FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS . . .
1. Do your tire prices include installation and balancing?
ANSWER: Yes, our tire prices DO include installation and balancing. This is important to know if you are comparing prices at different tire dealers in your area as it makes a difference and can affect your decision-making process.
2. What is the environmental fee that I noticed all tire dealers seem to charge?
ANSWER: The environmental fee is charged on all new tires that are sold in Saskatchewan and is required as a Tire Recycling Fee (TRF) to comply with Provincial Legislation regulating the disposal of used tires that are removed when the new ones are put on. For more details on the Scrap Tire Recycling Program in Saskatchewan, we invite you to visit the Saskatchewan Scrap Tire Corporation’s website at www.scraptire.sk.ca.
3. How often should I rotate my tires?
ANSWER: About every 8,000 to 10,000 km. Value Tire offers free rotation every 10,000 km with the purchase of 4 new passenger tires. It is recommended that you rotate your tires every 8,000 to 10,000 km.
4. Do I need Nitrogen in my tires?
ANSWER: No. But Nitrogen does help prolong tire life by about 30%, improve handling of the vehicle, and saves about 5-7% on gas.
5. What do the numbers mean on the side of my tire?
ANSWER: The numbers on the side of your tires indicate the type, size, side wall height, and rim size.
Example: “P205/55R16 91H”
– The “P” at the begining tells you that this is a passenger vehicle tire (can also be LT for light trucks, or ST for trailer tires).
– The “205″ tells us the width of the tire.
– The “55″ tells us the height of the side wall expressed as a percentage (so this tells us the height of the side wall is 55% of the width).
– The “R” tells us that this is a Radial tire.
– The “16″ tells us that the rim is 16 inches in diameter.
– Lastly the “91H” is the speed rating and load index.
6. Can you explain the speed rating and Load Index?
ANSWER: The speed rating symbol is a letter that ranges from A to Z and covers speeds from 5 km/h (3 mph) to over 300 km/h (over 186 mph). Passenger car tires typically range from Q to V and Z. Exceeding the safe, legal speed limit is neither recommended nor endorsed. It is best to speak to your professional tire dealer if you want to replace your speed-rated tires since the speed rating of the replacement tire must be equal to or greater than that of the OE (original equipment) tire if the speed capability and safety of the vehicle is to be maintained. The load index is a number ranging from 0 to 279 and covers load capacities from the smallest motorcycle tires to the largest earthmover tires. In passenger car tires, the load index typically ranges from 75 to 100, although several of the larger passenger sizes carry higher indexes. In the example above the load index is 91 which corresponds to a load capacity of 1356 lbs or 615 kg. at maximum inflation. Please check with your professional tire dealer to determine the capacity for your particular tire(s).
7. Do winter tires really make a significant difference on traction than all-season tires?
ANSWER: Yes. Winter tires have special compounds in them to keep them softer in cold weather, also winter tires have special sipes in them to help suction the tires to the ice. There is a significant difference in your stopping and starting traction when using winter tires – once you try it – you’ll never want anything less on your vehicle when confronting snow and ice on winter roads!
