Back to all

Selecting New Tires and Wheels

November 4, 2018



Some of us Austin drivers just love tires. All those little rubber hairs on new tires and the smell is wonderful. We live in a great time for tires. No matter how you drive around Texas, where you want to go or the look you're after; there is a tire for you.

The same is true about wheels. The hardest part is choosing from the thousands of wheels available at Texas tire shops.

The team at Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Austin can help you get some things in mind before you make a purchase. Let's start with function and think about how you drive.

For example, maybe you have a large SUV but you don't drive off-road around Texas, so an off-road tread isn't important. Also, because you are not out bouncing over rocks in the Texas backcountry, you don't need a high profile tire to protect your rims. So that means you can probably go with the low-wide look.

If you have a winter season with rain and snow or if you find you need better ice and snow performance, they make great, high-performance snow tires that won't make it look like you are driving a tractor.

There really are a lot of options for any given vehicle. Austin drivers will find it very helpful to have a discussion like this with their Austin tire pro or the tire experts at Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Austin when they need new tires. You can find the best solutions for your driving needs and to make improvements in ride or handling.

Picking a wheel that is the same size as what you are now running on is important and pretty simple. But, it gets trickier if you want to upsize. Just get some help when you go bigger. All that tire and wheel still needs to fit in the available space. You do not want your tires to rub when you turn or hit a bump. Austin drivers also need to make sure their brakes and suspension bits will fit with their wheel of choice. It doesn't matter how great your car looks if it's not drivable.

Taller, wider wheels and tires probably weigh more than your stock shoes. And it's "unsprung" weight that has a big impact on brake performance. The upsized shoes increase rotational inertia; if you go too big you may need to upgrade your brakes to compensate.

Another possible problem is an inaccurate speedometer. This happens because the number of rotations can change with the new wheels. Fortunately, speedometers and odometers are all controlled by the engine computer; so they need to get reprogrammed at Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Austin to compensate for the bigger tires.

No matter what you are after: low cost, long life, high performance, traction or stunning good looks, your wheel and tire professional at Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Austin in Austin, Texas, can help identify your needs and give you a custom fit. With all the options available, you don't have to compromise. There is a tire out there with your name on it!

Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Austin
1170 Anderson Mill Rd
Austin, Texas 78750
512-258-3400
http://www.tuffyaustin.com

More articles from Tuffy Austin

Muffler: Victim of Winter (Muffler Repair)

March 24, 2024

So you almost got through the winter until, one day, your muffler started sounding like a dragster, loud and obnoxious. It's not surprising. All that road salt and brine can cause rust to punch holes in a muffler, and that should raise a big, red warning flag about the safety of your vehicle. O... More

Don't Miss a Beat (Importance of Regular Maintenance)

March 17, 2024

In many places, license plates have to be renewed every year or else you can't drive your vehicle legally. Usually, you'll get a reminder from the agency that issues the plates. That kind of regular attention needs to be paid to your vehicle as well. Its manufacturer has determined a schedule o... More

I NEED All Wheel Drive (Pros and Cons of AWD)

March 10, 2024

So winter has arrived and you don't feel confident in how your 2-wheel drive vehicle does in the snow and ice. You envy all those people with all-wheel-drive (AWD) and 4-wheel-drive (4WD) cars, trucks and SUVs. You start thinking, "I need one of those. I'll be able to go anywhere without any w... More