August 2007 - Happy Summer! Remember: The life of your car depends on its engine. Your life depends on its wheels and tires.
Rim And Wheel Works August Newsletter:
In this issue:
 

Ask Rim & Wheel Works!

In our last newsletter, we asked for your questions about wheel straightening. We've had some very simple and some very complex questions asked. The most often asked question was: Why even straighten a bent wheel?

There are a number of reasons to straighten a bent wheel.

Although your wheel may be slightly bent now if the wheel takes another impact in the same area the already-bent wheel is much more likely to crack. If it does crack you'll be spending much more money to either weld or replace it with a used or reconditioned wheel than you would have to straighten the wheel in the first place.

Riding on a bent wheel can cause uneven tire wear. All four tires can begin to wear unevenly due to just one bent rim. This uneven wear significantly reduces the life of your tires. The vibration caused by a bent rim can cause long-term damage to suspension components and bearings as well.

A smooth ride generally requires that all four rims and tires are parallel, a process called "four-point alignment." An impact which can bend a wheel will most often affect the car's alignment, which can cause the car to pull to one side or vibrate and also affects tire wear patterns over time. It is difficult to properly align a car with bent wheels

The cost of straightening is less than the cost of replacement including new, reconditioned or used wheels. Reconditioned and used wheels are obviously cheaper than new. Straightening your wheels also recycles, by saving a large amount of aluminum that would otherwise be discarded.

                             Quick Links...


  • Rim And Wheel Works Homepage
  • Aftermarketwheels.com
  • BMW Car Club of America Boston Chapter
  • Nokian Tires


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Happy Summer! Time for Winter Tires!

Hope you've all had as great a summer as we have! I've just recently become a columnist for the magazine of the BMW Car Club of America's Boston Chapter, "Boston Bimmer", specializing in wheels and tires. (What a surprise!) My next two columns, in the August and September issues are based on the cosmetics page of our new web page (check it out at rimandwheelworks.com.)

Later, I'll be doing a two-part article on buying reconditioned and used wheels and having your own wheels reconditioned. I'll be sending the information out in the newsletter soon after that (September or October).

Aftermarketwheels.com is starting to take off, so if you're considering selling wheels for this fall or winter, now is a good time to list. (The half price $10.00 listing is for three months and the $10.00 can be applied to a wheel straightening.)

If you're thinking of putting on Nokian tires this winter, this is the best time to buy. I spoke to the national office and found out that Nokian prices are going up in September. We have no idea how much, but it's not a surprise - September is usually when the new prices go into effect for winter tires. If you also have winter wheels that might need straightening, it's a great time to get everything done at once and be ready for the snow. There's a coupon below for our Early Bird Special. It's good until September 20th. If you have your winter wheels straightened now, keep the receipt and we'll install the wheels for free once the snow comes. Such a deal!

Having 60 something degree days in August usually predicts a heck of a winter. But nowadays, you can't tell. It's just smarter to be on snow and ice tires in the winter. Your summer or "all season" tires aren't compounded for the winter temperatures and take a beating unless you've got on tires like Nokian WRs. Remember, it's not just snow that causes accidents, but ice too, and it only takes one ice patch. We say this all the time: The life of your car depends on the engine and mechanics. Your life depends on your wheels, tires and brakes.

Drive safely and enjoy the rest of the summer!

Ina

P.S. Want a knit Ferrari? Try this link!


On Tires

While we don't sell Chinese tires, we can give you some information on a recent recall on Chinese tires. Most of the tires involved in the recall are cheap, "no name" brands and most were sold in and around New Jersey.

I've been informed by one of the national tire wholesalers that Michelin is about to reduce it's guarantee even further. We've been watching their guarantee disappear over the last few years. Check it out before you buy.

Here's a fun link from YouTube; Japanese "researchers" roll various types of tires off a ski jump!

If you've got a favorite link, you think our readers would enjoy or appreciate, please email us at rimandwheelworks@earthlink.net


phone: 781-547-5826
web: http://rimandwheelworks.com

(c) Copyright 2007 Rim and Wheel Works Inc.
Questions or comments please email