Are you asking yourself "How Do I Know If My Tires Need To Be Balanced?"... Having a shaky unstable ride from point A to point B? It's time to get your tires balanced! You're better off safe than sorry by having your wheels checked out. Driving with unbalanced tires can cause premature tire wear, lower efficiency, and spread damage to other parts of your car. Here are three ways to tell if it is time for a wheel balancing service.  1. Uneven Tire Patterns THIS is why technicians will remind you to regularly check your tires. The tread pattern on your car tires can say a lot about how well you take care of your tires. If the tread is wearing unevenly on one side than others, your wheels may be unbalanced. Typically, you will notice the difference in the tire's edges. 2. As Marky Mark would say - "Feel The Vibration"  But in this case, you should not be feeling vibration. If this is what y ... read more

How Often Should I Check My Tire Tread Your tires are what literally keep you grounded! With the cold air quickly approaching, now is the time to check them out!   Low tread depth makes it harder to stop your car which can be dangerous when driving in the rain, sleet, and snow.   What Are The Reasons Your Tires Have Early or Irregular Wear? Improper Inflation Pressure Out-of-Spec Tire Alignment Lack of Tire Rotation That's why it is so important to maintain regular maintain regular service. Taking care of your tires will not only keep you and others safe on the road but will save you money in the long run as well. Here at Frank's we recommend checking them at least once a month!     If It's that time to Check Your Tires and Service Your Vehicle, bri ... read more

Need to know how old your tire is? The Tire Identification Number can tell you. Where can you find it? What do the letters and numbers mean?  "DOT" stands for the U.S. Department of Transportation. Displaying this symbol means that the tire meets the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tire safety standards. The DOT serial number is located on the sidewall near the edge of the rim. DOT is followed by a series of digits that identify where the tire was manufactured, size, and the specific code, along with the week and year the tire was manufactured. The first two digits are the week of manufacture and the second two digits are the Year. As you can see in the Example the tire pictured was manufactured during the 34th week of 2019.  This is important information for your safety. We have all seen the carcasses of tires on the side of the highway. Many times this is due to old tires that should have been replaced failing while ... read more

Cars and trucks need a periodic wheel alignment in order to properly position the steering and suspension components. You may be thinking to yourself, "well didn't they do all of this when the car was new?" the answer is...Yes! All vehicles are aligned from the factory.  Although the components wear through normal driving. Not to mention when we drive over potholes, speed bumps, driveway entrances, and even curbs! The steering and suspension parts shift and wear constantly. When our vehicles are out of alignment we will wear out tires faster and lose ride quality.  As you can see in the illustration a worn and cracking bushing that has not been replaced can allow the components to rest in a new position negatively affecting your wheel alignment.  Some symptoms of a vehicle that is far out of alignment include drifting or pulling while driving. You may even notice that on the highway the car wants to change lanes if you let go of the steering wheel. Additi ... read more

                                        Tire pressure is measured in PSI or Pounds Per Square Inch. Maintaining proper tire pressure is vital for fuel economy, tire wear, and proper steering/handling/braking. You may have a tire warning light on or you have seen a low tire. To determine the proper tire pressure you simply need to locate the vehicle's tire placard. As pictured the tire placard is located in the driver's door jamb.                                                  The manufacturer's tire placard will indicate the tire size, load rating, speed rating, as well as proper tire pressure. The listed tire pressure should be checked and adjusted when the tire is cold. Tire pressure will rise as the tire ... read more