Feeling the Heat: Tires + Summer Heat = Trouble (Sometimes)

The Midwest and Northeast have been feeling the squeeze of a summer heat wave that just won’t seem to break.  The South is just hot, hot, hot all summer and the same goes for the Southwest.  What does all that heat mean on the road?  It can mean tire problems, so take heed and take care of your tires.

Let’s talk tire pressure.  If you’ve read many of my blogs, you’re probably thinking, “Not again with the tire pressure!”  Sorry, sisters, I’m saying it again.  If it seems like all roads lead back to tire pressure that’s just because so many of them actually do.  You need to maintain proper tire pressure!  In the summer months when it’s especially hot, tire pressure fluctuates with the heat (though not as much if you fill your tires with nitrogen.  Check this past blog out for more info on nitrogen fill!).  Your tire pressure can actually fluctuate as much as 1.9% for every 10 F temperature change.  Now, add to that ambient temperature change, the heat of the road and the heat of friction caused by the tire touching the road as it rolls.  It’s just plain old physics.  In one test performed by a tire maker, tires reached a temperature of 170 degrees after only one hour when the temperature outside was 73 degrees.  You can’t change physics; all you can do is try to prepare for it.

According to Bob Beasley of Beasley Tire Service in Houston, Texas, “As the tire loses air pressure, and more heat builds up, the tire starts to flex more. In addition to the 105-degree heat we’ve had lately, [it] will cause that tire to fly apart.”  That doesn’t sound good, does it?  And it’s not just you that you need to worry about.  Be mindful of other drivers when you’re on the highway, especially truckers.  Truckers call thrown treads “alligators.”  Know why?  Because rubber and steel flying off a big rig going 70 mph down the highway will take a bite out of you.  Physics, again.  In fact, this is the worst time of year for truckers and tires; so, you may want to keep your distance from the 18-wheelers traveling with you on the highway.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, from 2005 to 2009, 3,400 people died and 116,000 were injured in tire-related accidents.  That’s a lot of people.  Take care of your tires!  Here are a few things to consider to stay safe on the road this summer: 

1. Be mindful of other drivers around you.
2. Check the pressure in your tires.
3. Consider nitrogen fill for your tires (RNR does that!)
4. Check your tires for wear or damage.
5. Obey the speed limit and don’t travel at high speeds for long periods of time (if it can be avoided), especially in very hot weather.
6. Check the tread on your tire.  Low tread or bald tires are unsafe!
7. Don’t overload your vehicle.

RNR Custom Wheels and Tire Express are right here to help you this summer.  Whether its explaining the benefits of nitrogen fill, checking your tires for visible warning signs of potential problems, or helping you find a new set of tires to keep you and your family safe this summer—we’ve got you covered!

RNR Custom Wheels and Tire Express Wins Big at this Year’s APRO Rental Advertising Excellence Awards

RNR Custom Wheels and Tire Express is celebrating a big win.  At this year’s APRO (Association of Progressive Rental Organizations) Rental Advertising Excellence Awards, RNR was selected from among hundreds of entries for 25 total awards (3 were awarded to Rental Concepts, an RNR franchisee in Arkansas), the most ever awarded to one company in a single year.  RNR Custom Wheels and Tire Express took home an award in 11 of the 15 categories selected by APRO this year.  RNR has been working hard for years to make their advertising the best in the industry, and they have been rewarded—but this year went above and beyond.

The in-house marketing team at RNR, led by Jason Sexton, along with Angela Stork and Randy Cabrera, took home 12 RAE awards: 2 gold, five silver and 5 bronze.  Red Letter Studios, owned and operated by Adam Sutton, won 2 gold and 2 silver; and Out Of the Box Media, owned by Desiree Rivelli Tatum, took a gold, silver and bronze in Radio. Rental Concepts, via the work of Lisa Vail, won gold, silver and bronze in 60 second Radio Advertising, as well.  In addition to this impressive list, at the APRO conference in New Orleans on July 16^th, RNR also took home the Best in Show Award for the in-house and agency divisions.

Says RNR founder and President, Larry Sutton, “We have been participating in the RAE awards since the very first year we opened our doors back in 2000.  Over the years, we have been very fortunate to capture numerous RAE awards, more than any other company, as a matter of fact!  I am extremely pleased that our fabulous Marketing team has once again been recognized as the best in the country. They are an awesome group, and I am proud to have them all on my team.”

Where to Start: Tire Shopping 101 with RNR

Dear Bree,

I don’t know a stinking thing about tires, but I need some.  I have to get off my tush and do this thing already, but I’m a little intimidated to walk into a store knowing zilch.  So, I’m wondering: Can you help get me started?

I’m looking for tires for my car; nothing too fancy, I just need to get myself and the family safely around town.  Help!

Clueless

 

Dear Clueless,

 

You’ve come to the right place, and I feel your pain.  Once upon a time, I took my SUV in to get new tires, clueless as you, and when they asked me some basic questions about my vehicle, it was like they were speaking Greek.  They were really patient with me, we went outside together and they got the info they needed, but I went home feeling like an idiot for walking in blind.  So, a baseline is a good thing.

How about going onto our RNR Custom Wheels and Tire Express website and taking a browse?  We’ve got lots of brands to choose from, and we’ll walk you through things.  Here’s the info you’re going to need to get started: make, model and year of your car.  Then you’re going to need a little info about the size of tire that you want.  If you want to stick with what you have now, go out and look right on the side of your tire, and you’ll find the info you need.  Then you can choose the brand you want to look at, or you can choose “any brand.”  Start there.

Now, if you don’t know much (or anything) about these brands, go to the company’s websites and check them out.  They all have one.  Another tip:  Consumer Reports.  Narrow down some choices (brand, size, performance, price, whatever), then go to Consumer Reports and do a search.  See what other people have to say about the tires you’re looking at.

Next step, come see us.  We’ll walk you through the store so you can see and feel the tires you’ve been looking at online (depending on stock). 

We carry, of course, the big national brands that you’ll recognize right away (Bridgestone, BFGoodrich, Firestone—just to name a few), but we also carry some really great brands that, if you’re new to this tire-buying experience, you might not know, like Falken, Pirelli, etc. (you can find a complete list on our website).  These are great brands, too.

One last thing:  You’ve actually stumbled upon a really good time to buy.  RNR Custom Wheels and Tire Express has a pretty great special going through mid-August.  Right now, $40 will pay your first month on a complete set of tires installed on your car.  If you decide to go with Falken brand passenger tires, you’ll even get a $50 rebate check in the mail from Falken.  Pretty good deal, huh?  So, go to our site, take a look around, do some research, and come see us!

 

Bree