The way our cars operate rests on the car’s engine as well as our car tires. Car tires were invented in Paris in 1888.

Evolution of Tires

Tires have gone through several changes through the decades and continue to advance to this day. In 1903, the tubeless tire was introduced. These tires helped lower the weight of vehicles which then lowered the cost of fuel. In 1905, tread was introduced in order to protect the material inside of the car tire. Tread helps with friction when the rubber meets the road. It helps the operation of the car In 1923, a low-pressure tire arrived on the market. This tire increased the contact area to the road surfaces. . In 1931, synthetic rubber was included on tires in order to help improve the overall quality of car tires. In 1950, the radial tire was introduced to especially help traction for higher speed vehicles. These tires allow for uniform contact of tread. In 1979, The run-flat tire appeared onto motor vehicles. These tires allowed vehicles to be driven up to 80 km/h without having to replace them with a new set of tires. These tires were designed to help drivers avoid accidents when faced with tough road obstacles. Shortly after the run-flat tire came the Ultra High-Performance Tire or the UHP tire. These tires were designed to handle superior driving incidences such as turns, cornering and immediate braking. These tires can handle speeds up to 240 km/h. It wasn’t until the 2000’s when tires underwent some more changes. In 2012, Hankook Tire invented the first airless tire, the Non-Pneumatic Tire (NPT). These tires are used for eco-friendly cars including electric cars, hydrogen cars as well as hybrid models. As technology in both tire materials and vehicles advance, drivers will see more changes in the tire industry.

When You Get Caught In The Rain or Snow…

Quality car tires are important on any day; their performance is particularly important during bad weather days. Driving in the rain or snow are examples of the type of weather drivers will run into. The good news is, there are several tire options to choose from to promote driving safety.

The first type of tire that is best for snowy conditions are winter tires. Winter tires consist of a rubber component that allows for the best traction when temperatures drop and develops snow and/or icy roads. The tread found on winter tires also allows for better traction for each drive. There are special grooves within the tire that latches onto the snow and ice.

When coming across rainy conditions, placing all-season tires are a good option. These tires offer traction the specifically helps to control the car’s steering and alignment. These are especially important during rainy conditions. They also offer hydroplaning resistance that will lessen the chances of accidents while driving through puddles of rain on the roads.

Tire Changing Class is in Session

Studies tell us that nearly half of the U.S. population either isn’t aware or have the confidence they could perform the act of changing a tire on a motor vehicle. This is a large percentage. With the resources available both online or just asking a fellow neighbor, family member or friend for a quick lesson, this statistic could considerably lessen.

We will preface this by saying, learning from another person is the best method to be on your way to a tire changing expert. With that said, we will talk about 5 steps to reaching your yearlong tire changing goals.

1. If you experience a flat tire while on the road, be sure to pull over on the side of the road (in order to get away from incoming traffic) and turn on your hazard lights. This will alert other drivers that you have an emergency.
2. Once positioned in front of your tires, you will need to loosen the lug nuts and raise your vehicle with a car jack.
3. Once your car is raised, remove the lug nuts and the flat tire and replace the tire with a spare.
4. Secure the lug nuts and then lower your vehicle back onto the ground with the car jack.
5. Double check the lug nuts are secure and then place your tools and flat tire inside of your trunk.

Flat tires can happen as a result of either too much air in the tires or not enough. They can happen from encountering debris on the road that causes a puncture into your tire as well as being involved in car accidents, etc. Following these steps will help to ensure you have an efficient and safe tire changing experience.

Too Much Air or Not Enough?

Tires performance is largely in connection with having enough air pressure involved throughout the year. Too much air or a significant decrease in air can cause flat tires, the vehicles steering to diminish, and more. Many of the newer car models have automatic tire sensors that alert drivers on the air pressure. For the older model cars, there are affordable options to make sure the tire air pressure doesn’t become a problem. Tire air pressure gauges can be purchased and used anytime. So how much air does your car tires need? To answer this question, each driver can look to their driver’s manual which will list the tire air pressure range to stay within. They sometimes can also be found when opening the driver’s door – it is often listed inside the bottom panel on the manufacturer’s sticker.

The Need for Speed…

Many drivers are searching for the ability to have their vehicles handle higher speeds more effectively. This can begin with the selection of the right type of tires. Performance tires are often purchased to achieve this goal. Performance tires are constructed differently than traditional tires, therefore they operate differently and often with a much higher price tag. They allow for precision in steering, traction and overall handling. Performance tires can operate effectively in speeds up to 130 mph; Ultra-high-performance tires can reach 186 mph. Performance tires can handle weather conditions such as rain, snow, as well as dryer conditions in high temperature areas. Side note: To find the recommended speed for your vehicle, look inside your driver’s manual.

Walmart Tire Installation

Grab those tax refunds and replace your car tires at Walmart! With a large selection to choose from including all-season, performance, trailer, truck tires and more!

Walmart understands that choosing the best tires can get confusing to any driver. Visit the tried and true online tire-finder to help you make the best selection. Here, you can place all your vehicle information, including the make, model and year of your vehicle. The online finder will give you some of the tire industry selections that Walmart carries to help you narrow down your search.

Walmart offers several tire deals online. These can include tires at discounted rates (i.e. $20 on select tire sets), giveaways with the purchase of tires – Free Sirius XM Radio with purchase, tire bundle options, and much more.

Walmart even offers tires that are priced under $50!

Walmart offers customers tire installation for a price of $12.00 per tire. This includes mounting, valve stems as well as a lifetime balance and rotation fee after every 7,500 miles. Or each driver can choose to purchase the tire services separately. This includes:

Lifetime balance & Rotation: $12/tire

Valve stem/TPMS Service: $3/tire

Flat Tire Repair: $10/tire

Tire mounting: $10/tire

Tire Rotation: $2.50/tire

Lug nut replacement: $2/lug nut

Reset Tire Pressure Monitoring System: FREE

In the market for new car tires? Come visit Walmart for a large and affordable selection! Whether you need specialty tires or all-season, Walmart, with their inventory and professional installation services will get you back on the road again!