When the road is wet, your tires will often make less contact with the road surface. In extreme cases, your vehicle may "hydroplane," or actually glide on top of the water. Hydroplaning can drastically reduce your ability to control your vehicle. The tread patterns on tires are designed to channel water away from the tire surface. However, the effectiveness of the patterns can be reduced dramatically as vehicle speed increases. The best way to guard against the dangers of hydroplaning is to adjust your driving speed to the weather and road conditions.

A tire generates enormous centrifugal force at high speeds, so even tiny irregularities of only a few grams can affect its safe performance, and that of the vehicle. To counteract the effect of these weight differences, we balance each wheel by adding small counter-weights at the appropriate points on the rim. A wheel should be balanced every time a tire is put on it.

The bead of a tire is the part that makes contact with the wheel rim. At the center of the bead is the core, which is made up of a bundle of steel wires embedded in rubber. This provides a safe and solid seating of the tire on the rim.

Modern tires are made of many different materials and components. There is the outer cover (the tread and sidewall), and the substructure, or casing. Casing components may include steel and/or textile cord plies; the inner liner (to make tubeless tires airtight); sidewalls; apexes; the bead core, which keeps the tire on the rim; and the bead reinforcement.

As effective as modern snow tires are, they can be stopped by extreme amounts of snow and steep gradients. When winter weather and road conditions demand a more aggressive approach, break out the tire chains! When used properly, tire chains can provide the traction and lateral control you need, and allow you to brake safely and reliably. A few reminders:

A tire's date of manufacture is shown on the sidewall at the end of the DOT serial number. Tire manufacturers have adopted a standard identification format: four numbers, which indicate the week and year the tire was made. For example, the figure 2510 tells us that the tire was made in the 25th week of the year 2010.

With most standard tires that have symmetrical tread patterns, it does not matter which way the tire is fitted on the rim or in which position it's fitted on the car. However, some tire manufacturers produce tires with specific "directions of rotation" in order to improve their wet grip and minimize noise generation. The direction of rotation is marked on the side of the tire with an arrow. For optimum performance, that side of the tire must be visible when installed, and the tire must roll forward in the direction of the arrow.

The "DOT" symbol certifies the tire manufacturer's compliance with the U.S. Department of Transportation tire safety standards. The DOT serial number is located on the lower sidewall of the tire, on one side only. Below is a description of the serial number. 

If a tire is punctured and loses air, it must be replaced, at least temporarily, with a standard size or a temporary special spare tire. In order to prevent the need for the dangerous procedure of changing a tire on the side of the road, several manufacturers now offer emergency mobility systems. When all air pressure has been lost, these tires can be driven on for a limited distance at a restricted speed without the rim damaging the tire.

An Electronic Stability Program (ESP) helps master critical driving situations; when the vehicle suddenly over-steers during cornering or when sudden evasive action is required, for instance. The system detects skidding movements within fractions of a second and can take corrective action. ESP systems not only function when road conditions are good, but also on wet, icy, and/or unpaved roads. Technically speaking, the ESP system combines the Anti-Lock Brake Block System, electronic braking pressure distribution, ASR / Anti-slip-control and yaw control.

It is recommended that all four tires be of the same size, construction, and speed rating. If tires of different speed rating are mounted on a vehicle, the vehicle's speed capability will be limited to the lowest speed-rated tire on the vehicle. It's recommended that the lower speed-rated tires be placed on the front axle, regardless of which axle is driven. This should be done to prevent a potential oversteer condition. Vehicle handling may also be affected. Consult Mountain View Tire or the tire manufacturer for more details.

Reinforced or XL (Extra Load) tires are specially reinforced tires. They can carry heavier loads than tires of the same size.

Reinforced tires are designated on the sidewall by the letters "RF"; extra load tires with the letters "XL."

Reinforced and XL tires require higher inflation pressures than standard tires.

The drag force required to put a free rolling tire into motion. Tires are not rigid, but flexible. During driving, tires compress and flex. This flexing absorbs energy and converts it into heat.

Rotation, or tire rotation, refers to switching the position of each tire on the car. It's done to help all of the tires wear evenly and last longer. In the simplest form of tire rotation, the tires at the front of the car are moved to the rear of the car, and the tires that were at the rear are moved to the front.

Speed ratings for tires are identified by a speed symbol shown on the sidewall of the tire. (Although a tire may be speed rated, tire manufacturers do not endorse the operation of any vehicle in an unsafe or unlawful manner.)

Temporary spares are designed to carry the same load as the standard size tire on your vehicle and can be applied to any wheel position. Maintain the proper inflation pressure as shown on the sidewall of the tire. (You'll notice it requires a higher inflation pressure than a standard size tire.)