Experienced car buyers and sellers believe knowing how to choose used car tires will save you a great deal of money. However, as being used previously, you should check them carefully before deciding to buy. In the following post, Philkotse.com will give you step-by-step guide on how to choose the best used car tires.
Step 1: Determine the production year
Determining the tire “age" is extremely important. According to experienced experts in car maintenance, you should choose tires with less than 5 years old. Older car tires could not have guaranteed quality after using for a long time, as the chemical bonds are broken by the solar radiation and the rubber is oxidized at a fast pace.
You can check the car tires age through the digit sequence on it. For the most part, there will be a number chain, which begins with the word "DOT" and ends with the last 4 digits, which is the tire production year.
For example, the last 4 digits are 4708, which means that the tire is produced in the 47th week of 2008. Or if the 4 digits are 5107, the tire is exported in the 51st week of 2007.
If the last 4 digits are 4708, it means the tire is produced in the 47th week of 2008
Step 2: Check the tire condition
Use your hand to press on multiple points on the tire to test if there is any small cracks, rotting, or any color change. If you notice small cracks or signs of rotting, you should immediately ignore that tire as safety isn't guaranteed which may lead to tire bursting while using. Besides, you also need to carefully check the inside surface to avoid buying ones that have been “modified” or repaired.
Also, when you intend to purchase used car tires, you need to review your requirements carefully to have a proper negotiation on prices based on the tire conditions. If the tire you are interested has acceptable defects, you can negotiate to reach the most reasonable price.
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Step 3: Determine the suitability of pairs of old car tires
If you intend to buy old car tires in pair, make sure it is a pair of front or rear wheels and they must have the same dimension (tire width and ratio). Besides, you should not overlook their height. The tire height is measured from the surface contact point of the road to the top of the tire, which must be equal in both of them.
In addition, a pair of old tires must be equal in width parameters, frame ratio, and tire spines. You should also be noted about the tire strings. Example: P265 / 55R14 82S, in which “P” means: A tire used for vehicles that carry passengers.
If you intend to buy old car tires in pair , make sure it is a pair of front or rear wheels that have the same dimension
There are also other parameters such as LT standing for light truck or pickup trucks; T "Temporary" is a temporary replacement tire and R stands for tire structure. The letter S indicates the maximum speed at which the tire can operate normally.
The first number printed on the tire (eg 265) is its width. This is also the contact surface of the tire (when inflated) on the road surface, in millimeters. In the above example, 265 means the maximum width that it can reach to the road surface, which is 265 mm.
The next 2 digits (usually 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, or 75) are the percentage ratio between the height and width of the tire.
Step 4: Check the tires spines of old cars
You should choose tire pairs with equal tread depth. There are many ways you can measure the tire spine depth. Amongst them, a simple way to check your tire condition is by using a coin to check if the tread depth exceeds 2mm. If you can’t measure the tread depth, you should ensure their equality.
You should choose tire pairs with the equal tread depth
Note: You should choose tires that are suitable for your vehicle manufacturer's recommendations on the speed sensor axes. If the tire size does not match, the speedometer and the vehicle meter will notify you.
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