Tire speed rating is extremely important to handling and braking, yet it may be one of the most misunderstood tire ratings.

People who drive motor homes and pull travel trailers may be among the safest drivers on the road. They tend to maintain their vehicles very well, except possibly in one critical and often overlooked area.

Hydraulic power steering is very dependable, but complex in operation. When problems occur a basic understanding prevents many expensive mistakes.

The Vehicle Questions section, of our website, allows folks to search an archive of past problems, with short answers. Often, the answers needed are found here. If not, we invite our users to contact us for advice. This often helps to avoid very costly mistakes. The following example is typical of questions we receive.

A vehicle that leans to one side is unsightly. Leaning can also affect tire wear, handling and wear to the suspension. Diagnosing the cause of leaning is not difficult, but it requires a structured approach.

Can a caveman mount and balance a tire? The answer might help solve a number of common problems folks have, but should not.

Release the steering wheel and the vehicle veers to one side. Most people think first of a wheel alignment problem. Surprisingly a tire can also cause our vehicle to pull. Tire conicity is a common phenomenon even in new tires. Many people also call it a "radial pull" and sometimes a "tire pull."

We check and correct three main angles when doing a wheel alignment. These angles are toe, caster and camber. The toe angle will wear tires quickly if it is not correct. Setting the camber and caster angles helps the vehicle drive straight and helps with tire wear. Adjusting each angle to specifications is not enough. To provide a proper wheel alignment, we must also understand how these angles interact with each other.

A wheel alignment begins with verifying and correction of the three primary angles. These include, the caster, the camber and toe angles. Engineers base these angles on the vehicle center line and level. If we properly adjust these angles, we reduce tire wear and our vehicle drives straight. Unfortunately, wheel alignment is not always properly set. Wheel alignments that are improperly done are the leading causes of tire and handling woes. A properly set wheel alignment lasts for years. We do not need to routinely realign a vehicle. When we need a wheel alignment, we will have one or more of the following symptoms.

Shock absorbers and McPherson struts are often recommended for replacement. The reasons sometime have more to do with profit margins in the shop than actual need of the client.

It is common to bait folks in with the offer of a low price. High profit add-ons, often of questionable value are then used to make profit. One example, in my opinion, is using nitrogen to fill passenger tires.  The advantages have been hugely exaggerated as the benefits are almost nil.

Properly setting the air pressure in tires can improve performance and extend life. Two pounds per square inch (PSI) can have a noticeable effect. Something not often considered is the accuracy of the gauge being used. Many gauges can read off by up to ten percent or more.