11
BFGOODRICH TIRE
Check the Cold Inflation Pressure in All Your Tires,
Including the Spare, at Least Once Each Month
Failure to maintain correct inflation may result in improper vehicle
handling and may cause rapid and irregular tire wear, sudden tire
failure, loss of vehicle control, and an accident. Therefore, inflation
pressures should be checked at least once each month and before
every long-distance trip. This applies to all tires, including sealant types
and self-supporting tires, which are as susceptible to losing inflation as
any other type of tire if not properly maintained. Pressures should be
checked before the tires have been driven on or after they have been
allowed to cool down to the ambient air temperature. Driving for even
a short distance causes tires to heat up and their inflation to increase,
and recommended tire pressures are for tires that have not been
heated by recent driving on them.
Underinflation and Overinflation Must Be Checked
with a Tire Pressure Gauge
Tires must be checked monthly with a tire pressure gauge. It is
impossible to determine whether tires are properly inflated by simply
looking at them. It is almost impossible to feel or hear when a tire is \
being run underinflated or overinflated. Use an accurate tire pressure
gauge to check tire pressure each month. Small and inexpensive tire
pressure gauges are available. You should keep one in your vehicle’s
glove box or trunk and use it monthly and as otherwise needed.
Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS)
Your vehicle is likely equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) that is designed to monitor the pressure of tires mounted on
your vehicle and sends a signal to the driver if a tire pressure falls
below a predetermined level. A TPMS should not replace monthly
manual pressure checks for all four tires and the spare. You should
manually monitor and check tire pressure inflation with a pressure
gauge. Your tires should have the recommended pressure listed by
your vehicle’s manufacturer. This information can be found in the
vehicle owner’s manual and is on a placard located in the vehicle’s
12
BFGOODRICH TIRE
door jamb, inside the fuel hatch, or on the glove compartment door.
If you have plus-size tires that require a higher inflation pressure, your
tire pressure monitoring system will require re-calibration to the new
proper inflation pressure. Refer to your tire dealer/installer of plus-size
tires for proper inflation pressure. You should check inflation in all your
tires, including the spare, once each month and before every long trip. \
Regardless whether your spare is a full-size spare or a mini-spare,
make sure that it is properly inflated. If the TPMS generates improper
monitoring or signals, you should consult your vehicle owner’s manual
and follow up with your vehicle’s manufacturer.
Tire Spinning
Do not spin wheels at more than 35 mph (55 km/h) as indicated
on your vehicle’s speedometer. Excessive speed in a free-running,
unloaded tire can cause it to “explode” from centrifugal force. The
energy released by such an explosion may cause serious physical
injury or death. Never allow anyone to stand near or behind a spinning
tire. When in mud, sand, snow, ice, or another slippery condition,
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-
enduring 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 Is Dangerous
Correct inflation pressure is especially important. However, at high
speeds, even with the correct inflation pressure, a road hazard is more
difficult to avoid, and if tire contact is made with it, there is 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.
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BFGOODRICH TIRE
Trailer Towing
If you anticipate towing a trailer, you should visit your BFGoodrich tire
retailer for advice about the correct tire size and pressures. Tire size
and pressures will depend on 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 information placard
that came on your vehicle, (located in the vehicle’s door jamb, inside
the fuel hatch, or on the glove compartment door) and the owner’s
manual supplied by the manufacturer of your vehicle for further
recommendations 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 excessi\
ve
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. Read
and follow the instructions on tire rotation and replacement below.
Tire Mixing
22
BFGOODRICH TIRE
or sealant liquids, or the use of tire dressing containing petroleum
distillates, are excluded from warranty coverage.
Tire Repairs
Whenever a Repair Is Needed, Immediately See Your
BFGOODRICH
® Tire Retailer or, If One Is Not Readily
Available, Another Qualified Tire Professional
If any BFGOODRICH® tire sustains a puncture, have the tire
demounted and thoroughly inspected by a qualified tire professional
for possible damage that may have occurred. A tread area puncture
in any BFGOODRICH
® passenger or light truck tire can be repaired
if the puncture hole is not more than 1/4” in diameter, not more than
one radial cable per casing ply is damaged, and the tire has not been
damaged further by the puncturing object or by running underinflated.
Tire punctures consistent with these guidelines can be repaired by
following the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association’s recommended
repair procedures.
Repairs of all tires must be of the combined-plug-and-inside-patch
type. Your BFGOODRICH tires must be removed from the wheel for
inspection prior to repair. Plug-type repairs made on a tire that remains
mounted on a wheel are improper and can result in an accident. A tire
should be removed from the rim and inspected prior to repair. Any tire
repair done without removing the tire from the rim is improper and can
result in an accident. An improperly repaired tire may cause further
damage to the tire by either leaking air or allowing air, moisture, and
contaminants to enter the structure of the tire. An improperly repaired
tire can fail suddenly at a later date and result in an accident. Never \
repair a tire with less than 2/32nds of an inch of tread remaining. At this
tread depth, the tire is worn out and must be replaced.
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BFGOODRICH TIRE
Storage
Tires contain materials to protect their outer surfaces from ozone
and weather checking. As the tire rolls and flexes, those materials
continually migrate to the surface, replenishing this protection
throughout the normal use of the tire. Consequently, when tires sit
outdoors, unused for long periods of time (a month or more), their
surfaces become dry and more susceptible to ozone and weather
checking, and the casing becomes susceptible to flat spotting. For
this reason, tires should always be stored in a cool, dry, clean, indoor
environment. If storage is for one month or more, eliminate the weight
from the tires by raising the vehicle or by removing the tires from the \
vehicle. Failure to store tires in accordance with these instructions
could result in damage to your tires or premature aging of the tires
and sudden tire failure. When tires are stored, be sure they are placed \
away from sources of heat and ozone such as hot pipes and electric
generators. Be sure that surfaces on which tires are stored are clean
and free from grease, gasoline or other substances which could
deteriorate the rubber. Tires exposed to these materials during storage
or driving could be subject to sudden failure.
One reason why your spare tire should be included in the tire rotation
schedule is that temperatures in a vehicle’s closed trunk, especially
in sunny geographical areas, can become high enough so that, over
a sustained period, they can cause small cracks or other changes to
the properties of a tire stored in the trunk. An accumulation of such
changes can weaken the tire and, especially if the tire is not kept
properly inflated, make it unsafe to use when it is needed.
Proper Tire Mounting
Tire mounting can be dangerous and must be done by professionally
trained persons using proper tools and procedures as specified by the
U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association.
Your tires should be mounted on wheels that are the correct size
and type and are in good, clean condition. Wheels that are bent,
chipped, rusted (steel wheels) or corroded (alloy wheels) may cause
tire damage. The inside of the tire must be free from foreign material.
BRIDGESTONE / FIRESTONE
28
Original Equipment Passenger and Light Truck
Tires Including RFT Tires with Run-Flat
Technology
Tire Care Basics
Tire Inflation Pressure
Tires can lose 1 psi (pound per square inch) per month under
normal conditions. Additionally, tires can lose 1 psi for every 10° F
temperature drop.
BRIDGESTONE / FIRESTONE
36
Different Tire Pressures for the Front and Rear Tires: For some
vehicles, the recommended front and rear inflation pressures may
be different (such as in the example shown in Figure 2). Make sure
you take this into account during inflation pressure checks and when
rotating tires.
Pressure Loss: Tires can lose 1 psi (7 kPa) per month under normal
conditions and can lose 1 psi (7 kPa) for every 10˚F (5.6˚C temperature
drop. A puncture, leaking valve, or other damage could also cause
inflation pressure loss. If a tire loses more than 2 psi (14 kPa) per
month, have it checked by a qualified tire service professional.
Tips For Safe Tire Inflation
SAFETY WARNING
Inflating an unsecured tire is dangerous. If it bursts, it could be hurled
into the air with explosive force resulting in serious personal injury or
death. Never inflate a tire unless it is
secured to the vehicle or a tire
mounting machine.
• Check your tire pressures, including your spare tire, monthly
and before long trips or carrying extra weight. Be sure to use an
accurate pressure gauge.
•
Check inflation pressure when the tires are “cold.” Tires are
considered “cold” when the vehicle has been parked for three
hours or more, or if the vehicle has been driven less than a mile at
moderate speed.
•
Never release pressure from a hot tire in order to reach the
recommended cold tire pressure. Normal driving causes tires
to run hotter and inflation pressure to increase. If you reduce
inflation pressure when your tires are hot, you may dangerously
underinflate your tires.
•
If it is necessary to adjust inflation pressure when your tires are
“hot,” set their pressure to 4 psi (28 kPa) above the recommended
cold inflation pressure. Recheck the inflation pressure when the
tires are cold.
•
If your tires lose more than 2 psi (14 kPa) per month, the tire, the
valve, or wheel may be damaged. Consult a qualified tire service
professional for an inspection.
BRIDGESTONE / FIRESTONE
42
Speed Rating: The tire’s speed rating is void if the tire is repaired,
retreaded, damaged, abused, or otherwise altered from its original
condition. Thereafter, it should be treated as a non-speed rated tire.
See “Tire Speed Ratings” in this manual.
Improper repair voids the tire Limited Warranty. See “Limited
Warranty” in this manual.
RFT (Run-Flat Technology) Tires: In addition to the above, there are
recommendations specific to the repair of RFT tires; see “RFT Tires
with Run-Flat Technology” in this manual.
Tire Mounting and Other Servicing
SAFETY WARNING
Removing and replacing tires on wheels can be dangerous. Attempting
to mount tires with improper tools or procedures may result in a tire
explosion causing serious personal injury or death. This is only a job
for a qualified tire service professional. Never perform tire service
procedures without proper training, tools, and equipment.
This manual is not intended to provide proper training or service
procedures for tire mounting, demounting, balancing, rotation,
or repair. Please leave these tasks to qualified tire service
professionals. For your safety and that of others:
•
Always stand well clear of any tire mounting operation. This is
especially important when the service operator inflates the tire. If
the tire has been improperly mounted, it may burst with explosive
force causing serious personal injury or death.
•
Tires must match the width and diameter requirements of the
wheels. For example, 16 inch diameter tires must only be mounted
to 16 inch diameter wheels. Radial tires must only be mounted to
wheels approved for radial tires.
•
Wheels must be free of cracks, dents, chips, and rust. Tires must
be free of bead damage, cuts, and punctures.
•
Never inflate a tire beyond 40 psi (275 kPa) to seat the beads. Be
absolutely certain beads are fully seated before adjusting inflation
pressure to the level recommended for vehicle operation.