What are the red dots on my tires?

The red dot indicates the tire's high point. Most of the time, a wheel will also have a dot—either a drilled dot or a sticker to indicate its low point. If you have these marks, you should align the red dot with the mark on the wheel. By doing this, you minimize the vibration caused by the high point of the tire.

What do the red and yellow dots on new tires mean?

If it is lined up with the yellow dot, the valve stem is located at the heaviest part of the tire. If it is lined up with the red dot, then it is located at the lightest part of the tire. These dots guide the technician to make sure that the tire is properly balanced during installation.

What are the colored dots on my new tires?

On the sidewall of most new tyres are red and yellow painted dots. If these marks are aligned with particular points on the wheel, you will reduce the amount of weight required for balancing. The less lead weight used, the lower the cost of wheel balancing and the higher the profit on the job.

Why are there dots on tires?

Tire manufacturers recommend the correct positioning of the red and yellow dots with respect to certain “landmarks” on both steel and alloy wheels. These dots can be used to mount tires for optimum initial balance and minimum ride disturbance – where the dots go depends on which dots – and which wheels you have.

How do you get rid of red spots on new tires?

Why Do Tires Dry Rot and How To Fix It

What does a blue dot mean on a tire?

The blue dot represents the high runout location on the wheel, while a red dot on the tire represents the coordination runout position on the tire.

What does white dot on tire mean?

The White Dot (Dynamic Balancing Dot)

Regardless of the type of wheel, if there is no red dot, mount the tire with the white dot next to the valve stem. The white dot indicates the overall light dynamic balance point of the tire. In other words, it's as though the white dot represents a bit lighter in the area of tire.

Why do my new tires have a yellow dot on them?

The yellow dots can help minimize the amount of weight needed to balance a tire and wheel assembly by mounting the tire so that its lightest point is already matched up with the wheel's heaviest point. The yellow dot indicates where the manufacturer has identified the lightest spot on the tire.

Which tire rating provides the least traction?

Traction is graded "AA" (highest), "A," "B" or "C" (lowest). While more than three quarters of all tires are rated "A" or better, only 3 percent are rated "AA." Just over 20 percent are "B" and only one line of tires is rated "C."

How often should you rotate your tires?

Namely, it's a best practice to rotate tires every 5,000 to 7,500 miles or so. This is a rule of thumb, however, and you'll want to double-check with your vehicle's owner's manual for more specific information.

Is a traction a tire good for snow?

Many all-season tires do great in the rain and bare pavement year-round. While a set of all-season tires can offer some traction in light snow and the occasional winter storm, they're not designed for deep snow, ice, and cold weather (when temperatures stay below ~45º F).

How long are tires good for?

On average, people drive between 12,000 to 15,000 miles a year, which means the average good quality all-season tire will last somewhere between three and five years, depending on maintenance, driving style and conditions, etc.

What does orange dot on tire mean?

These are markers or guides to be aligned with particular points on the wheel. The alignment matters for the balancing of the wheel: If these dots on the tires are properly aligned with certain points on the wheel, minimal weights will be used for balancing.

Is when the red dot is lined up with the rim's lowest point?

The red dot should be lined up with the rim's lowest point, which is called match mounting. The yellow dot should be matched up with the rim's heaviest point, which is called weight matching.

What are the yellow tags on semi tires?

Mechanical indicator

A common type of loose wheel nut indicators are small pointed tags, usually made of fluorescent orange or yellow plastic, which are fixed to the lug nuts of the wheels of large vehicles.

Why do new car tires wear out so fast?

Answer provided by. New tires or factory tires wear out quickly because car manufacturers use soft rubber for their tires. This soft rubber wears out much faster than aftermarket tires.

How long do factory tires last on a new car?

As a general rule, the original tires on a new vehicle or quality replacement tires should last up to 50,000 miles.

How do I know if I need new tires?

Take a penny and place Lincoln's head in one of the grooves of the tire tread. If you can see all of Lincoln's head, it's time to replace the tire. If the penny goes in enough that the tire tread is at least as deep as Lincoln's forehead, your tires are generally considered safe and do not need replacing.

Can you leave snow tires on all year?

Unfortunately, using snow tires year round isn't recommended. In the long run, it will cost more money than changing them out and could compromise your vehicle's performance on the road.

Which is better all-season or all weather tires?

Generally speaking, all-seasons are intended for use only in warm, dry, and mild wet conditions. All-weather tires, on the other hand, are suitable for mild winter conditions with heavy rain, snowfall, and slush.

How do you tell if tires are winter or all-season?

A: Tires with the three-peaked mountain and snowflake symbol on the sidewall provide the best traction in winter conditions. They are composed of a rubber compound that stays soft in cold temperatures. They also have an aggressive tread design for added traction on snow and ice.

Which tires wear faster front or back?

However, due to a front-wheel drive vehicle's front tires' responsibility for transmitting acceleration, steering and most of the braking forces, it's normal for them to wear faster than rear tires. Therefore, if the tires aren't rotated on a regular basis, tires will typically wear out in pairs rather than in sets.

What does H mean on a tire?

“H” represents the speed rating, which is how fast the tires can go based on their load capacity. This rating ranges from A – Z. “H” indicates a speed rating of up to 130 mph.

How often should you get an alignment?

For virtually all vehicles, it's necessary to get your wheels aligned periodically. Most car experts recommend scheduling an alignment every other oil change, or approximately every 6,000 miles.

How much does wheel alignment cost?

The cost of an alignment depends on several factors: The number of wheels: A front-end alignment, which involves only the two wheels on the front of the car, typically costs anywhere from $50 to $75. Four-wheel alignments cost more, usually $100 to $150.