Tires

Changing a tire is a simple yet dangerous thing to do. It is simple in that there are typically only 4-5 bolts on your wheel, but dangerous because your car can slip off your carjack and pin you, sometimes fatally. We change tires almost daily at our shops, but if you are in a pinch and need help on the road, your best bet is to call your local AAA or a local towing company for roadside assitance.

Here are the towing groups we recommend: 

Brooklyn Park, MN Area: Frankie's Towing, 763-595-0321

Chanhassen, MN Area: Williams Towing, 952-446-9650

Fridley, MN Area: North Star Towing, 763-427-4160

Ham Lake, MN Area: North Star Towing, 763-427-4160

Maplewood, MN Area: Luther Towing, 651-788-9005

Eau Claire, WI Area: Mikkelson Towing, (715) 215-1547

How often you need to rotate tires will depend on the type of tire and vehicle you have. Your tire owners manual will give recommendations on specific intervals based on what your tire is made of and the tread style it has. However most tires should be rotated every 5,000-7,500 miles as a general guideline. An oil change is typically a great time to rotate your tires.

Reading tire numbers can feel like you are trying to crack a WW2 code sometimes. While the numbers may seem random, each has a very specific meaning. Below is a handy cheat sheet you can use to determine what you are looking at. One thing to take note of is the year of production number. Unfortunatley some tire shops will sell 'new' tires but really give you old tires. This is an easy way to spot-check if you are getting the real deal. Old tires can lead to poor performance or blowouts and increase your risk of accient. Old tires might void your warranty even if they are new to you. Safety experts recommend not using tires more than six years old.

Tires will last you typically between 50,000 to 75,000 miles depending on the type of tire and tread style. Longer lasting tires are typically harder and are less grippy. Shorter lasting tires are usually performance tires and softer. Many safety experts recommend replacing tires over 6 years old regardless of miles driven.

Tire rotations will cost between $35-$50 depending upon the type of vehicle. For example are you rotating tires on a Honda Civic or a Dodge Ram with Dual Rear tires?

There is a wide range of prices for new tires based on size, looks, traction, weather, and noise. Prices can range from $400 to $1,800 plus installation for a new set of tires depending on quality and vehicle type. For average cars a set will cost about $400, for SUVs about $700, for trucks about $800. 

You will need to replace your tires based on your driving style and weather. Most tires come with 9/32" of tire tread depth. Tread at or under 2/32" is illegal in most states. If you are like most drivers, you shoudl replace your tires at 4/32" or 3mm of tread depth. If you dirve in snowy or rainy conditions often, you may consider replacing your tires sooner.

Typically if you have a puncture on the flat part of your tread and it is less than 1/4" in diameter, you can repair your tire. If you have multiple punctures to the flat area, they need to be 16" apart. Unfortunately, punctures to the sidewall or shoulder cannot be repaired and need to be replaced... we know... major buzzkill. 🙁