Get Auto

Demystifying The Tire Sidewall Code
So, you need new tires for your car or truck, but how do you know what to buy? What do all those alphanumeric codes printed on the tire sidewalls mean, anyway? If you’re in the market for new tires, you may simply want to replace your worn tires with exactly the same tire it came with. But you MAY want to consider an upgrade. If you know how to read the tire sidewalls, chock full of valuable information, you’ve got an advantage over most people and are prepared to make an informed decision. So let’s get underway! Tire Size Markings (example: P215/65R15 89H) Broken down: P = Passenger Other designations are LT = Light Truck T = Temporary (spare tire) 215 is the width (in millimeters) of the tire from sidewall to sidewall. A wider tire has more grip but the bad news is that you lose fuel economy, hear more noise and the tires don’t work as well in the rain. 65 is the aspect ratio The aspect ratio is the ratio of sidewall height to tire width. With regards to aspect ratio, the larger the number, the taller the tire sidewall. Tall (60-75) is great for a quiet ride but causes howling in turns. Short (35-55) is better for handling–more for sports cars. R indicates Radial. This means it is constructed with a series of support belts sideways under the tread. Other designations include B for Belted Bias and D for Diagonal Bias The standard, and what you’ll see most often, is R. 15 is the wheel (or rim) diameter, in inches. 89 is the load index H is the speed rating Speed ratings indicate the top speed under ideal conditions. Higher-rated tires are usually made of softer rubber and will have shorter UTQG tread life. Here are a few of the more common speed ratings: R= 106, S=112, T=118, U=124, H=130, V=149, W=168, Y=186. Along with this speed rating, you have a load index which indicates the approximate weight the tire can carry. Some of the more common load weights are as follows: 85 = 1,135 pounds, 86 = 1,168 pounds, 87 = 1,201 pounds, 88 = 1,235 pounds. UTQG Ratings Passenger car tires are accompanied by a UTQG Rating (Uniform Tire Quality Grading, mandated by the Federal Government) which rates the tread life of tires by looking at tread wear, traction and temperature resistance. The UTQG Rating is usually found opposite the tire size markings and will be in three separate ratings: treadwear, traction and temperature. The treadware grade standard is 100. A grade of 200 means the tread would wear twice as well as a tire graded 100. Traction grades run from AA to C, with AA being the highest grade and C meaning the tire brakes poorly on both wet concrete and wet asphalt. Temperature grades rate the tire’s resistance to and ability to dispel heat. Those grades are A (resists heat well), B (not as good as A) and C (passes minimum safety standards.) Keep in mind that heavy loads, under-inflation of the tires, and high speeds can all affect the tire temperature. You should note that these tire grades rate tires measured under controlled conditions. Factors such as driving habits, road conditions, climate, etc., are not considerations and may affect the actual performance of your tire. DOT DOT (Department of Transportation) indicates the tire is in compliance with applicable DOT safety standards. Next to DOT is an identification or serial number–codes that designate where and when the tire was produced. You’ll also find other information on the sidewall such as the type and composition of the tire, the maximum cold inflation (PSI) and maximum load in pounds. So as you can see, tires carry a huge amount of information. But it’s really not all that complicated once you learn to read the code. Debbie Pettitt is webmaster for Everything Tires, your tire resource. For more information on tires, visit http://everythingtires.com
Source: www.ArticlePros.com

Advantages Of Diesel Engines
If you wanted to own a new car powered by a diesel engine or if you own one now, you no doubt appreciate the qualities this engine provides you with. More torque, better fuel economy, and easier maintenance are but a few of the attributes of owning diesel powered vehicles . However, there are some motorists that still complain about the engine’s weak power, especially when accelerating from a full stop. What you may not be aware of is the fact that a diesel engine can be tweaked to give more power without harming the fuel economy . New diesel engines cars use air compression to create combustion versus the fuel/air mixture that is required by gas engines. This attribute means that diesel engines don’t require spark plugs and therefore don’t need to be tuned up . Diesel fuel has a much high fuel density than gas, which results in fuel economy increases of 20 - 30% over gasoline powered vehicles . Diesel engines are also cheaper to maintain as they have less parts than that of a gasoline powered engine. The life span of a diesel engine is also much longer . If you’re looking for torque, for pulling a boat or other equipment, then the diesel engine has the supreme advantage. Diesel engines are surely slower, especially when starting from a dead stop, although when you climb hills or go over bridges, the diesel engine is surely up to the task . With new trucks, diesel is normally the leader over gas engines in terms of performance and miles per gallon. Diesel trucks will get more miles than gas trucks, and the price for diesel is a bit cheaper than gas these days . And with gas prices on the rise, diesel will continue to dominate for a long time to come . http://www.new-carpurchase.blogspot.comDiesel engines are also cheaper to maintain as they have less parts than that of a gasoline powered engine. The life span of a diesel engine is also much longer . If you’re looking for torque, for pulling a boat or other equipment, then the diesel engine has the supreme advantage. Diesel engines are surely slower, especially when starting from a dead stop, although when you climb hills or go over bridges, the diesel engine is surely up to the task . With new trucks, diesel is normally the leader over gas engines in terms of performance and miles per gallon. Diesel trucks will get more miles than gas trucks, and the price for diesel is a bit cheaper than gas these days . And with gas prices on the rise, diesel will continue to dominate for a long time to come . http://www.new-carpurchase.blogspot.com
Source: www.ArticlePros.com

Some Things To Know When You Get Speeding Tickets
No one likes being pulled over and getting speeding tickets, but chances are that you will at least once during your car driving days. When this unfortunate event occurs, it is best to be prepared ahead of time. Knowing how to act when you are receiving speeding tickets may make the experience a lot less painful and keep you from being charged more due to inappropriate behavior and comments. Things to know when you are being pulled over for a speeding ticket: 1. Get to the right shoulder as soon as possible. Never pull to the left shoulder, even when in the left hand lane. This will keep you and the officer from being in the path of oncoming traffic, making the experience safer for you both. (A happier officer is a more generous officer when it comes to getting speeding tickets!) Pull as far over onto the right shoulder as is possible. 2. At night, with unmarked police cars (and even marked ones), continue driving to a lighted area. A gas station or all night convenience store is a good place to travel to, as there are other people around. Officers should not have any problems when you do this, as it keeps everyone involved safer. 3. Keep your hands on the steering wheel in plain sight at all times. When the officer arrives at your window to give you the speeding ticket, this shows the officer clearly he has no reason to be aggressive. In reality, this officer has no idea who you are, and even with something as simple as giving a speeding ticket he or she can be taking a big risk. 4. Keep all your movements while you are interacting with the officer to a minimum. The officer may be able to see you are moving, but he or she has no idea what you are going for. State what you are doing and keep your movements slow at all times. 5. Don t insult the officer s intelligence by calling him or her sir or ma am constantly. The officer will not be flattered or impressed, and this can show on the amount charged on your speeding ticket. 6. Don t hurt yourself by volunteering incriminating evidence. Answer questions with a yes or no and keep answers short and too the point. The only time you should expand on speeding is when there is a medical emergency, and in that situation the officer can actually be of assistance. 7. If your license and registration are in your glove compartment, tell the officer that and ask if you can retrieve them. Once you have taken them out, leave the glove compartment open. If it happens to be in the compartment between the front seats, tell the officer that and ask if you can retrieve them. Once you have taken them out, close the center compartment. With the center compartment, the officer may be concerned there is a weapon inside, so closing it can give the officer a more secure feeling while writing out the speeding ticket. 8. Never argue about your speeding tickets on the side of the road. The officer will not listen, as the court will decide if the speeding was justified. 9. Keep paperwork dealing with your speeding tickets! a. A copy of the ticket. b. License plate and ID number of the officer s car. c. Make and model of the radar gun used. d. A personal account of events, including place, time, weather conditions, amount of traffic, officer s attitude whatever detail that you think might be relevant. If you follow the first several tips on this list, the officer may let you get off with just a warning. By being cooperative, the officer may give you a break. However, if the officer is definitely going to write up the speeding ticket, follow the end of the list to make the experience as quick and easy as possible.Jeremy Thompson is the owner of SpeedingTicketDefenseFight.net. This site will teach you <a href="http://www.speedingticketdefensefight.net">how to beat a speeding ticket</a>.
Source: www.ArticlePros.com