Tire Repair Bakersfield

Towing Bakersfield California 24-Hour Tire Service

​     As one of the oldest towing companies in Bakersfield CA, we have been providing emergency roadside assistance which includes tire changes, and the occasional tire repair.  It helps if you already have a spare tire, which ideally you should carry all the time, because we may not have the exact replacement for your car make and model. 
     In Dare To Repair Your Car, A Do-It-Herself Guide to Maintenance, Safety, Minor Fix-its, and Talking Shop (1st ed, copyright 2005) book by Julie Sussman & Stephanie Glakas-Tenet, we like how they've tackled the topic of tires and made it not so intimidating.  Here is an excerpt:

​So think of buying tires as investing in your safety. And you can't put a price on that, can you? But before we tell you how to buy tires, we need to tell you what you're buying.

Types of Tires

Tires are classified by their internal and external construction.

Internal Construction

Radial refers to the internal construction of the tire. Radial tires have belt plies that are laid diagonally under the tread to stabilize the tread and reinforce the tread area. The majority of tires are radial.

External Construction

There are three categories: (1) all-season performance; (2) high-performance; and (3) winter/snow. The main differences between these are tread, stiffness in sidewall, speed ratings, cost, and noise level while driving.

All-Season Performance Tire (Mass Market)

The all-season performance tire is the most basic and the least expensive of the three categories of tires. It uses a combination of treads: one for highway use (straight ribs) and one for snow use (arranged blocks). This means that it is designed for acceptable traction for winter snow and slush driving conditions, without excessively compromising dry and wet traction.

High-Performance Tires

If you want to feel the road, this is the tire for you. High-performance tires have stiff sidewalls and high traction, which means that the emphasis is on gripping the road and not on getting the most mileage from the tires, or comfort.

Winter/Snow Tires

Winter/snow tires are different from other tires because they have lit tie grooves cut into the treads, called sipes, which allow for better handling on snow and ice. These tires, which may be marked with a mountain snowflake symbol on the sidewall, are more expensive than regular tires. To provide the best vehicle mobility and control, install the winter/snow tires on all four wheels.

Studded winter/snow tires have metal studs imbeded in them, which provide even better grip on icy roads. Never have used tires fitted with studs, even if the tires are relatively new. To provide the best vehicle mobility and control, install studded winter/snow tires on all four wheels.

Studded winter/snow tires are harder on pavement than regular tires, and therefore cause more wear and tear on the roads. So before you have studded winter/snow tires mounted, check with your local police department or your state's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to find out if there are driving restrictions.

When Do You Need New Tires?

No matter which type of tires you use, they'll probably need to be replaced sooner than you'd like. Most tires last about 2 years.

Telltale Signs of Tire Wear

How do you know if a tire needs to be replaced? There are telltale signs to look for, and you can perform a simple tread test (see "Testing the Tire's Tread," page 116) as well.

The best way to start checking your tires is by making it a habit. In the mornings, take the long way around your car to the driver's side and look at all four tires to see if there is a flat or if a tire is low. And when you check the air pressure in your tires every week, also look for any problems on the treads and sidewalls.

Sidewall

Be aware of any blisters, cuts, or bumps in the sidewall, which can be caused from contact with foreign objects, such as hitting a curb or a pothole you didn't know existed, or from improper mounting. Any of these deformities may cause a tire to have a blowout or a flat.

Tire Treads

The tread of a tire is like the tread of your sneaker – it's the first part that hits the pavement. The tire tread looks so sturdy and rock-solid that it seems there's no way it could ever wear out, but it does. You need to check the 3 sections of the tread (both sides and near the center) for uneven wear bald spots, bubbles, and nails or other foreign objects stuck in it.

If the tread shows uneven wear the cause could be that the tires are not properly inflated, that they haven't been rotated or balanced, that the suspension is off a bit, or that the wheels were not properly aligned. Be sure to talk to the service person about checking the suspension and aligning the wheels while the new tires are being mounted.

Note: if you discover that a tire is losing air, it must be removed from the wheel by a qualified technician for a complete internal inspection.

Testing the Tire's Tread

There are two ways to test the tread of a tire. The first is to look for the treadwear indicator bars located every so often on the treads of the tires. When the tread is worn down to the same height as the bar which is X2 inch, then by law the tire must be replaced.

Note: Tire tread depths are measured in 142-inch increments.

The other way to test the tread is by measuring its depth. To measure the tread depth, you can purchase a tread gauge, but we suggest using some plain "cents" – actually, just one penny.

Take a penny and turn it upside down so that Abraham Lincoln's head is facing the ground. Put the penny into groove of the tread with Abe's head going in first.

If any part of Abe’s head is covered by the tread, then the tire’s tread is good. If you can see all of Abe’s head, then the tread is too low and you will need to have the tire replaced.

Don’t just check the tread on one tire or in one tread location. Be sure to check all the tires, including the spare, in various spots (of course, you'll only need to check the tread on the spare if it's been used).
One, Two, Three, or Four?

Question: If you have a flat or a very worn tire that needs to be replaced, but the other tires are fine, can you just replace the one or do you always have to replace tires in pairs?

The rule of thumb is that you should never replace just one tire because it could have a negative effect on the car's suspension and transmission systems, as well as the tires' tread wear. If it can't be voided, then pair the new tire with the tire with the deepest tread on the left rear axle. If you're replacing 2 tires, have them installed on the rear axle. Of course, before doing anything, you need to refer to the car owner's manual.

If you have an all-wheel-drive car and you need to have a tire replaced, you may be in for quite a shock when the tire technician tells you that your car's manufacturer requires that all four tires be replaced or the warranty will be nullified. Refer to the car owner's manual for more information.

Doing Your Homework

You can test-drive a can but you can't Lest-drive tires, so how do you know which tire will work best for your car? There are actually a lot of things that need to be factored into the decision-making process, but, luckily it's all been done for you. You just need to know where to look and how to decipher the information.

Car Owner's Manual

Always refer to the car owner's manual before buying tires because it will state the car manufacturer's recommendations and restrictions for replacement tires, such as tire size, inflation pressure, load-carrying capacity, and tire maintenance schedule.

Sidewall Information

You've heard the saying "The writing's on the wall"? Well, for tires, the writing is actually on the wall ...the sidewall. The sidewall of a tire has a lot of information on it, called the Uniform Tire Quality Grading System (UTQGS). It consists of the tire manufacturer's name, the tire's brand name, the tire size, the tire identification number, and the grades for tire tread wear, traction, and temperature.
​
Here's an example of a UTQGS decoded for a typical passenger tire P215/65R15.

• The first letter will either be a "P," for p-metric or passenger vehicle, or "LT," for light truck or SUV.
• The first set of numbers (215) represents the width of the tire, measured in millimeters from sidewall to sidewall. In general, the larger the number, the larger the tire.
• The next two digits (65) represent the ratio of the tire's height to its width; therefore, the height of the tire is 65 percent of it's width.
• The next letter stands for the construction of the tire. "R" stands for radial.
• The next two numbers (15) indicate the wheel or rim diameter in inches.
• If there is an additional number, it is for the speed rating.

Wasn't that fun?"