TIRE SPINNING
Do not spin wheels in excess of 35 mph (55 km/h) as indicated on the
speedometer. Excessive speed in a free-running, unloaded tire can cause
it to “explode” from centrifugal force. The energy released by such an
explosion is sufficient to cause serious physical injury or death. Never
allow anyone to stand near or behind the spinning tire.
When in mud, sand, snow, ice or other slippery conditions, do not engage
in excessive wheel spin. Accelerating the motor excessively, particularly
with automatic transmission vehicles, may cause a drive tire that has lost
traction to spin beyond its speed capability. This is also true when
balancing a drive tire/wheel assembly on the vehicle using the vehicle
engine to spin the tire/wheel assembly.
HIGH SPEED DRIVING CAN BE DANGEROUS
Correct inflation pressure is especially important.However, at high
speeds, even with the correct inflation pressure, a road hazard, for
example is more difficult to avoid and if contact is made, has a greater
chance of causing tire damage than at a lower speed. Moreover, driving
at high speed reduces the reaction time available to avoid accidents and
bring your vehicle to a safe stop.
If you see any damage to a tire or wheel, replace it with the spare at
once and visit a participating BFGoodrich Tire Retailer.
Exceeding the maximum speeds shown on the following page for each
type of BFGoodrich tire will cause the tire to build up excessive heat
which can cause tire damage that could result in sudden tire destruction
and rapid air loss. Failure to control a vehicle when one or more tires
experience a sudden air loss can lead to an accident.
In any case, you should not exceed reasonable speeds as indicated by
the legal limits and driving conditions.
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REMEMBER.... High speed driving can be dangerous and may damage
your tires.AND.... When driving at highway speeds, correct inflation
pressure is especially important.
INSPECT YOUR TIRES, DO NOT DRIVE ON A DAMAGED TIRE
OR WHEEL
HAZARDS
Objects in the road, such as potholes, glass, metal, rocks, wood, debris
and the like, can damage a tire and should be safely avoided. Unavoid-
able contact with such objects should prompt a thorough tire inspection.
BFGOODRICH TIRES
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Anytime you see any damage to your tires or wheels, replace with the
spare at once and immediately visit any BFGoodrich® tire retailer.
IMPACT DAMAGE
A tire impacted by a road hazard (curb, pothole, debris) may be damaged
but not have visible signs of damage on its surface. A tire damaged by an
impact may sustain a sudden failure a day, week, or even months later.
You may not recall hitting an object that damaged or injured your tires.
Air loss, unusual tire wear, localized wear or vibrations can also be signs
of internal tire damage.
If you suspect any damage to your tire or wheel from an impact with a
curb, pothole, debris on the road or any other road hazard, or if you feel
or hear any unusual vibration, replace with a properly inflated spare at
once and immediately visit any qualified tire technician.
INSPECTION
When inspecting your tires, including the spare, check the air pressures.
If the pressure check indicates that one of your tires has lost pressure of
two pounds or more, look for signs of penetration, valve leakage or wheel
damage that may account for the air loss.
Always look for bulges, cracks, cuts, penetrations and abnormal tire
wear, particularly on the edges of the tire tread, which may be caused
by misalignment or underinflation. If any such
All tires will wear out faster when subjected to high speeds as well as
hard cornering, rapid starts, sudden stops, frequent driving on roads
which are in poor condition, and off road use. Roads with holes and rocks
or other objects can damage tires and cause misalignment of your vehicle.
When driving on such roads, drive carefully and slowly, and before
driving again at normal or highway speeds, examine your tires for any
damage, such as cuts, bulges, penetrations, unusual wear patterns, etc.
WEAR BARS
BFGoodrich® tires contain “Wear-Bars” in the grooves of the tire tread
which show up when only 2/32 nds of an inch (1.6 mm) of tread is
remaining. At this stage, your tires must be replaced. Tires worn beyond
this stage are extremely dangerous.
DO NOT OVERLOAD - DRIVING ON ANY OVERLOADED TIRE IS
DANGEROUS
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The maximum load rating of your tires is molded on the tire sidewall. Do
not exceed this rating. Follow the loading instructions of the manufac-
turer of your vehicle and this will ensure that your tires are not
overloaded. Tires which are loaded beyond their maximum allowable
loads for the particular application will build up excessive heat that may
result in sudden tire destruction.
Do not exceed the gross axle weight rating for any axle on your vehicle.
TRAILER TOWING
If you anticipate towing a trailer, you should visit any BFGoodrich® tire
retailer for advice concerning the correct size tire and pressures. Tire size
and pressures will depend upon the type and size of trailer and hitch
utilized, but in no case must the maximum cold inflation pressure or tire
load rating be exceeded. Check the tire decal and the owner ’s manual
supplied by the manufacturer of your vehicle for further recommenda-
tions on trailer towing.
WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND BALANCING ARE IMPORTANT FOR
SAFETY AND MAXIMUM MILEAGE FROM YOUR TIRES CHECK
HOW YOUR TIRES ARE WEARING AT LEAST ONCE EACH
MONTH
If your tires are wearing unevenly, such as the inside shoulder of the tire
wearing faster than the rest of the tread, or if you detect excessive
vibration, your vehicle may be out of alignment or balance. These
conditions not only shorten the life of your tires but adversely affect the
handling characteristics of your vehicle, which could be dangerous. If
you detect irregular wear or vibration, have your alignment and balance
checked immediately. Tires which have been run underinflated will show
more wear on the shoulders than in the center of the tread.
TIRE MIXING
BFGoodrich® tires are radial tires and for best performance it is recom-
mended that the same size and type of tire be used on all four wheel
positions. Before mixing tires of different types in any configuration on
any vehicle, be sure to check the vehicle manufacturer ’s Owner‘s Manual
for its recommendations.
It is especially important to check the vehicle manufacturer ’s owner ’s
manual when mixing, matching or replacing tires on 4-wheel drive
vehicles, as this may require special precautions.
BFGOODRICH TIRES
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BFGOODRICH® DOES NOT RECOMMEND MIXING SELF SUPPORT-
ING STRUCTURE (SSS) TIRES WITH NON-SSS TIRES OTHER THAN
THE TEMPORARY USE OF THE SPARE TIRE.
WINTER DRIVING
Tires which meet the Rubber manufactures Association (RMA) definition
of snow tires are marked M/S, M&S. On such tires, this designation is
molded into the sidewall. Tires without this notation are not recom-
mended for winter driving.
While All-Season tires are designed to provide reliable
performance in some winter conditions, the use of four
(4) winter tires is recommended for optimum perfor-
mance. Tires designated for use in severe winter condi-
tions are marked on at least one sidewall with the letter
“M” and “S” plus a pictograph of a mountain with a snowflake on it.
TIRE ROTATION AND REPLACEMENT
To obtain maximum tire wear, it may be necessary to rotate your tires. Refer
to your vehicle owner ’s manual for instructions on tire rotation. If you do
not have an owner‘s manual for your vehicle, BFGoodrich® recommends
rotating your tires every 6,000 to 8,000 miles (10,000 to 12,000 km).
Monthly inspection for tire wear is recommended. Your tires should be
rotated at the first sign of irregular wear, even if it occurs before 6,000
miles (10,000 km). This is true for all vehicles.
When rotating tires with a directional tread pattern, observe the arrows
molded on the sidewall which show the direction the tire should turn.
Care must be taken to maintain the proper turning direction.
Some Tire Pressure Monitoring systems (TPMS) may not recognize that a
tire has been moved to a different position on your vehicle. Make certain
that your TPMS system is reset, if necessary, so as to correctly identify the
location of each tire on your vehicle. Refer to your vehicle owner ’s
manual or your vehicle dealer.
Determine whether rotated tires require tire inflation adjustment as front and
rear position tire pressure may vary according to the vehicle manufacturer ’s
specification due to the actual load on that wheel position. Some vehicles may
have different sized tires mounted on the front and rear axles, and these
different sized tires have rotation restrictions. Always check the vehicle
owner ’s manual for the proper rotation recommendations.
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FULL-SIZE SPARE
Full-size spare tires (not temporary spares) of the same size and construc-
tion should be used in a five (5) tire rotation. Always check the inflation
pressure of the full-size spare immediately before incorporating it into
rotation. Follow the vehicle manufacturer ’s recommended pattern for
rotation, or if not available, see a qualified tire technician.
REPLACEMENT OF TWO (2) TIRES
It is recommended that all four (4) tires are replaced at the same time.
However, whenever only two tires are replaced, the new ones should be
put on the rear. The new tires, with deeper tread, may provide better grip
and water evacuation in wet driving conditions.
CUSTOMIZATION OF TIRES, WHEELS, OR SUSPENSION ON
SUVS AND LIGHT TRUCKS
Due to their size, weight and higher center of gravity, vehicles such as
SUVs and light trucks do not have the same handling characteristics as
automobiles. Because of these differing characteristics, failure to operate
your SUV/truck in a proper and safe manner can increase the likelihood
of vehicle rollover. Modifications to your SUV/truck tire size, tire type,
wheels or suspension can change its handling characteristics and further
increase the likelihood of vehicle rollover. Whether your SUV/truck has
the original equipment configuration for tires, wheels and suspension or
whether any of these items have been modified, always drive safely,
avoid sudden, sharp turns or lane changes and obey all traffic laws.
Failure to do so may result in loss of vehicle control leading to an accident
and serious injury or death.
TIRE ALTERATIONS
Do not make or allow to be made any alterations on your tires.
Alterations may prevent proper performance, leading to tire damage
which can result in an accident. Tires which become unserviceable due to
alterations such as trueing, whitewall inlays, addition of balancing or
sealant liquids, or the use of tire dressing containing petroleum distillates
are excluded from warranty coverage.
BFGOODRICH TIRES
39
can explode during mounting. Also, mismatched tires and rims can result
in dangerous tire failure on the road. If a tire is mounted by error on the
wrong-sized rim, do not remount it on the proper rim - scrap it. It may
have been damaged internally (which is not externally visible) by having
been dangerously stretched and could fail on the highway.
Old valves may leak. When new tubeless tires are mounted, have new
valves of the correct type installed. Tubeless tires must only be
mounted on wheels designed for tubeless tires i.e., wheels which have
safety humps or ledges.
It is recommended that you have your tires and wheels balanced. Tires
and wheels which are not balanced may cause steering difficulties, a
bumpy ride, and irregular tire wear.
Be sure that all your valves have suitable valve caps. The valve cap is
the primary seal against air loss.
SERVICE LIFE FOR PASSENGER CAR AND LIGHT TRUCK
TIRES INCLUDING SPARE TIRES
The following recommendation applies to passenger car and light truck
tires. Tires are composed of various types of material and rubber
compounds, having performance properties essential to the proper
functioning of the tire itself. These component properties evolve over
time. For each tire, this evolution depends upon many factors such as
weather, storage conditions, and conditions of use (load, speed, inflation
pressure, maintenance etc.) to which the tire is subjected throughout its
life. This service-related evolution varies widely so that accurately
predicting the serviceable life of any specific tire in advance is not
possible.
That it is why, in addition to regular inspections and inflation pressure
maintenance by consumers, it is recommended to have passenger car and
light truck tires, including spare tires, inspected regularly by a qualified
tire specialist, such as a tire dealer, who will assess the tire’s suitability for
continued service. Tires which have been in use for 5 years or more
should continue to be inspected by a specialist at least annually.
Consumers are strongly encouraged to be aware not only of their tires’
visual condition and inflation pressure but also of any change in dynamic
performance such as increased air loss, noise or vibration, which could be
an indication that the tires need to be removed from service to prevent
tire failure.
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It is impossible to predict when tires should be replaced based on their
calendar age alone. However the older a tire the greater the chance that it
will need to be replaced due to the service-related evolution or other
conditions found upon inspection or detected during use.
While most tires will need replacement before they achieve 10 years, it is
recommended that any tires in service 10 years or more from the date of
manufacture, including spare tires, be replaced with new tires as a simple
precaution even if such tires appear serviceable and even if they have not
reached the legal wear limit.
For tires that were on an original equipment vehicle (i.e., acquired by the
consumer on a new vehicle), follow the vehicle manufacturer ’s tire replace-
ment recommendations, when specified (but not to exceed 10 years).
The date when a tire was manufactured is located on the sidewall of each
tire. Consumers should locate the Department of Transportation or DOT
code on the tire which begins with DOT and ends with the week and year
of manufacture. For example, a DOT code ending with2204indicates a
tire made in the 22nd week (May) of 2004.
REMEMBER... TO AVOID DAMAGE TO YOUR TIRES AND
POSSIBLE ACCIDENT:
•CHECK TIRE PRESSURE AT LEAST ONCE EACH MONTH WHEN
TIRES ARE COLD AND BEFORE LONG TRIPS;
•DO NOT UNDERINFLATE/OVERINFLATE;
•DO NOT OVERLOAD;
•DRIVE AT MODERATE SPEEDS, OBSERVE LEGAL LIMITS;
•AVOID DRIVING OVER POTHOLES, OBSTACLES, CURBS OR
EDGES OF PAVEMENT;
•AVOID EXCESSIVE WHEEL SPINNING;
•IF YOU SEE ANY DAMAGE TO A TIRE, REPLACE WITH THE
SPARE AND VISIT ANY BFGOODRICH® RETAILER AT ONCE;
•IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. CONTACT YOUR BFGOODRICH®
RETAILER.
FAILURE TO OBSERVE ANY OF THE RECOMMENDED PRECAU-
TIONS CONTAINED IN THIS OWNER’S MANUAL CAN LEAD TO
ERRATIC VEHICLE BEHAVIOR AND/OR TIRE DAMAGE, POSSI-
BLY RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.
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