Learn
Tire guides from a working tire shop
The questions we answer every week, written out properly and sourced. Read it, check it yourself, or have us look at it.
Topics
Start with the one that brought you here
41 guides across 10 topics, each one standing on its own.
3 guides
Tire Basics
What a tire is made of, the main tire types, and how touring and performance tires differ.
Browse Tire Basics6 guides
Reading Your Tire
Every marking on the sidewall: size, DOT date code, load index, speed rating, UTQG grades, XL, M+S and max pressure.
Browse Reading Your Tire3 guides
Tread & Wear
Tread depth in 32nds and millimeters, the penny and quarter tests, uneven wear patterns, and how many miles tires last.
Browse Tread & Wear4 guides
Pressure & TPMS
Finding your PSI on the door placard, checking pressure cold, heat and pressure, the TPMS light, sensors and nitrogen.
Browse Pressure & TPMS5 guides
Damage, Flats & Repair
Sidewall bubbles, nails and flats, plug vs patch, pothole and curb impacts, and the spare tire in your trunk.
Browse Damage, Flats & Repair2 guides
Florida Driving & Weather
Rain and hydroplaning, heat and tire aging, hurricane-season prep, Florida tire rules and choosing tires for a no-snow climate.
Browse Florida Driving & Weather6 guides
Buying Guides
Choosing tires: all-season vs all-weather, all-terrain vs highway, LT vs P-metric and load range, XL vs SL, and run-flat tires.
Browse Buying Guides4 guides
Wheels & Fitment
Wheels and fitment: bolt patterns and PCD, wheel offset and backspacing, staggered setups, and changing tire or wheel size.
Browse Wheels & FitmentGuides coming soon
Maintenance & Service
Rotation patterns, balancing vs alignment, a monthly-to-yearly checklist, the week after new tires, and noise or vibration.
2 guides
Tire Age, Storage & Records
How old is too old, dry rot and sidewall cracks, storing tires in the heat, recalls and tire registration.
Browse Tire Age, Storage & Records6 guides
Tesla Tires
Tires on a Tesla: EV tire basics, factory sizes by model, T-marked and foam-lined tires, rotation and TPMS, flats with no spare, and Florida picks.
Browse Tesla Tires
New
Recently added guides
- Tire BasicsInteractive
Parts of a Tire: Tread, Belts, Plies, Bead and Sidewall
The parts of a tire, from tread and belts to body plies, bead and inner liner, and how each part explains a bulge, a repair limit or a slow leak.
5 min readRead
- Tire BasicsInteractive
Touring vs Performance Tires: Comfort, Grip, Tread Life
Touring vs performance tires: what each is built for, how speed ratings and UTQG grades hint at the category, and the trade-offs in comfort, grip and wear.
4 min readRead
- Tire Basics
Types of Tires Explained: Which Kind Fits Your Car
Types of tires explained by how you drive: all-season, summer, winter, all-weather, touring, performance, all-terrain, run-flat and tread pattern types.
5 min readRead
- Reading Your TireInteractive
Tire Load Index Chart: What the Number Means
What the tire load index means, a load index chart in lb and kg, how P-metric and LT tires differ, and why a replacement should never go below the placard.
4 min readRead
- Reading Your TireInteractive
Tire Sidewall Markings: M+S, Snowflake, Max Press and More
The tire sidewall markings beyond the size: M+S, the snowflake, MAX PRESS and MAX LOAD, XL, ply lines, TUBELESS, run-flat marks, arrows and OUTSIDE.
4 min readRead
- Reading Your TireInteractive
Tire Speed Rating Chart: What H, V, W, Y and Z Mean
Tire speed rating chart from L to Y, what the letter actually tests, ZR and (Y) markings, mixing ratings, and why heat and low pressure matter in Florida.
4 min readRead
Start here
The five-minute monthly check
If you only ever do one thing from these guides, do this: once a month, with the tires cold, walk around the car.
Check pressure on all four tires and the spare, cold, against the placard on the driver's door jamb.
Look at tread depth: find the wear bars, and measure three grooves across each tire.
Scan the sidewalls for cuts, cracks or bulges. Have anything you find inspected.
Note anything new: a pull, a shimmy, a noise or a warning light.
Something look off? Have it inspected. The shop in Sunrise will look at it, or call (954) 773-1896 and describe it.
Free tools
Check your own tires
- Tire size finderScan your door sticker, tire or VIN to find your exact size.
- Do I need tires yet?Tread depth by coin or gauge, plus the DOT date code.
- Tire size decoderWhat every part of a size like 225/65R17 means.
- Find my tiresThe sizes that fit your year, make and model.
- Load and speed rating checkDoes a new tire's load index and speed rating match the old one?
- Plus size calculatorBigger wheels? Overall diameter and speedometer change.
- Wheel offset checkHow far does a new wheel move out or in? Offset, backspacing and tire change.
- Pressure and temperatureHow much tire pressure moves with the weather.
- Can my tire be repaired?Where the damage is decides it. See what repair practice says.
- Car shaking checkerShake, hum or thump? Possible causes and who checks each.
- Tire rotation patternThe rotation pattern for your drivetrain and tires.
Blog
From the blog
- Travel & RoadsideInteractive
A Glovebox Tire Kit for Florida Storms and Road Trips
A car emergency kit for Florida built around the tires: gauge, inflator, sealant kit limits, the spare, and the numbers to save before storms or a trip.
4 min readRead
- Rain, Heat & WeatherInteractive
Back-to-School Car Check for Broward Families
A back-to-school car checklist for Broward families and teen drivers: recalls by VIN, tire tread, age and pressure, and a 10-minute routine to teach.
4 min readRead
- Buying & PriceInteractive
Best Time to Buy Tires in South Florida, by Season
The best time to buy tires in South Florida is before the season that tests them: rain, hurricanes and road trips. A tread and age calendar for the year.
5 min readRead
Read it, then get the right ones
Free shipping to the 48 contiguous states and DC, or free to our Sunrise shop for installation in South Florida. Not sure what you need? Call and read us the size on your sidewall.