Car-X provides tire service & tire repair for the Greater Des Moines, Altoona, Ankeny and Ames areas.
Tires
We are proud to carry a full line of premium tires from all major manufacturers like Michelin, Continental, and General. From passenger, to truck, to even winter tires, we want to make sure your vehicle is equipped with the right tire. As they say, “The Right Tire Changes Everything”.
Car-X also offers a variety of ways to purchase tires. You can shop online at our Website or just stop by one of our closest locations to you. Either way, we assure you that you will be leaving with the right tires for your vehicle.
Tire Rotation Service
Even tire wear is a good thing; it helps maintain a consistent performance from you car. Tire rotation helps protect your tires against uneven wear.
How tires wear unevenly:
Most tires will show signs of wear based on a variety of reasons: total miles driven, driving styles and habits, wheel alignment, and tire location on the vehicle. Some wear and tear is due to simple every day reasons, such as how tires handle right turns versus left turns. Left turns are gentler. Right turns are harder. And no, we're not about to suggest that you avoid right turns.
Front tires versus rear tires:
Some of the wear and tear is due simply to the way cars are designed. For example, the weight of your front and rear axles differs. Most cars are front-engine cars. So the front axle typically bears more weight than the rear axle. Though this weight difference in cars is natural, without tire rotation, it causes uneven wear.
With tire rotation, wheels are moved from one position on the car, to another. This ensures even tire wear. By moving (rotating) the tires as recommended by the vehicle manufacturers, tires may wear more evenly and help extend the life of your tires. Car manufacturers actually recommend a specific tire rotation frequency and pattern. Check your manual for more guidance, or ask one of our technicians for advice.
Our tire rotation service includes:
* We check your tire pressure
* We inspect tires to identify visible damage or abnormal wear patterns
* We follow the recommendations by the vehicle's manufacturer when deciding the pattern of tire rotation
* We install lug nuts/bolts to the proper torque specifications
Tire Repair Service
Only qualified persons should repair tires.
Any leak or puncture or other injury to a tire obviously affects its performance and your safety. Proper repair is critical. For your safety alone, the general condition of your tires should be inspected frequently for signs of damage.
You may know that all 2008 model year and newer cars, mini-vans and light trucks come with a tire pressure monitoring system. Many slightly older vehicles have these systems as well. A tire pressure monitoring system - called TPMS - consists of sensors on each wheel that measure tire pressure.
For information on how your tire pressure monitoring system works, Check out this link.
If you have any questions about the condition of your tires, simply ask us and we'll be glad to inflate them properly or do an inspection if needed. If you have a leaky or punctured tire, and the damage is safely fixable, we can help you.
Proper tire care can help reduce unnecessary tire repair:
Some simple maintenance will help you make the most of your tire investment. In fact, if you practice some common sense tire maintenance, you can make your tires last longer (sometimes thousands of miles longer).
The more you practice the following guidelines, the less you'll depend on us for tire repair, and the longer you'll drive without the need for a tire replacement.
- Check your tire pressure monthly -- an improperly inflated tire can build up heat, blow out the tire, and worse, cause a roll over and injury
- Check your thread depth monthly (see "How to 'read' your tires" below)
- Rotate tires every 5,000 to 8,000 miles
- Make sure your tires are properly aligned
Are your tires going bald?
Some tire repair and replacement is unavoidable. But vehicle owners who inspect their own tires monthly can more easily see signs of problems and correct them. Frankly, we believe every car owner should know how to recognize tires that are going bald. Why? Because badly worn tires are more susceptible to penetration by nails and other objects. Worse yet, bald or nearly-bald tires can easily skid in wet weather conditions and cause accidents.
Learn how to "read" your tires:
We recommend that you learn to "read" the early warning signs of tire wear.
New tires have treadwear indicators (usually marked with a bold color like blue). These indicators are there to help you gauge tire wear with just one look. Look at these indicator areas to check the remaining tread depth on your tire. If there are only two thirty-seconds of an inch (2/32") remaining in tread depth, then it's time to replace your tires.
What punctures can be fixed?
First, we follow manufacture guidelines for every tire. Why? Because that's the safest way to deal with tire repair or replacement. But here's a general rule of thumb. Only punctures to the tread area of the tire are possible, and only if the puncture is no greater than a quarter-inch wide.
To be absolutely certain that your tire is repairable, we will perform an internal inspection of your tire. Specifically, we will remove the tire from the rim and inspect the tire's inner lining -- and the sidewall of your tire. If we can repair your tire safely, we will do so. If we cannot, we may recommend that you buy a new tire.
Sometimes we recommend that customers buy two new tires at a time so that the car rides more evenly.
