommended by the factory. How does size relate to alignment? When we talk about tire size, it commonly refers to how tall the sidewall of the tire is or how wide. Big size tires are commonly wider than the average tire and also have an increased sidewall height.  Imagine what happens when you try fitting your foot into your teenage sneakers, at this stage in growth and development, your feet have outgrown such size and if forced into the shoe will cause stretching and possibly tearing of the show material. When a tire that in comparison with the original factory tire is much larger and taller is installed without the proper necessary adjustments, what happens is that this will cause the different parts of the suspension to become stretched. This then translates to different forms of misalignments including the caster, camber, and toe angle.  Do you need an alignment after installing new tires? Once a new tire is installed, it brings in a lot of changes as the parts of the suspension adjust to accommodate the new size of the tire. This is a negative adjustment that brings about a misalignment. It is for the experts to therefore examine the new tire, and its dimensions and come up with the needed adjustments and modifications that will allow a good fitting of the new tire. This is a process that demands a good level of knowledge and expertise and can not be carried out by the car owner alone. The services of a well-versed and professional expert must therefore be sorted in this case. Some defects are manageable and pose no significant threat. Some drivers have formed the habit of ignoring certain dysfunction as long as the car can come on and drive them to their various destinations. It should however be noted that such practice will only encourage further deterioration of the involved parts. In the case of an incorrect alignment following the installation of a new size tire, the improper alignment has the most effects on the tire lifespan. irrespective of what is stated as the normal lifespan of the tire, the durability of the construction material, and as long as the alignment is not in order, be sure to have the tire lifespan cut short. While tires wear without the presence of any form of abnormality such as incorrect alignment, the wear in this car is usually a uniform pattern, slow and regular. This is quite different from what is noticed with tire wear secondary to incorrect alignment. As usual, I believe an analogy paints a better picture. So, imagine an individual with an abnormal walking gait which causes the shoe to wear from one side of the sole. Soon, this part becomes sunken making it difficult to continue using the shoe. Ironically, upon inspection, the general outlook of the show may show a … Read more