Cavender Grande Ford Tire Center in San Antonio

What is tire balancing?

Tire balancing equally distributes the weight of the tire and wheel assembly to spin smoothly at high speed.

Tires can become out of balance with normal tire wear. All four tires and wheels may be balanced during a tire rotation and when new tires are installed.

Special equipment spins the tire and wheel assembly to measure vibrations and the technician installs wheel weights as needed to eliminate the vibrations.

What if I ignore it?

• Excessive tire wear
• Irregular tire wear such as cupping
• Steering and suspension component wear
• Vibration

What if I take care of it?

• Maximize tire wear and ride quality
• Prolong tire life
• Minimize vibration

What is tire condition & tread depth?

Monitoring normal tread wear helps plan for future tire replacement. Uneven or irregular tread wear can indicate problems with tire pressure, wheel alignment, tire balance, or lack of rotation. New tire tread depths typically begin with 9/32″ to 12/32″ of tread. Make sure your tires’ tread depths are sufficient for road and weather conditions.

What if I ignore it?

• Loss of braking effectiveness, steering control, and traction in wet weather
• Increased braking distances
• Increased risk of hydroplaning
• Low tread depth restricts water, slush and snow from escaping between tire tread and the road. This can promote hydroplaning and reduce traction on wet and wintry roads.
• Minimum tread depth recommended for vehicles likely to encounter listed condition:
  • Snow = 5/32″
  • Rain = 4/32″
  • Dry = 2/32″
• Tread depth under 2/32″ may violate applicable law.

What if I take care of it?

• Increase safety performance
• Provide a more enjoyable ride
• Help ensure your vehicle meets its original load and speed rating specifications
• Match the physical dimensions, internal construction, tread design, and tread compound of the original tires
• Help achieve performance characteristics originally intended for your vehicle

What are the benefits of Original Equipment (OE) Tires?

Original Equipment (OE) Tires:

• Developed by Ford engineers who work closely with the original equipment tire manufacturer to develop a tire that optimizes all the performance attributes of your vehicle
• Undergo an exclusive Ford development process with testing to ensure the same level of performance
• Extensively tested in the lab, on the track, and on the road to ensure that the tires provide the right balance of performance, comfort, wear, and fuel efficiency
• Help your vehicle attain the original performance characteristics to maintain the enjoyment you’ve had with your Ford since day one
• Are the only tires Ford recommends for your vehicle

Non OE Tire Options:

• May share some characteristics of the original tires, but because of the number of variable design characteristics, they may perform differently, potentially altering the ride comfort, interior noise, wear rate, fuel efficiency, steering feel, snow traction, and wet and dry handling and braking performance you may be accustomed to
• May be available from us at Cavender Grande Ford, but can vary in certain specifications from your vehicle’s original tires
• Although we recommend that you help retain your vehicle’s original performance characteristics by choosing OE specified tires, you may have other needs that could be met with another tire that was not tested by or developed in conjunction with Ford

What is tire pressure?

Properly inflated tires provide the best combination of handling, tread life, and comfort. The air pressure inside the tires supports the weight of the vehicle. Tire pressure is the inflation pressure specification, measured in Pounds per Square Inch (PSI), for a given tire type, size, and application.

The cold tire inflation pressure, PSI, is on the Tire Information Label located on the driver’s side door jamb.

Because tires can lose 1 to 2 PSI of tire pressure per month, tire pressures must be checked regularly.

What if I ignore it?

• Underinflation, or low tire pressure, can cause premature wear, irregular tread wear, and decreased fuel efficiency
• Underinflation adversely affects handling
• Underinflation may lead to tire failure
• Overinflated tires make your vehicle ride harshly, are more prone to road hazards, and wear unevenly

What if I take care of it?

• Prolong tire life
• Increase fuel efficiency
• Improve ride characteristics, handling, and comfort

What is Tire Rotation?

During tire rotation, at the time of service, the tire and wheel assemblies are moved from one position to another to more evenly distribute wear and maximize tire life. The rotation pattern depends on the vehicle and tire design. Because the front tires turn and pull the vehicle forward, front tires wear differently than rear tires.

Tire rotation is regular maintenance that should be performed as recommended and is required to maintain the tire’s warranty coverage. (Consult the tire manufacturer’s warranty booklet provided with the vehicle for more details.)

What if I ignore it?

• Increased likelihood of irregular or uneven tire wear
• Increased tire wear and more frequent replacement
• Premature wear can increase road noise

What if I take care of it?

• Prolong tire life
• Help ensure your vehicle’s optimal handling with more even tire wear
• Avoid road noise caused by premature or irregular wear

What is wheel alignment?

A wheel alignment is the adjustment of angles that the tires make in relation to the road surface and each other. The primary alignment angles are camber, caster, and toe.

A wheel alignment is often performed after replacing tires or suspension components, after an impact with a pothole or curb, or when the following conditions occur: abnormal tire wear, an offset steering wheel, or handling concerns (drifting, pulling, wandering, darting).

Technicians measure alignment angles using sophisticated equipment, then adjust or possibly replace suspension components as needed to set alignment to original Ford specifications.

What if I ignore it?

• Increased or irregular tire wear and more frequent tire replacement
• Vehicle may drift, wander, pull, or dart

What if I take care of it?

• Prolong tire life
• Helps optimize your vehicle’s handling based on original Ford specifications
• Reduces steering effort