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Category Archives: Tires and Wheels

Tire Maintenance in Colorado Springs

With the recent focus in the Colorado Springs area on improving fuel economy, we've been told how important it is to maintain our tire pressure.Colorado Springs drivers know that tires wear out, but we want to make them last as long as possible because they're not cheap to replace. In addition to saving gas, properly inflated tires last longer. Underinflated tires will wear out more quickly.Some people in Colorado Springs wonder if they should add a few extra pounds of pressure when they fill up their tires. Bad idea. In fact, there are very good reasons not to overinflate your tires. For one, the middle of the tread will wear unevenly because the full tread is not contacting the road properly. That also adversely affects your handling. Stop by Lighthouse Automotive to see about tire maintenance for your vehicle. Lighthouse Automotive2499 East Platte AveColorado Springs, Colorado 80909719.634.0005 Every vehicle in the Colorado Springs area has a ... read more

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Tires and Wheels

Below 45 Degrees in Colorado Springs: Consider Winter Tires

Remember snow tires? They were basically just regular tires with big, knobby lugs to get them through deep snow. They were loud and rode hard, and Colorado Springs drivers couldn't wait to get them off the car. Then along came television advertisements for “all-season” radials. Colorado drivers ran out and bought some and we thought we were done with snow tires forever.Tires have come a long way since then. Modern winter tires sold in the Colorado Springs area are much better designed for the wide range of conditions that come with Colorado winter weather. They are made with a rubber compound that helps them stay flexible in cold weather. Regular tires become hard and stiff at Colorado Springs temperatures below 45°F (7° C) which reduces their traction. That's a concern in winter, especially with snowy or wet conditions. But it also means that Colorado Springs drivers are better off with winter tires in cold weather even when it's dry.The tread design on winter tir ... read more

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Tires and Wheels

Beware of Cheap Tires in Colorado Springs

Do you like to shop for shoes in Colorado Springs?When buying a running shoe, is quality important?Does durability matter as long as the shoes look fabulous?Would you rather have one pair of long lasting shoes or two pairs of lower quality shoes at the same price?Is the warranty important when buying tires? Colorado Springs drivers should also think about the safety aspect of tires. The tires do a lot of work – they carry the weight of the vehicle and you and your passengers. You want to be sure they hold the road and provide good traction on Colorado freeways and surface streets. If you carry heavy loads or tow a trailer on Colorado highways, the tires need a high load rating.Ask your friendly and knowledgeable Colorado Springs tire professional at Lighthouse Automotive. I think it's important that Colorado Springs residents understand the effect of price on a tire's quality, performance and durability. When I was a kid, my dad would say,  ... read more

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Tires and Wheels

Keep Your Tires Well Rounded in Colorado Springs: Tire Rotation and Wheel Balancing at Lighthouse Automotive

Taking care of our tires is part of vehicle care for Colorado Springs drivers. We know they have to be replaced when they wear out, but tires also require some preventive maintenance. This maintenance will improve and extend the life of the tires, so it's well worth the effort and expense for Colorado Springs drivers to get it done. Tire maintenance includes keeping tires properly inflated, rotating tires and balancing wheels.The recommended tire pressure for a vehicle's tires is printed on a sticker on the inside of the driver's side doorjamb. A lot of engineering goes into calculating the correct pressure, so it's an important number for Colorado Springs vehicle owners to know. Not following this recommendation can throw off the suspension system and can lead to tire damage. Underinflated tires wear out more quickly than properly inflated tires. Vehicles also get better traction and handling on properly inflated tires. Check your tire pressure at least once a week and add ... read more

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Tires and Wheels

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Wheel Bearings

Why are wheel bearings for Colorado Springs vehicles important? It's simple: your wheel bearings keep the wheels on your vehicle. In today's Lighthouse Automotive post, we'll discuss more about wheel bearings and how you can make sure they can do their very job while you drive around Colorado Springs, Colorado. Wheel bearings are pretty simple parts. They're made of high quality steel and are engineered to last 100,000 miles (160,000)  or more if properly cared for. The bearings do two jobs: First, they allow the wheel to freely rotate with as little friction as possible. Second, they support the weight of the vehicle. For example, if your car weighs 3,600 pounds (1600 kilogram), each wheel has to support approximately 900 pounds (400 kilograms). That's a lot of heavy lifting over those long distances.Even though wheel bearings are pretty straightforward, they need to be in near perfect condition to do their job for Colorado Springs vehicles. The bearings are pack ... read more

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Tires and Wheels

Lighthouse Automotive Advice on Buying New Tires

Today's tires and wheels offer a lot of options for every Colorado Springs driver's style, habits and driving conditions.Tires are designed for high-performance in winter or summer and even come in a long-wearing variety for all Colorado seasons.Colorado Springs off-roaders should be excited about the options available to them as well. The tread on off-road tires is designed to handle the wear from bumps and rocks. The tires' high profile protects rims from damage.But what if you own an SUV but aren't interested in off-roading around Colorado? You can change out those high-profile beasts for a lower, wider look if it suits your style.Lighthouse Automotive tire professionals can offer great auto advice on how to choose tires that match your needs and style.If you just need to purchase new tires, a tire professional at Lighthouse Automotive can also help you select the tires that are best for your driving needs and habits. The right tires will protect you and your vehicle on t ... read more

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Tires and Wheels

Automotive Tips from Lighthouse Automotive: When to Replace a Damaged Tire

Repair or Replace? That’s a question Colorado Springs drivers ask when they have tire damage. Some punctures cannot be repaired because of their size or location. Punctures larger than a quarter of an inch (6.4 mm) are considered too large to be safely repaired. Punctures in the sidewall or near the shoulders may not be able to be repaired. And sometimes there is internal damage revealed on inspection that indicates the tire should not be repaired. Run flat tires should not be repaired. Repairing high performance tires may make them unsuitable for motorsports. Your friendly and professional Lighthouse Automotive service advisor can inspect your damaged tire and tell you if it can be safely repaired or if it should be replaced - and then help you get back on the roads around Colorado Springs.Give us a call.Lighthouse Automotive2499 East Platte AveColorado Springs, Colorado 8090971

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Tires and Wheels

Automotive Tips from Lighthouse Automotive: Where Should New Tires Be Placed

When Colorado Springs drivers need to replace tires, they need to know how many they should get and on which axle they should be placed. Replacing a damaged tire may leave you with three others with significant wear, which could affect your traction control, stability control and anti-lock brake systems.If you can’t afford to replace all four tires at once, you should at least replace two on the same axle. New tires should always be put on the rear axle for stability in slippery conditions. Your friendly and professional Lighthouse Automotive tire professional can help you know when your worn tires should be replaced, if you can have a damaged tire repaired as well as selecting the right tires for your needs.Give us a call.Lighthouse Automotive2499 East Platte AveColorado Springs, Colorado 8090971

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Tires and Wheels

Shake It up in Colorado Springs!: Why Wheel Balancing

Our vehicles are not massage chairs. While we may enjoy a good vibration in an overstuffed recliner, we generally want as smooth a ride as possible in our vehicles. One way to achieve this is to keep a vehicle's wheels in balance. When a tire is mounted onto a wheel, it is usually out of balance. This means that as the wheel spins, there is a slight wobble to the path of the tire. For best handling performance and safety on the road, Colorado Springs drivers want to minimize this wobble as much as possible. So we balance our tires. To balance a tire, your technician at Lighthouse Automotive spins it on a machine or drum to determine where it is off-balance. He then attaches weights that counter-balance the uneven weight. Most people in Colorado Springs are surprised at how much balancing improves the smoothness of their ride. High-quality tires generally hold their balance well. But over time, wear and tear take their toll and tires can become unbalanced. Colorad ... read more

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Tires and Wheels

Winter Tires

What type of technology do you use? Do you prefer an 8-track tape or an iPod? When it comes to winter tires, much of Colorado Springs driver's perception dates back to when 8-track was the best way to listen to the Bee Gees.Twenty years ago in Colorado, winter tires differed from highway tires only in their tread design. Colorado drivers called them snow tires back then, and they had big, knobby lugs that were designed to give good traction in deep snow. They had the same rubber compound as regular tires and they weren't very good on ice, packed snow or wet Colorado roads. They were not even very good on dry roads. They really helped in deep or loose snow, but they did a poor job the rest of the time. They were loud and rode hard. People couldn't wait to get them off in the spring.Then all-season tires started to appear in Colorado Springs tire shops. All-season tires are really a compromise between summer and winter performance. They have acceptable hot weather ride and tread life and ... read more

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Tires and Wheels
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