Sooner or later, you are going to need to replace the tires on your car, and if you're on a fixed income, you can choose to buy used wheels - instead of shelling out a lot of money for new ones. Places like small family-operated tire centers, and junk yards where you pull your own parts, are godsends when it comes to finding great deals.
But in looking for good used wheels, what do you need to know to make sure that you choose the right kind of tire for your vehicle, and confirm that the great price you're getting is really a bargain? Keep reading for further information:
The main thing to remember, is that a car's wheels should always be the same size. For the rear of the car, as long as a tire is in decent condition as far as tread goes, and it's the same size as the rest of your wheels, it should work fine for you. However, there are slightly different rules of thumb for the front wheels. Because the front tires affect the way your car handles on the road - and the wrong ones can damage your vehicle, and even cause an accident, in some cases - you want any new tires you get to also have exactly the same tread as the rest - and if possible, also be of the same brand.
Before you buy any tire, you will need to inspect it, in order to check out its overall condition. Look for the obvious signs of over wear and tear, such as, numerous cracks in the rubber, or a LACK of rubber around the tire belt. Also, you want to make sure that no part of the steel belt is visible. If you notice any of these things, the tire shouldn't be an option for you. And, if you see a wheel that has multiple patches on it, definitely forget about it - it's days are over.
Here is a fun way for a novice to check the tread on a used tire. You do this with an ordinary Lincoln-head penny. Insert the penny into the tread on the tire, with the president's head facing downward. Make sure to do this in different places on the tire. If his face and head are still covered by the tread in all the places you insert it, then the odds are it's OK to put it on your car. But, if you can see the president's face or head at any of the insertion locations, put that tire back, and keep looking.
If you are a girl, then you probably aren't an expert in the field of automotive. In this case, it's a good idea to have your spouse, or boyfriend, accompany you when you're shopping for used tires. It's not so crucial at one of the "family run" tire shops, as they have people on staff who know about tires, and will help you with what you need.
However, things change when you go to one of those "pick and pull" places, and you are on your own as far as locating, pulling, hauling, and installing the wheels are concerned. So, by this, it's easy to see that if you don't know what to look for as far as "drivability" in a wheel versus "non- drivability" is concerned, you might just drive yourself into a big mess.
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