User Manual

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repaired tire may cause further damage to the tire by either leaking air or
allowing air, moisture, and contaminants to enter the structure of the tire.
An improperly repaired tire can fail suddenly at a later date and result in
an accident. Never repair a tire with less than 2/32nds of an inch of tread
remaining. At this tread depth, the tire is worn out and must be replaced.
STORAGE
Tires contain materials to protect their outer surfaces from ozone and
weather checking. As the tire rolls and flexes, those materials continually
migrate to the surface, replenishing this protection throughout the normal
use of the tire. Consequently, when tires sit outdoors, unused for long periods
of time (a month or more), their surfaces become dry and more susceptible
to ozone and weather checking, and the casing becomes susceptible to flat
spotting. For this reason, tires should always be stored in a cool, dry, clean,
indoor environment. If storage is for one month or more, eliminate the
weight from the tires by raising the vehicle or by removing the tires from
the vehicle. Failure to store tires in accordance with these instructions could
result in damage to your tires or premature aging of the tires and sudden
tire failure. When tires are stored, be sure they are placed away from sources
of heat and ozone such as hot pipes and electric generators. Be sure that
surfaces on which tires are stored are clean and free from grease, gasoline or
other substances which could deteriorate the rubber. Tires exposed to these
materials during storage or driving could be subject to sudden failure.
One reason why your spare tire should be included in the tire rotation
schedule is that temperatures in a vehicle’s closed trunk, especially in sunny
geographical areas, can become high enough so that, over a sustained
period, they can cause small cracks or other changes to the properties of a
tire stored in the trunk. An accumulation of such changes can weaken the
tire and, especially if the tire is not kept properly inflated, make it unsafe to
use when it is needed.
PROPER TIRE MOUNTING
Tire mounting can be dangerous and must be done by professionally trained
persons using proper tools and procedures as specified by the Rubber
Manufacturers Association (RMA).
Your tires should be mounted on wheels that are the correct size and type
and are in good, clean condition. Wheels that are bent, chipped, rusted (steel
wheels) or corroded (alloy wheels) may cause tire damage. The inside of the
tire must be free from foreign material. Have your tire retailer check the
wheels before mounting new tires. Mismatched tires and rims can explode
during mounting. Also, mismatched tires and rims can result in dangerous
tire failure on the road. If a tire is mounted by error on the wrong-sized rim,
do not remount it on the proper rim – scrap it. It may have been damaged
internally (which is not externally visible) by having been dangerously
stretched and could fail on the highway, resulting in an accident.
Old valves may leak. When new tubeless tires are mounted, have new valves
of the correct type installed. Tubeless tires must be mounted only on wheels
designed for tubeless tires, i.e., wheels that have safety humps or ledges.
Always utilize valve caps capable of containing the tire’s inflation, should
the valve core leak. The valve cap is the primary seal against air loss. Each tire
and wheel assembly should be balanced to ensure proper tire and vehicle
performance and to maintain tire warranty coverage. Tires and wheel
assemblies that are not balanced may cause steering difficulties, a bumpy
ride, and irregular tire wear.
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