How to Check Tire Tread Depth and Tire Pressure

September 21, 2020 by Hardik K

To save yourself from major expenses or accidents, you need to maintain your car. Tires are one of the most important parts of your car and need regular care. There are two reasons to ensure your tires are in good condition and if not, you must invest in mobile tire changing services:

Good condition of tires keeps you safe and
Good conditions of tires keep your pocketbook safer

By investing in regular summer tire change or winter tire change, you not only extend the life of the tires, but also save money on gas. Of course, staying safe is a bonus as if your tires do not have a good grip on the road, it will definitely lose traction and lead to accidents.

To assure tire safety, you need to examine the conditions of tires or take the help of winter or all season tire change experts. If you want to inspect tire conditions by yourself, we will cover two important aspects to gauge the condition of the tires:

Tire Pressure

Maintaining the right air pressure in the tire is essential for three reasons:

Assured safety
Better performance
Fuel economy

You can take the help of an expert on summer tire change or all season tire change to ensure the right tire pressure. To maintain the right tire pressure, follow these steps:

Check the correct pressure needed by checking the manufacturer manual or look at the door at the driver’s side.
Check tire pressure every time you get fuel or at least once a month.

Always remember,

If you are running a car with lower air pressure than recommended by your manufacturer, it can damage your tire by making it flat.
If you have higher than recommended tire pressure, it will make the tire harder.

Tire Tread Depth

Tire tread depth is prone to wear, which can make your tires bald. Balder tire easily loses grip and leads to accidents. Thus, it is necessary to inspect the tire tread depth to assure whether you need all season tire change, winter or summer tire change now or not. Here is an effective method to examine this by using a toonie, or quarter:

Place the toonie in the tread of all tires of your vehicle one by one:

If the tire tread covers half or more than half of the letters, do not wait anymore. Contact experts to get mobile tire changing services.
If half of the silver part is covered, it means the tire is worn by 50%. It indicates the tire is still in good condition, but soon you will need winter, summer, or all season tire change.
If the tread covers the toonie less than 10%, then your tire is good and you do not need a tire change.

Older tires not only makes the ride expensive but also dangerous. Investing in tire change is better than more expensive repairs.

We, Urban Lube, are renowned for our mobile tire changing services. Contact us for the tire change services.

Can You Save Money on Gas by Increasing Fuel Efficiency?

July 31, 2020 by Hardik K

You cannot do much about increasing gas prices. However, you can definitely do much about increasing fuel efficiency, getting some extra miles and saving you money. Let’s check some of the major ways of saving money on gas by increasing fuel efficiency:

1. Make Sure Tires are in Good Condition

Believe it or not, all parts of the car (even your driving habits!) contribute to your fuel use. Here are some of the tips you must keep in mind:

Invest in regular tire changes and replacement service if your tires are too old and worn.
Regularly check the tire pressure and do what’s necessary to make sure it has the required air pressure.

2. Stay Conscious About Some Driving Habits

Tire changes and replacements are not enough. You also need to be conscious about some of your driving habits such as:

Do not indulge your racing instincts… For safety and fuel consumption – go easy on the acceleration and breaking.
Steady driving contributes to good fuel efficiency. Try and maintain your speed when driving distances.

3. Take Good Care of the Engine

Engine performance unquestionably contributes to gas usage and money saving on gas. Thus, you must get vehicle service at regular intervals. Oil is an important element to enhance and maintain the performance of the engine. Regular oil changes in Regina are inevitable. You should also change the air filter at a regular interval.

4. Do Not Carry Too Much Weight

Yes, you read it right. The more weight you carry in the car the more gas it will burn. It is necessary to be conscious of what you are carrying with you in the car. Some tips for keeping an eye on your load weight:

Empty your back seats and trunk whenever possible
Do not give a lift to too many people unless it is unavoidable
Fill your tank half full of fuel rather than getting it filled completely. This reduces the overall weight. However, keep an eye on the situation – you don’t want to be left stranded with no station to fill the gas and no fuel.

5. Use fewer Comfort Features

Modern cars and other vehicles as well come with an amazing range of amenities to make your drive more comfortable and pleasant such as:

Open sunroof
Open windows
Heated seats
Heater
Air conditioner

Use of these comfort features while driving the car often increases gas consumption.

Read To Know More: How Much Does an Oil Change Cost at Urban Lube?

6. Tune-up your Car with a Reliable Service Provider

It is necessary to go for regular tune-ups for the car or any other vehicle you use. They will do an oil change Regina and other tune-ups, which reduces gas consumption.

Urban Lube has many delighted customers that have used their tire change and replacement in Regina, synthetic oil changes, and many other services to keep the vehicle fuel-efficient and save money on gas. Contact Urban Lube to get your vehicle inspected and tuned to keep it fuel-efficient.

All You Need To Know About Tire Change

June 10, 2020 by Hardik K

As your vehicle keeps moving, many parts of the vehicle get affected by wear and tear and your tires are affected more than most. The tire is the main contact point between the road and your vehicle so there should not be any compromise related to tire health. It provides necessary traction and grip to vehicles to keep you on the road. Here, we will explain when a Tire Change is needed and, while changing the tire, what to keep in mind.

How To Know That You Need A Tire Change:

The first and most common way to check if a Tire Change is needed is to do a visual inspection. By looking at the surface of the tire, you will get a basic idea about the health of your tire. If you find any unevenness or worn surface it means the life of your tire is over and you need a Tire Change. Sometimes, a tire can be repaired if the damage is minor. Here are some conditions under which a tire can be repaired:

The tire has not been driven on when flat
The damage is only on the tread section of your tire
The puncture is less than 1/4 inch

When you are done with a visual inspection and need more clarity about the health of your tire, you need to inspect it from the inside. Take the vehicle to a mechanic and ask for a proper inspection – this will give you the best indication of true tire health. After an inspection, you may have to change the tire. So, here are some tips to keep in mind during a Tire Change:

When To Buy Tire:

During an inspection, if you find that tread of your tire is worn and it is not providing enough grip and traction, a Tire Change is needed.
Weather Condition is another parameter for a Tire Change. To get the best performance from the engine, your tire needs to be compatible with road and weather conditions.
Frequent punctures mean that tire material has turned soft and you likely need a Tire Change.

These are simple signs that you need to change the tire. If your tire is showing any of them, please go for a Tire Change.

How To Buy Tire:

Before buying a tire, you will have to find a suitable tire size for your rim, decide the brand to go with, decide which season you are buying the tire for, the road conditions you expect to encounter, and budget.

Tire Size: Tire size varies with the vehicle. It depends on the rim size of the vehicle, so before a Tire Change confirms the tire size.

Brand: An important factor before buying a tire is Brand. There are many brands available but you need to decide which brand will be more suitable for you.

Season: Determine which season you are buying a tire. Tire strength, material, and elasticity vary with the season. Winter tire will have different properties than Summer tires.

Road Condition: Tire manufacturers design tires for various road conditions. Before making a purchase, define which road conditions your vehicle is going to encounter. Buy your tires accordingly.

Budget: Define your budget range before buying a tire. It will help you to be specific about the product you want.

How Your Tires Can Help Save Your Gas Money?

May 12, 2020 by Hardik K

Tires are a key component of your car. Tires are directly linked to the overall performance of your vehicle on the road. An effective tire maintenance service helps your car to run seamlessly on the road as well as assuring the safety of the driver and passengers. One more unknown fact is that your car’s tires affect the gas mileage as well. Thus, tire maintenance helps in saving money on gas as well.

Tires affect nearly everything about your car. They include:

Braking
Acceleration
Grip
Comfort
Performance
Fuel efficiency

Tires are the mainstay of your car’s operational efficiency. Tires keep your car moving on the road and hence periodic tire maintenance is a must to keep them in good shape.

Tire maintenance helps you to:

Achieve optimum fuel economy
Get a better gas mileage
Save money at the gas station
Improve the overall vehicle performance
Increase the life of your automobile
Prevent environmental pollution due to less vehicular exhaust

Here are some of the best practices for increasing your car’s fuel economy from the tires.

1) Tire change

If you are happy with the performance given by the set of tires that came along with your car, you should go in for the same brand.
Going in for low rolling resistance tire change enables your vehicle to move by minimizing energy (gasoline) wastage due to the reduced rolling effort.
When you are opting for a tire change, choose the tire model having a higher fuel efficiency rating.

2) Tire pressure

Keeping your car’s tires properly inflated is an important aspect of tire maintenance.
Both overpressure and under pressure can severely affect the life of the tires.
Inflation pressure in tires must be checked at least once or twice a month, especially when the tires are cool.
Assure to have the correct tire pressure as it helps you boost the fuel economy and save a lot of money.
Driving at the wrong psi pressure will unnecessarily result in the burning of more fuel, increase the pressure on the car engine and severely affect the life of the tires.
Driving at 20-25%increased pressure decreases tire life by 30%.
Driving at 20% under pressure increases the fuel consumption of your car by 10%.

3) Tire rotation

Tire rotation is an effective way to increase the longevity of your car’s tires.
It is advised to adhere to your vehicle manufacturer’s manual for the tire rotation interval.
Most vehicle manufacturers recommend tire rotation after 5000 miles.
Tire rotation at the right time prevents your tires from wearing out unevenly.
Tire rotation also extends the life of your car’s tires, thus enabling you to save money and time in the long run.

4) Loading capacity of tires

Every tire has a unique load capacity.
Exceeding the loading capacity reduces the lifespan of the tires.
Crossing the specified loading index mentioned in the tires results in increased fuel consumption.

What is keeping you waiting? Go in for Urban Lube tire maintenance services without any delay.

When to Change Your Winter Tires to All Season Tires?

April 11, 2020 by Hardik K

If you own a vehicle, the perfect time for a tire change depends on where you live and which climate you are currently experiencing. If you are in Canada, the end of winters is marked by longer and warmer days. This is an indicator for you to get all season tire change done.

Going in for a tire change at the right time will help you get better mileage and save money. While a tire change may appear to be quite tedious and inconvenient, in the long run, it is good for your wallet and safety.

Winter Tires and All Season Tire Change

When to change winter tire? As a general rule, winter tire change is recommended once the temperature drops below 7 °C. Similarly, when the temperature rises above 7 °C, an all season tire change is advisable.

Winter tires and all-season tires are manufactured using different rubber compounds. The use of different rubber compounds allows different tires to be best suited for a particular temperature range.

Winter tires are built to perform optimally at sub-zero temperatures in snowy conditions. Winter tires have a large number of soft and flexible treads. Winter tire change provides a better grip and traction on the icy roads. To put it in simple terms, winter tires are well equipped to handle cold climate conditions. However, when the temperature warms up the features of winter tires become ineffective. This is the time to roll out your winter tires and go for an all-season tire change.

In warmer temperatures, the rubber compound from which the winter tires are made becomes too soft. Driving with winter tires on dry and hot pavements will wear them out quickly. The friction between the tires and the road results in the generation of tremendous heat. This has a significant impact on braking and vehicle handling.

Are All Season Tires Good for Snow?

All season tires are engineered to enable hassle-free driving for the major phases of the year, i.e. during spring, summer and early fall. They can move smoothly over muddy and wet roads. The rubber compounds that make up all-season tires can resist heat and do not wear down quickly on hot and dry roads. Also, the unique tread design on all season tires offers great year-round performance for driving. An all-season tire change also offers a comfortable ride during light winter conditions when there is no snow accumulation on the road.

When it comes to a tire change, timing is everything. It is best to keep an eye on the weather conditions and opt for the appropriate tire change to match the conditions. Whether it is a winter tire change or all-season tire change, you must never be in a hurry or too slow to switch over the tires. But once the snow and cold have disappeared it is time for you to get an all-season tire change done.

6 Benefits of Mobile Tire Replacement

February 8, 2020 by Hardik K

A bad or flat tire can give you a hard time. It is way too wearisome if you need to move the car to a nearby tire change and replacement center. However, this hard time can be avoided completely by using mobile tire change services offered by reliable providers. If you are still confused about its worth, read on to learn about the top 6 pros of using mobile tire change services.

Top 6 Pros Of Using Mobile Tire Change Services

1. Save Time

Finding a nearby garage or calling a tire change and replacement service provider would waste a lot of time. On the contrary, when you call a mobile tire change service provider, they will reach you within a few minutes and you can be on the road back within no time.

2. Stay Stress-Free

The mobile tire change services are made available round the clock at any location. Just a single call will get you professionals that will replace or repair the tire. You will not need to worry at all about locating a nearby automotive center or wait until your mechanic reaches you. All you need to carry is a helpline number of roadside automobile service providers and you are sorted.

3. Stay Risk-Free

There are some accidents registered that happened while a driver changes the tire on the road in a dark sight. This is indeed a dangerous situation. Thus, it is better to call roadside assistance. They come with the required tools to indicate that work is going on. Furthermore, walking alone on the road to locate a garage would not be a safe idea. You just stay in your car and the mobile tire change services will be made available at the earliest possible to keep you risk free.

4. Stay Clean

Changing a tire is not a clean job. When you handle the whole process of tire change and replacement, you will make your hands and clothes, both dirty. You may also hurt yourself with this heavy work. On the other hand, calling a roadside assistance provider will keep you away from this job.

5. Cost Effective

When we say mobile tire change services many may think that it must be an expensive service. However, this is completely wrong. This service is cheaper compared to other options such as

Calling a mechanic on the site to repair the tire or
Taking tow service to reach a nearby service station

6. Get Complete Assistance

When a car goes flat, all you think about is fixing the tire only. However, there can be some other issues as well with your car which would leave you halfway. When you call a roadside assistant, he will fix the tire as well as based on your contract or request, he can also quickly check the health of the vehicle and fix the issue to make sure you do not stop halfway.

These are the top 6 benefits of using mobile tire change services which clearly indicates it is the best option.