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Tire Balance and Wheel Alignment
Tires are not balanced on your unit, nor is it required. You may
choose to balance the tires on your unit, however this will not be
covered under warranty.
Wheel alignments may be needed periodically due to road hazards,
such as pot holes, etc. This also is not covered under warranty, due
to being a uncontrollable element. Wheel alignments, will assist with
getting the maximum life from your tires. Alignments require special
equipment, and should be performed by a qualified technician.
Tire Repair
The proper repair of a punctured tire requires a plug for the hole and
a patch for the area inside the tire that surrounds the puncture hole.
Punctures through the tread can be repaired if they are not too
large, but punctures to the sidewall should not be repaired. Tires
must be removed from the rim to be properly inspected before being
plugged and patched.
Tire Fundamentals
Federal law requires tire manufacturers to place standardized
information on the sidewall of all tires. This information identifies
and describes the fundamental characteristics of the tire and also
provides a tire identification number for safety standard certification
and in case of a recall.
. U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number— This begins with the
letters “DOT” and indicates that the tire meets all federal
standards. The next two numbers or letters are the plant code
where it was manufactured, and the last four numbers represent
The week and year the tire was built. For example, the numbers
3197 means the 31st week of 1997. The other numbers are
marketing codes used at the manufacture’s discretion. This
information is used to contact consumers if a tire defect requires
a recall.
. Tire Ply Composition and Materials Used— The number of
plies indicates the number of layers of rubber-coated fabric in
the tire. In general, the greater the number of plies, the more
weight a tire can support. Tire manufactures also must indicate
the materials in the tire, which include steel, nylon, polyester
and others.
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