© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Publisher The Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Tinley Park, Illinois by Russell Krick

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Problems usually show up as vibrations, abnormal tread wear patterns, steering wheel pull, abnormal noises, and other symptoms

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Diagnosing Tire Problems  Inspect the tires for problems  Check both sidewalls and the tread area  If necessary, road test the vehicle to verify the customer complaint  Make sure the symptoms are not being caused by steering, suspension, or front wheel alignment problems

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Tire Wear Patterns

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Tire Inflation Problems  Correct tire inflation is important to the service life of a tire  assures the full tire tread contacts the road  Underinflation  wears the outer edges of the tread  sidewalls flex, building up heat  Overinflation  wears the center of the tread  produces a rough ride

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Tire Inflation Pressure

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Tire Noise  Thumping sound caused by ply separation  Whine due to abnormal tread wear  When these noises occur, inspect the tire for an out-of-round condition or tread cupping  these conditions require replacement

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Wheel Cover Removal Pry between the wheel and cover at four alternating points

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Wheel Cover Installation Hold the wheel cover in place with the valve stem sticking through the cover

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only  Maintenance procedures include periodic inspection, inflation pressure checks, and tire rotation  These maintenance steps help ensure safety and longer tire life

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Checking Tire Inflation Pressure  Remove the valve stem cap  Press the tire gauge squarely over the stem  Compare the reading to the maximum pressure printed on the tire’s sidewall or in the operator’s manual  Adjust the pressure as necessary  Reinstall the cap

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Rotating Tires  Ensures maximum tire life  The front and rear tires wear differently  Rotation helps even out tire wear  Tires are rotated at specific intervals, such as every 3000 miles (4827 km)

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only  Torque is very important, especially on vehicles with mag wheels and lightweight hubs  Overtorquing can cause wheel and hub distortion or brake pulsation  Undertorquing might allow the lug nuts to loosen and the wheel to fall off Torquing Lug Nuts

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Torquing Lug Nuts Torque the nuts to specifications in a crisscross pattern

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only  Improper wheel balance is a common cause of tire and steering wheel vibration  When one side of a tire is heavier than the other, centrifugal force tries to throw the heavy side outward when the tire is rotating

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Static Imbalance Caused by a heavy spot located in the center of the tire tread

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Dynamic Imbalance The heavy spot is to one side of the tread or on the sidewall

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Wheel Balancing  Wheels are balanced by adding wheel weights  Most weights are press-fit onto the wheel  Weights for some mag wheels stick onto the wheel with an adhesive backing

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only  A tire changing machine is used to force the tire on and off the wheel  prevents tire or rim damage  reduces the labor required

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Power head turns the bar to force the beads over the rim Tire Changing Machine

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Tire Changing Machine Applies tremendous force to stretch the tire bead on and off the wheel

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Safe Work Practices  Wear eye protection  Keep your fingers out of the way  Never mount a tire on a rim that is not smooth and clean  Always lubricate the bead and wheel flange with the proper lubricant  Only inflate a tire on the machine or in a safety cage, as recommended

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Safe Work Practices  Stand away from the tire when adding air; a loud “pop” sound will indicate when the beads seat  Do not exceed 40–50 psi (276–345 kPa) when initially inflating a tire  After inflation, install the core and inflate the tire to the recommended pressure

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only  Repairs must be made carefully  Improper repair could result in a tire failure and an accident

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Finding a Leak  Inflate the tire with air  Place the tire in a drum of water, or wet the tire with a water hose  Look for air bubbles forming on the tire or around the bead at the rim  Bubbles indicate leakage  Mark the leak with a crayon or chalk

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Repairing a Leak  Remove the tire from the rim  Inspect the inside of the tire carefully  Fill the injury using a recommended plug or liquid sealant  Select a patch that extends well beyond the damaged area

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Repairing a Leak  Scuff the area that the patch will cover  Apply the proper cement to the inner liner  Remove the covering from the adhesive side of the patch and carefully place the patch on the inner liner

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Repairing a Leak Use a stitcher tool to bond the patch to the inner liner

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Tire Repair Practices  Always dismount the tire and patch the inner liner  Never repair sidewalls or tires with punctures larger than 1/2" (13 mm)  When removing an object from the tire, reduce the air pressure to 15 psi (103 kPa) or lower  Broken strands in steel belts indicate serious damage and could puncture the patch