25
BFGOODRICH TIRE
year of decade, e.g.: 1995, 1985, etc.) For the 1990-1999 decade
BFGOODRICH® brand tires are marked with a triangle pointing to the
last three numeric characters. Tires produced after July 2000 have an
additional digit to identify a given decade. For example, 2800 means
the tire was produced during the 28th week of 2000; 0201 during the
2nd week of 2001. If the last digits of your DOT number contain three
numeric characters and are not marked with a triangle, consult a
qualified tire professional to determine the year of manufacture.
Service Life and Safety for Passenger Car and Light
Truck Tires Including Spare 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 is why, in addition to regular inspections and
inflation pressure maintenance by consumers, it is recommended that
passenger car and light truck tires, including spare tires be inspected \
regularly by a qualified tire specialist, such as a BFGoodrich tire
retailer, 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. \
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 precaution even if such tires appear serviceable and even if they
BRIDGESTONE / FIRESTONE
43
• Never put flammable substances in tire/wheel assemblies at
any time. Never put any flammable substance into a tire/wheel
assembly and attempt to ignite to seat the beads.
•
Always stand well away from the work area when tires are being
spin balanced either on or off the vehicle.
High Performance, Low Aspect Ratio Tires
Many new vehicles come equipped from the factory with high
performance and/or low aspect ratio tires. Generally, these tires
provide increased vehicle handling capability, but may also have
numerous engineering performance trade-offs associated with
their designs. •
Low aspect ratio tires, with reduced sidewall height, may be
more susceptible to damage from potholes, road hazards, and
other objects such as curbs. This is true for the wheels as well.
Therefore, as with all other tires, it is important to drive with care
and maintain proper inflation pressure and load conditions. See
“Tire Inflation Pressure” and “Tire Damage, Inspection and Service
Life” in this manual.
•
Some sports cars and other handling performance enhanced
vehicles, including sedans and light trucks/SUVs, may be originally
equipped with high performance tires that are more optimized
for warmer weather use. Colder, winter weather traction may be
reduced for these types of tires. Winter tires may be recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer for colder weather application. See
“Winter Tires,” the next section in this manual.
•
High performance tires may also wear more quickly, ride more
firmly, and produce more noise during operation.
Consult your vehicle owner’s manual and tire information placard, or
a qualified tire service professional, for more information and specifics
regarding these types of tires.
BRIDGESTONE / FIRESTONE
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For vehicles with a “temporary use” spare tire, follow the vehicle\
manufacturer’s recommended pattern for rotation, or, if not provided,
the following may be used:
If your spare is the same size, load rating, and type of tire as your ro\
ad
tires, it should be included in the tire rotation process. For vehicles \
with
a “full-size” spare, the following rotation pat- terns may be used:
FULL SIZE SPAREFULL SIZE SPARE
Note:
•
Never include a “temporary use” spare tire in the rotation.
•
Tires with directional tread patterns must be rotated so the
direction of revolution does not change; this may require
demounting/mounting the tires.
•
Special attention should be given if your vehicle is equipped with
a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). Rotation of your tires
may affect the system; consult your vehicle owner’s manual or a
qualified tire service professional.
•
Some vehicles may have different size tires/wheels on front and
rear which would restrict rotation. Always check and follow the
vehicle manufacturer’s rotation recommendation.
BRIDGESTONE / FIRESTONE
49
• To use a full-size spare in the rotation pattern on vehicles with
dual rear wheels, consult your vehicle owner’s manual for the
recommended procedures or consult the vehicle manufacturer.
Your Spare Tire
Consult your vehicle owner’s manual for proper application of your
spare tire. Your car may be equipped with a “temporary use” spare tire;
this spare may differ in size and construction from the other tires on
your vehicle.
SAFETY WARNING
Check inflation pressure before use. Failure to have proper inflation
pressure when using your spare tire can result in serious personal
injury or death. See “Tire Inflation Pressure” in this manual.
SAFETY WARNING
Mounting a “temporary use” tire on a wheel which is not specifically
designed for it, or placing another type tire on a wheel designated
for temporary use can be dangerous. Your vehicle’s handling
characteristics can be seriously affected. You could have an accident
resulting in serious personal injury or death. Consult your vehicle
owner’s manual for proper application of your “temporary use”
spare tire.
The spare tire in your vehicle is intended to be used as a spare when
needed. The spare tire carrier is not intended to be used for long
term storage, except for “temporary use” tires. If your spare is t\
he
same size, load rating, and type of tire as your road tires, it should b\
e
included in the tire rotation process; see “Radial Tire Rotation” in this
manual for more information.
The spare should be included in regular tire inspections and inflation
pressure checks. In addition, it should be replaced 10 years after
date of manufacture, regardless of condition or tread depth. For more
information, see the “Tire Damage, Inspection and Service Life” in
this manual.
BRIDGESTONE / FIRESTONE
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Maximum Load and Inflation: The maximum load and maximum
inflation pressure is marked on each sidewall in metric and English
units. For example:
MAX LOAD 685 kg (1510 lbs) AT 240 kPa (35 psi) MAX PRESS
Note: The load and inflation values marked on the tire sidewall are
maximum permissible values for the tire only. Never assume that these
values are the actual maximum load capacity or recommended tire
pressure values for your vehicle. See “Tire Inflation Pressure,” “Tips
for Safe Tire Inflation,” and “Tips for Safe Loading” in this manual.
Ply Composition and Materials : The actual number of plies in
the sidewall and tread area and the generic name(s) of their cord
material(s) are marked on at least one sidewall. For example:
TREAD 2 PLY POLYESTER + 2 STEEL SIDEWALL 2 PLY POLYESTER
Radial: Radial ply tires will have the word “radial” on at least one
sidewall. An “R” in the tire size designation also indicates radial ply
construction.
Tubeless or Tube Type: Tires are marked as either “tubeless” or “tube
type,” whichever is applicable, on at least one sidewall.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The Uniform Tire Quality Grading (“UTQG”) standards are intended to
assist you in making an informed choice in your purchase of passenger
car tires by providing information indicating relative performance of
these tires in the areas of tread wear, wet braking traction (straight-
ahead), and temperature resistance. All passenger car tires must
conform to federal safety requirements in addition to these grades.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate
of the tire when tested under controlled conditions on a specified
government test course. For example, a tire graded 150 would wear
one and one half (1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a
FALKEN
76
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
A tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) is a safety system found
in most vehicles manufactured after 2005. There are pressure
sensing transmitters mounted inside of each tire that sends readings
to the central computer (ECU) in your vehicle. The TPMS system will
alert you when one or more of your tires are underinflated by 25%
or more by turning on a warning light on your vehicle’s dashboard or
heads up display (HUD) screen. This means that one or more of your
tires may have a low-pressure condition. Follow the instructions in your
owner’s manual.
Rotation and Wear
Falken recommends rotating your tires at least every 8,000km (5,000
miles) and periodically inspecting your tires to make sure they are
free of road hazards (such as nails, screws, large wood splinters, etc.)
that might penetrate your tires causing them to lose air pressure and
to ensure they are wearing evenly. Common irregular wear patterns
are: misalignment wear, where the tire shows excessive outer or inner
tread wear. Tire sidewalls should also be inspected for cuts, snags,
bruises, and weather cracking. If any of these noted conditions are
present during inspection, we recommend returning to your servicing
tire dealer to be corrected to ensure long tire life. ***Never include a
temporary spare tire in your rotation pattern***
Rotation patterns
based on what
type of drive
your vehicle is:
FALKEN
78
• A plug and patch or plug/patch combo should be used to effectively
repair a tire puncture.
•
If anything seems questionable at any time during the repair
process, ask your service advisor for more details and/or call the
tire manufacturer to make sure the tire’s warranty isn’t
being voided.
Tire Mix Usage
SAFETY WARNING
Never mix tires of different size or construction and/or type on any axle.
(Except for temporary use as a spare tire.) Always refer to the vehicle’s
owner manual for proper tire fitments.
Tire Speed Ratings
Falken recommends replacing your tire(s) with the same speed rating
as the original tires equipped on your vehicle.
It is okay to use a lower speed rated tire when using winter tires.
However, speeds should be reduced to match the tires new “maximum”
speed capability.
Any tire that is repaired, damaged, abused, altered from its original
state or retreaded voids the speed rating on that particular tire and
should be considered a non-speed rated tire.
SAFETY WARNING
Falken does not recommend the use of mixing different speed ratings
on a vehicle. This can cause poor handling and unpredictable steering.
High Performance, Low Aspect Ratio Tires
Various new vehicles come equipped with high performance and/or
low aspect ratio tires from the factory. These tires generally provide
increased vehicle handling characteristics, but may also have
engineering performance trade-offs related with their designs. Low
aspect ratio tires have reduced sidewall heights and may be more
vulnerable to damage from road hazards, potholes, and other objects,
KENDA
106
must be inspected by any tire dealer at once. Use of a damaged tire
could result in sudden tire destruction.
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 you drive on such roads, drive on them carefully
and slowly, and before driving at normal or highway speeds, examine
your tires for any damage, such as cuts or penetrations.
Worn Out Tires Are Dangerous
Tires contain ‘Wear-Bars” in the grooves of the tire tread which show
up when only 2/32nds of an inch (1.6mm) tread is remaining. At this
stage, your tires must be replaced. Tires worn beyond this stage
are dangerous.
Do Not Overload
Driving On Any Overloaded Tire Is Dangerous
The maximum load rating of your tires is marked on the tire sidewall.
Do not exceed these ratings. Follow the loading instructions of the
manufacturer of your vehicle and this will insure that your tires are no\
t
overloaded. Tires which are loaded beyond their maximum allowable
loads for the particular application will build up excessive heat that m\
ay
result in sudden tire destruction.
Do not exceed the gross axle weight ratings for any axle on your
vehicle. TRAILER TOWING
If you anticipate towing a trailer, you should see any tire dealer for
advice concerning the correct size of 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 of
tire load rating be exceeded. Check the tire placard and the owner’s
manual supplied by the manufacturer of your vehicle for further
recommendations on trailer towing.