TIRE SELECTION
If you wish to replace your old tires with the size recommended by the manufacture look in your Owner’s Manual or the placard on the vehicle door post or in the glove box to find your correct size. Then, search by size. If you wish to improve ride quality and handling response you may elect to purchase the next lower profile: “i.e.” replace a P215/75R15 with a P225/70R15 or a P255/60R15.

Also popular is PLUS SIZING. To Plus Size you go up in wheel diameter. If you had a 15” diameter wheel you could go to a 16”, a 17”, a 18”, or a 20” wheel and select a tire which will keep you as close as possible to your original diameter. Because of our computerized systems on today’s vehicles it is important to stay within in certain diameter parameters or it will affect those systems, so consult with a tire expert to help you choose the correct tire and wheel assembly.

Remember, “ the best quality of tire that you can afford is in your best interest. The bittersweet memory of poor quality lingers longer than the joy of low prices”.

AIR PRESSURE
Check your air pressure on a regular basis such as once a month. Failure to maintain the correct pressure results in poor gas mileage, reduced tire life, and poor handling response. Your recommended air pressure is in your Owner’s Manual or on the vehicle placard either on your vehicle door post or in the glove box. If you have trouble finding this info contact one of our Tire Specialists for help.

To make it easy for you, we at Modica Brothers , will gladly check your air pressure and adjust it to the required level. All you need to do is drive to one of our stores and ask. We are here to help you.

TIRE CONSTRUCTION
Regardless of the type, most tires share a certain amount of the same basic components. However, due to rubber components, tread depths, and body construction, not all tires are equal. As you step up in quality of tire you get better benefits, such as, longer life, better cornering traction (wet and dry), better stopping power, and better handling response.

The following illustration gives you the basic components of a tire:

Tread designs vary but the elements of the tread are consistent in their functions. Tread blocks provide traction while sipes are cut within the blocks to provide additional traction edges. Grooves are built into the tread to separate the blocks and to channel water while shoulder designs are used for additional traction during cornering. Steel belts and Cap Plies are designed to give stability to the tread and improve impact resistance. The Radial Plies of the body are designed to let the tire flex and absorb impacts. The radial construction also reduces friction between the tire and road surface resulting in increased tire life.

UTQG RATINGS
The US Government has established the UTQGS, the Uniform Tire Quality Grading System, to assist consumers in purchasing tires. Tires are graded in three areas, Treadwear, Traction. and Temperature.

TREADWEAR
Treadwear grading is based on a controlled test under controlled conditions. A 400 rated tire should last 4 times as long as a base 100 tire. However, this is not a guarantee of certain mileage nor can you compare the grade of one manufacturer against another. Different manufacturers have different base tires to compare within their own line.

TRACTION
Traction grades measure a tire’s ability to stop during a controlled test on wet pavement during a straight braking test but does not take into consideration turning or cornering traction. Grades highest to lowest are AA, A, B, or C with AA being the best.

TEMPERATURE
Temperature grades tell you a tire’s resistance to hear and its ability to dissipate heat under controlled laboratory tests. Grades from highest to lowest are A, B, and C with A being the grade that dissipates heat the best.

SPEED RATINGS
Speed ratings tell you how fast you may drive at a sustained speed in a given time. It is important to understand that you should not downgrade the speed rating of your tire since your vehicle’s handling was designed for this rated tire. However, you may increase your tire’s rating for more responsive steering.

We do not recommend that you mix speed rated tires on your vehicle since this can cause handling problems.

Speed Ratings

READING THE TIRES SIDEWALL

P or LT
“P” indicates a passenger while “LT” indicates a light truck tire.

205
This is the section width in millimeters.

65
This refers to the height of the sidewall. It is 65% of the width (205).

R
Indicates that this tire is radial construction.

15
This is the wheel diameter in inches.

REPAIRING TIRES

For your safety, Modica Brothers will only repair tires in accordance with RMA (Rubber Manufacturers Association) recommended procedures.

PLUS SIZING
Plus sizing has become popular in the past few years and is the easiest way to enhance the performance of your auto plus improve the appearance. Plus Sizing is a procedure by which you can go from a 14” tire and wheel assembly to a 15”, 16”, 17”, 18”, or 20” assembly keeping the same overall diameter, within +/- .05 inches. It is important not to deviate too much as this will affect the speedometer reading, gear ratio, and computer unless you wish to reprogram your systems.

By using Plus Sizing you increase your tire width giving you a larger footprint and a shorter sidewall which gives you better lateral stability and increased steering response.
Consult with our tire experts and we will help you make the right choice.

LOAD INDEX
Load index tells you how much weight each tire will carry. It is not recommended to install tires with a lower load index than what came on your vehicle from the factory but you can always increase your load index at any time.

TIRE BALANCING
The heavier cars of years past tended to dampen vibrations before the driver felt them. Today’s cars are being built lighter and with more sensitive suspension and steering systems along with more responsive tires with lower profiles which send more road feedback to the driver. As a result, the slightest imbalance can be felt in today’s modern vehicles. For those of you who have Plus Sized your tires and wheels, balancing is even more critical.

Tires begin to wear from the day you put them on and over a period of time get out of balance. Modica Brothers recommends that you rebalance your tires at each rotation, which should be done every 5000 miles. This helps, to prevent wear patterns, which once started cannot be corrected. Modica Brothers has a lifetime balance and rotation program for a nominal fee. This allows us to rotate and balance your tires for free for as long as you own them.

TIRE ROTATION
Rotating your tires on a regular basis will help you to achieve a more uniform wear and longer mileage, which equates to less cost for you. Modica Brothers recommends rotations at 5000 mile intervals. This also allows you an opportunity to detect any irregular wear patterns, such as alignment wear, and correct the problem before doing too much damage to your tires. Modica Brothers will be glad to rotate your tires at your convenience no matter where you purchased them. The following illustrations are recommended rotation patterns.

WHEEL ALIGNMENT
Alignment is one of the key factors to longer tire life, vehicle control, and handling. Aligning a car or truck involves adjusting the vehicle's suspension…….not the tires and wheels. There are 5 factors in setting a vehicle’s alignment to specifications: Caster, Camber, Toe, Thrust, and Ride Height.

We at Modica Brothers pride ourselves in having the right equipment and the trained technicians to perform this vital service for you. We recommend that you have your alignment checked every 10 thousand miles to enable you to get the best service out of your tires.

PAYMENT METHODS
Cash, Personal Checks, and Credit Cards (Visa, Master Card, Discover/Novas, and American Express) are all accepted at Modica Brothers.

We also offer our DAYTON, FIRESTONE, BRIDGESTONE, AND AUTOPASS credit cards, which give you an additional option of 90 Days No Interest or a small monthly payment plan. These cards have no yearly fee and can be obtained within minutes. Come by our store and fill out our application and you are on your way.