A Woman's Guide to Basic Tire Care
Women certainly are not helpless. But sometimes we are a little overwhelmed working a 40-hour week, taking care of the children, cooking, cleaning, and doing laundry. The car is just another added burden when there isn’t a man around to tinker with it. For the woman who finds herself in this situation, this is a short primer on routine tire care that will extend the life of your tires and hopefully make your life a little bit easier. Check Tire Pressure Regularly: Tire pressure should be checked whenever you suspect a problem or at a minimum, seasonally. Symptoms of improper tire pressure include excess wear and squeeling when going around a corner (for under-inflated tires) and reduced traction (for over-inflated tires). Even the temperature can affect your tire pressure. Check your owner’s manual to find where they’ve posted the proper tire pressure (usually on one of the doors) and be sure to keep it at that level. An improperly inflated tire not only wears quicker, it can also be dangerous when stopping and can cause tread separation. You can purchase a tire-pressure gauge at your local auto parts store, use a gauge at the gas station or ask your tire dealer to check it for you. Have Your Tires Rotated: Tires should be rotated every 5000 - 6000 miles. For various reasons, all four tires on a car do not wear the same. The purpose of the tire rotation is to allow for even wear and an extended life for your tires. Some manufacturers recommend “cross-rotation” (moving the right-front tire to the left-rear, etc.). Check your owner’s manual for it’s recommendations. Have your tire dealer rotate your tires regularly. Check Your Wheel Alignment: If you’ve hit a pothole or scraped your tire on a curb, your wheels may have been thrown out of alignment. Symptoms of wheels that are out of alignment are excessive wear (one tire may wear more than the others) and steering problems. You may notice that your car veers to the side when you’re on a straight road or the car doesn’t steer properly in a turn. Unless you notice any of these symptons, you should have your alignment checked annually. Have Your Wheels Balanced at the Same Time They’re Rotated: An improperly balanced wheel will cause a vibration at higher speeds (50-70 MPH) which is noticable in the steering wheel (if a front tire is out of balance) or in the seat (if a rear tire is out of balance). It will also increase wear of shock absorbers, struts and suspensions. If you notice any of these symptoms, you should have your tire dealer take a look. He will need to locate the heavier part of the tire and attach a lead weight opposite it to counter-balance it. Unless you notice any of these symptoms, you should have your wheels balanced every time you have them rotated (every 5000 - 6000 miles). Debbie Pettitt Everything Tires http://everythingtires.com Debbie Pettitt is webmaster for Everything Tires. For additional articles and information regarding tires, visit http://everythingtires.com.
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Why your next pickup should be a GM
Oddly enough, out of all of the research done into hybrid technology GM has been forward thinking enough to make theirs are not only affordable, but ingenious as well. They now offer both the Sierra and the Silverado pickups as hybrids country wide. Using a technology not formerly seen in hybrids, GM attempted to not only lower emissions in their pickups, but to make them handier as well. Affordable technologyGM wanted to make a hybrid truck that was too well priced to turn down, the major complaint of the hybrid models is high price tag which counteracts the gas mileage benefits. In response to this GM produced their pick up hybrids to cost only $1500.00-$2500.00 more than its gas guzzling brothers, saved with tax cuts at the pump within the first few years of ownership. Especially if you consider that the hybrids produce a 10% improvement in fuel economy, all without sacrificing any power. Both the Sierra and Silverado offer the same 245 horsepower V8 engine, and can tow up to 7,700 pounds. If you consider that pickup truck drivers are not sacrificing any power and when sitting stopped in traffic it emits very limited pollution for their size. Hybrid systemGM employs what they call a “flywheel alternator starter hybrid system” which uses a compact electric motor incorporated between the engine and the transmission. This electric engine runs the truck when it is slowing or idling at a standstill. They calibrate the flywheel alternator system to turn off the engine more frequently than even those systems used in most smaller hybrid models. Eliminating much of the pollution caused by slow moving traffic in high volume. Now your work truck can double as a generatorBoth the Sierra and the Silverado boost four 120-volt, 20 amp three-prong outlets which can be used to provide power for electrical tools and electronics. This eliminates any need for a gassy generator spewing fumes into the air at a work site. The truck must be running, but utilizing it’s electric engine allows it to run virtually emission free. GM reports that their hybrid trucks can continue to pump out power for up to 32 hours non-stop before needing to refuel. Aimed specifically at contractors, whose need to access abundant sources of energy and drive long miles to job sites fuel this intelligent new take on a work truck. Testers reportThe power source for tools was not quite as juicy as GM would have you think, however the idea is a brilliant one. No doubt in a few generations they will have nailed down this imperfection in an already forward thinking vehicle. Although the gas mileage is a tad better overall, it borders on insignificant. Which again is certain to be addressed and updated in generations to come. Reviewers say that the feel of the engine cutting out as you hit ten miles an hour is a bit disconcerting, and takes some getting used to, but its pollution saving benefits far outweigh that small detail. Every accessory on the truck is electrical, so the gas engine only runs when it is needed to for its sole purpose, to accelerate the vehicle. Overall appealThe brilliance behind the ideas developed for these pickup truck models is really what drives them at this point. Fine tuning is necessary of any piece of equipment and GM has been making pick up trucks for a long time. They will continue to address the issues and refine the existing good points, driving the hybrid market to continue to bring us new and innovative ideas. <b>About the Author:</b> My name is Paige Filler and I'm a creative writer with a love of all things that go vroom. I do my homework to bring thought and innovation into everything I write about the auto industry. You can find more of my stuff at <a href="http://www.cash4usedcars.com/" target="blank">Cash 4 Used Cars</a>, and <a href="http://blog.cash4usedcars.com/" target="blank"> this blog.</a>
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BMW Wheels: Be in Control
It’s sleek. It’s trusted. It’s got style. Just when you think your faithful BMW is working perfectly, your wheels start to look as if they are wobbling a little now and then, and it seems like they might throw you off the road anytime soon. You certainly are sure it was not something you did because you surely have been taking the best kind of care for your good buddy. You decide that maybe this has happened because of frequent use. You surely would want to show off this sleek little thing as much as possible. And with the great comfortable ride it gives you, you just cannot help but use it anytime you need to or anytime you just feel you want to strut this little guy’s stuff. This may be hard to accept but it seems like you may have to say goodbye to your BMW wheels and replace them. Soon. You certainly have realized what these BMW had been doing for you all this time. Without your BMW wheels, you may not have reached any destination your heart chose. BMW wheels work and act as mediator between your car and the road. This happens because they transport your engine’s energy into a forward motion. And BMW wheels withstand an enormous amount forces in all directions so as to keep your vehicle in control, always. Your BMW wheels is made up of a circular frame with spokes or a solid disc that can rotate on a shaft or axle. You have a choice of wheels with a natural, a clear coating or a powder-coated finish. There are also various designs available like a split-spoke mesh design which is enhanced by a polished stainless steel lip, and has bolts to have the look of a two-piece wheel. However, if you choose to customize your BMW to something a little different and something personalized as according to your taste, you also do have that option for BMW wheels also could be customized as per your request. Although, you have to be sure that before installing your new BMW wheels, you have to make sure that they are not too loose or too tight for this could actually affect your car’s performance. Now, if you need new BMW wheels, here at Auto Parts Online, they have a vast array of BMW wheels to choose from. Your new BMW wheels would surely make you be in control. Jenny McLane is a 36 year old native of Iowa and has a knack for research on cars and anything and everything about it. She works full time as a Market Analyst for one of the leading car parts suppliers in the country today.
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