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February 7th, 2010 by admin

Tire Safety: How Old Is Too Old?
When thinking about tire safety, it is important to consider two things: age and use. Vehicles driven daily are typically driven 15,000 miles a year. But there are situations where cars put on even fewer miles. This includes: being driven only on the weekends, never driving in the rain, show cars, and cars that are stored for extended periods of time. So, some tires on these types of cars put on less than 100,000. But it doesn t mean that they are safe tires. Tires deteriorate over time and can age out wear out before they wear out. In a statement from the British Rubber Manufacturers Association (BRMA) issued on June 5, 2001 regarding the age of tires they state, “BRMA members strongly recommend that unused tires should not be put into service if they are over 6 years old and that all tires should be replaced 10 years from the date of their manufacture.” Tire age can be accelerated by a variety of environmental factors, such as sunlight exposure and coastal climates. Poor storage and infrequent use of your vehicle are other things that can accelerate tire age. If you keep your tires in ideal conditions, the tire age can go as high as 10 years from its manufacture date. But ideal conditions are the exception rather than the rule. And the worst part is that you cannot tell the safety of an old tire just by looking at it since there are no conclusive tests for the safety of tires without destroying the tire itself! Due to this, some European car manufacturers of high performance sports cars, coupes and sedans have hedged their bets, stating in their owners manuals that the tire age should reach no higher than 6 years. How Better Rubber Makes Tires That Are Safe There have been a lot of changes in rubber compounds since Charles Goodyear discovered how to cure rubber when he baked a combination of natural rubber and sulfur on his family s kitchen stove. Thus, he would convert an unappreciated raw material into many useful products. Goodyear cross-linked sulfur with polymers that, when exposed to heat, would help make rubber durable and at the same time maintain its elasticity. The main focus of new research has been finding tire age inhibitors. Sulfur molecules are one such tire age inhibitor that is reactivated every time they are exposed to heat, making the rubber harder. Nowadays, rubber in tires has oil in it that tends to migrate into the tires under tread/casing and evaporate into the air. In the process of this, the tire compound releases oil and gets harder. If you can t quite visualize this, go into any tire store and take a big whiff. You ll smell the oil there. Before curing, most tires are coated with a mold release agent that is makes it easier to remove from their mold after curing. If it s a little hard to visualize, think about spraying Pam on a fry pan before pouring on the batter for pancakes. This increases the safety of tires because some of the mold release agent gets cooked onto the surface of the cured tire, which prevents all the oil from evaporating. What Is The Right Tire Age? In most cases, most street tires are good for 6-8 years if maintained properly. Don t forget though that this includes the time the tires spent from the manufacturer s plant to the dealer to you. So, keep this in mind when you are determining tire age. Most tires get to you anywhere between 3-6 months. Some stay longer with the tire manufacturer, but generally all tires that go on your car are less than a year old. So, you should not get an old tire from any tire manufacturer. Which Tires Last Longest? If you want to buy a tire based on how long it will last, you have to consider thread compound. The more aggressive its compound the shorter tire life. Below is a list of tires from longest-lasting to shortest-lasting: Max Performance Ultra High Performance tires DOT-legal competition tires Bottom line: if you want to avoid safe tire issues go with tires that last long and properly maintain them.Bob Martin says Don t buy any new tires until you take a serious look at this today http://www.discount-tires-online.com/TireRatings/tire-rating-guide.htm This article is a copyrighted work and does not come with reprint or resale rights and may not be altered or changed in any way including the resource box. The site owner acknowledges that by using this article they accept this condition. The only exception being to bold the appropriate copy i.e. headlines and subhead text.
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Buying The Right Spare Parts For Your Car
All car owners want the best for their automobiles. Therefore, they are providing it utmost care through regular maintenance checks. The engine must be tuned-up and checked from time to time, the oil has to be changed, and spark plugs need to be replaced or repaired. This is only some of the ways you can ensure that your car is ready at all times and won?t present any problems when you need it the most. Providing your car the necessary spare parts is very important in regular maintenance check-up. Despite the limited budget for it, you are still entitled to a cheap but good quality car parts. Brand-New Car Parts Of course, if you own a new sports utility vehicle, you also need to provide it with a new set of car parts once it needs repair. Before buying brand new car parts, consider some important points. First is what parts do you need to purchase? You can refer to the catalogue or instruction manual of your car and list down the right model number of those car parts. Next is where will you buy those parts? First option you can go to is your authorized car dealer where you have purchased the automobile. They can offer the right car parts plus discounts and guarantee for it. Aside from those, make sure that the parts they are offering are new and can last longer. Second option is the assorted car parts center. There you will find different brands of car parts. You can ask their sales staff to help you find the right parts that your automobile needs. If you are in doubt that they are selling new spare parts, you can also ask them and let them assure you that they are selling such kind. Second-Hand Car Parts You can also opt to purchase second-hand or used car parts. Before venturing into such options, the following should be taken into consideration: ? Since you are looking for some used car parts, the reliability of its source should be considered. Try to look in classified ads for possible vendors of such old car parts, or you go around the neighborhood and ask for their location. ? There are times that such used parts are only available in dealerships and in a local mechanic?s shop. It will be challenge for you to look for them, and there is always a possibility that the part you need will not match with the part they are offering. ? Always check the compatibility of the old car parts that a seller is offering. Some parts that are needed do not have to be original. There are surplus items or a compatible part from another car brand that you can use. It will be able to save you money for other things. ? If you are having difficulty looking for the parts you need, browse through the Internet especially for some old parts unavailable in your locality. Once you have found the right old car part dealer online, you can check their payment options. Be sure you are ready to accept their terms of reference of the parts that you want to acquire. Either brand-new or second-hand car parts ensure of its quality. Because just like human beings, cars also tends to malfunction if wrong parts are provided to it. Be careful and meticulous in selecting the spare parts needed for your car. Lavinia Snider is the editor of <a href="http://www.carauctionplaza.info">Car Auction Plaza</a>. Get detailed information on car and vehicle auctions.
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The scoop on carbon fiber hoods
Carbon Fiber seems to be the material of choice for aftermarket accessories. Now you can find carbon fiber mirrors, dash trim kits, hoods, fenders, and who knows what else. So what is the big deal with carbon fiber?Carbon Fiber seems to be the material of choice for aftermarket accessories. Now you can find carbon fiber mirrors, dash trim kits, hoods, fenders, and who knows what else. So what is the big deal with carbon fiber?There are a few reasons that carbon fiber has taken off in the past few years. It is a lightweight, rigid, visually appealing material. It has a unique textured look and a smooth finish. It is surprisingly strong, and doesn’t flex much.Take carbon fiber hoods for example. A lot of tuners like to add a carbon fiber hood on their cars. Opposed to the steel factory hoods, these carbon fiber hoods can reduce the weight of the vehicle by as much as 40 or 50 pounds on some applications. This modification, when added to other weight reducing modifications, can slightly decrease 0-60 times and marginally improves handling and acceleration.The other reason is the cool textured looking finish. Add a few carbon fiber touches as a theme throughout the vehicle and this can score some major style points.These carbon fiber hoods are fairly expensive for their weight reducing capabilities, but add a lot of style for the money. Browse through our website to find a carbon fiber hood for your car at www.majesticmodifications.com. Once you have purchased the hood you want, it’s time to get it installed. You may need a hand removing the factory hood due to its weight, but once it is removed, you should be able to handle the much lighter carbon fiber hood. The installation is fairly easy, so here is a quick guide to help you get it installed.Start your installation by removing the windshield washer jets for the factory hood. Disconnect the tubing that runs to them by unclipping or unscrewing them. If there is a light attached to the hood, go ahead and remove it, as you may want to reuse it on the new hood.With these removed, and with some help on the other side, prop the hood up with the hood prop if applicable. Remove the 4 bolts holding the hood to the hinges. If your hood has gas shocks, remove them before removing the hinge bolts. Be careful to support the weight of the hood when removing the hinge bolts to reduce the risk of damaging the fenders or the windshield. With the hinges and gas shocks unbolted, this will free up the heavy factory hood. Carefully remove it from the hinges by pulling it away from the windshield and set it aside.Set the new carbon fiber hood in place. It will be significantly lighter than the factory steel hood. Line up the bolts on the hinges and tighten them down. Reattach the gas shocks if applicable, or set the hood prop in place. Reattach your windshield washer jets if your hood permits, and run the lines on the underside. If you saved your light and want to reattach it, you can do so at this point. it can be attached using some 3M adhesive double sided tape, or you can carefully screw it in place, making sure to use screws small enough to not penetrate the top of the hood. Close the hood and check for alignment. If you need to adjust the alignment, lift the hood and loosen the hinge bolts slightly, just to where you can make small adjustments. Lower the hood and make any adjustments and re-tighten the bolts. This should complete your carbon fiber hood installation.If you need any support or advice for your carbon fiber hood installation, you can contact Majestic Modifications by emailing us at support@majesticmodifications.com. <a href="http://www.majesticmodifications.com">Majestic Modifications</a> is the complete car customization concept, specializing in air intakes and performace upgrades, body kits and <a href="http://www.carbon-fiber-hoods.blogspot.com">carbon fiber hoods</a>, glow gauges and interior accessories, wheels and tires, mobile video and elctronics.
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