Dear Tracy,
I would like to enhance the look of my car with wheel and tire detailing, but I just can’t afford to have it done by a professional. Is it possible to do it yourself and have it look as good as when professionals do the job? Do I need a special kind of cleaning product or will any good cleanser do the trick?
-Spencer T.

Dear Spencer,
You are right, shiny wheels and clean tires really do enhance the look of any vehicle. Cleaning your tires and wheels is also important for good vehicle maintenance. Brake dust – comprised of metal, adhesive, and carbon residue from your brake pads and rotor – accumulates on your wheels and tires. Under intense heat and friction, this dust is highly corrosive. Regular wheel cleaning is an important step in preserving service life. If you have the time and a place to do it, there is no reason why you can’t do your own wheel and tire detailing. With some patience and a little elbow grease you can have your wheels and tires looking showroom new.

There’s a wide range of cleaning products available, but not all may be safe for cleaning wheels and tires, so don’t just grab a cleanser from under your kitchen sink. Non-petroleum based products are best to clean tires, and for wheels, a cleaner that does not contain abrasive detergents or harsh acids is the safest option. Your best bet is to choose products that are specifically designed for tires and wheels. There are many good ones on the market, and many that are environmentally friendly.

When you are washing your car, start with the wheels and tires. Clean with a sturdy, soft-bristle brush to prevent scratching. Clean and rinse each tire before moving on to the next to avoid the cleaning product drying on the surface. When you are finished washing the entire car, towel dry each wheel. It is a good idea to designate a separate towel just for wheels and tires in case any cleaning product residue is left on the towel. As a final step you can apply a wheel wax and tire dressing. Check with your tire dealer or mechanic to find the best product for your particular tires.

Dear Tracy,

My dad always used to take care of my car maintenance, but now I am trying to do more on my own. One thing I am kind of confused about is tire pressure. I have heard that tire pressure is important, but I am not sure how to check it. When I look at my tires they do not look flat, so that means the pressure is okay, right?

-Elizabeth T.

Dear Elizabeth,

First of all, let me congratulate you on your decision to take responsibility for your own car! You are wise to educate and empower yourself. Not only will you not have to rely on someone else, you will be an informed consumer when you need to have your car serviced.

I am glad you asked about tire pressure. You are right, it is extremely important! Improperly inflated tires can lead to handling and traction problems, as well as premature tread wear and poor gas mileage. Just because tires look fine, that is not necessarily the case. By the time a tire looks underinflated, tire pressure is extremely low, so you will want to catch it before it gets to that point. In order to check your tire pressure, here is what you will need to do:

• Look up the proper tire pressure for your car. You will find this information in your owner’s manual. You may see a tire pressure number on the actual tire, but that number is the maximum pressure. You should never inflate to the maximum pressure – go by the book instead.
• If you do not already have a digital tire gauge, you can pick up a decent one for as low as $10.00. Always keep it handy in your car so you can check your tire pressure regularly.
• Unscrew the valve cap (make sure you don’t lose track of it!) and press the tire gauge on the valve stem. You will probably notice a hissing sound when you first press down, but it stops once you press all the way down. Only a few seconds are needed to obtain an accurate reading. Make note of the reading and replace the valve cap. Do this for each tire.

If your tires need air, you can fill them with either a portable compressor, or you can use the air pump at your local gas station for a nominal fee. The process is similar to how you checked the pressure but instead of pressing the gauge to the valve stem, you’ll be pressing the fitting on the air hose to the stem. Check the pressure as you inflate until you reach the right pressure number. If your tires are over inflated, you can remove air from the tires with your gauge. Remember the hissing sound? When you hear it, let it go for a bit, then recheck the pressure. The more experienced you become with checking your tires, the better sense you will have for how long you need to inflate or deflate to get the right pressure.

One final note – it is best to check your tire pressure when the car and the temperature are cooler.

Dear Tracy,

I have not been a car owner very long, and I don’t have a full understanding of everything that is done to my car when I take it in for maintenance. I ask what all they are doing, but I am a little embarrassed to ask what some of these services are. Tracy, since you are the tire expert, can you explain to me what “wheel balancing” means, and how it is different from “wheel alignment”?

-Richard D.

Dear Richard,

Great question! Wheel balancing and wheel alignment are often confused, and both are very important services. Not only will wheel balancing and wheel alignment significantly extend the life of your tires, these services will enhance the handling and performance of your vehicle.

Wheel balancing is necessary because tires and wheels lose their balance overtime. The distribution of weight around the tire changes as the tread wears, causing an imbalance that leads to vibration or shaking. When wheel balancing service is performed, the technician will use a calibrated spin balancer.  Technicians will typically test both static (non-moving) and dynamic (moving) wheel balance. Wheels that are out of balance will be adjusted to the proper balance.

Wheel alignment may also be called “tire alignment” or “front end alignment” and involves adjusting the angle of your car’s wheels to the position that is specified by the vehicle’s manufacturer. A variety of things can cause the wheels to become misaligned, from potholes to fender benders. When performing a wheel alignment, the service technician will inspect the tire treads for signs of poor alignment, and also check the toe, camber, and caster, which are the three components for measuring wheel orientation. Once the evaluations are complete, the technician can then perform the necessary adjustments.

Dear Tracy,
One of my tires has been losing air and the last time I added air to it, I noticed what looks like a large piece of metal embedded in between the treads. A guy at work said a tire place should be able to pull that out and plug the tire, and it will be fine. My neighbor said that in order to be safe the tire should be replaced. Since my tires are not that old, I’d rather repair the damaged tire, but being safe is more important to me than saving money. Can you tell me which is better – repair or replacement?
–Debbie R.

Dear Debbie,
Crazy things can end up in your tires! We’ve seen it all here at our shop.  If your tires are not that old, the first thing you should do is check to see if you have a tire road hazard warranty If you do, make sure you go to an approved location for your service, and bring all of your paperwork.

As to the question of repair or replacement, if your tire is in good condition, with plenty of tread left, there is no reason why a repair should not solve your problem. The plug your co-worker suggested should work fine, but there are some things to consider:

• Angle of the penetrating object – the straighter the angle, the better the plug will work
• Location of the puncture – plugging is most successful when the puncture is between the treads

A plug can be a fast fix, performed without even having to remove the tire from the rim. But there are some types of damage that cannot be fixed with a plug, such as a puncture near the side wall. In these cases, a patch plug can be used.

A patch plug is more labor intensive, because it has to be installed from the inside of the tire. If you want a sound repair, with an added level of safety, go with the patch plug.