Linda Cate

A tire should not be plugged if the damage is in the sidewall or shoulder, wider than 1/4 inch, or tied to low-pressure damage. When a tire cannot be plugged, the reason is usually simple: the damage is in the wrong spot or the tire itself is already hurt. A tire plug sounds like an […]

A new TPMS sensor goes in after the tire is broken from the rim, the valve unit is swapped, and the system is relearned. A tire pressure sensor job looks small from the outside. It is not. The sensor sits inside the wheel, the sealing parts must sit cleanly, and many cars need a relearn

No, a wheel alignment usually adjusts steering angles, while tire rotation swaps tire positions and is billed as a separate service. When a shop says “alignment,” it usually means setting the wheels to the car maker’s target angles so the car tracks straight and the tires meet the road cleanly. A rotation is a different

Yes, chain rentals exist in some mountain towns, but many drivers end up buying a proper set before chain control starts. If you’re asking can you rent chains for tires, the honest answer is yes in some places, no in many others, and “not when you need them most” far too often. Start with one

Forklift tires go on safely when the hub is clean, the band size matches, and the press stays square from start to finish. Press-on forklift tires look simple until the wheel is on the bench. Then the details start to matter: band size, hub condition, tread direction, adapter choice, and how straight the ram meets

Tire sidewall letters and numbers show size, load limit, speed rating, build date, and grip grades, so you can match the right tire. Those molded codes on a tire aren’t random factory marks. They tell you what the tire fits, how much weight it can carry, how it is built, and what kind of duty

No, cracked and dry-rotted rubber can lose grip, leak air, or fail under heat and speed, so replacement is the safe call. A dry-rotted tire can fool you. The tread may still look usable, and the tire may hold air. Still, the rubber is aging, hardening, and cracking. That means less flex, less grip, and

A tire valve stem is the small air valve that lets you fill a tire, hold pressure, and seal the wheel against slow leaks. A tire valve stem looks tiny, but it handles a blunt, dirty job every day. It sticks out through the wheel, takes air from the pump, seals that air inside the

Low pressure, heat, impact damage, overload, and worn rubber can turn a stressed tire into a sudden blowout. A tire blowout rarely comes out of nowhere. That bang on the highway is usually the last chapter, not the start of the story. In most cases, the failure starts earlier, then builds mile after mile until

Radial tires moved into the mainstream in the 1970s and became the normal fit on new passenger cars by the early 1980s. Ask this question and you’ll hear a few different dates. One answer points to 1946, when Michelin patented the modern radial tire. Another lands on 1970, when American buyers started seeing radials on