Need New Tires for New England Winter? Here’s What the Dots Mean on Your Tires

You're driving on the highway, and without warning, your steering wheel starts shaking.

At first, you wonder if you're going to lose a wheel, and you are not far off in your thinking.  It's not the wheel you have to worry about. It's your tire.  The wheel is the metal part your tire is lifted onto.

If you are in need of new tires, here's something you might want to know.

You know those red and yellow dots you see on new tires?  There's a specific meaning to each of those colors.

According to msn.com, the yellow dot is where the tire weighs the least, and should be mounted next to the valve.  The valve stem is the heaviest part of the tire.  If you think about it, this balances the tire better, with the lightest and the heaviest point near each other.

If there's a red dot on the tire, this is where the flattest part of the tire is.  This is important because the flattest part or lowest part of the tire needs to be across from the highest part of the wheel.  You can tell where that is by a notch in the wheel.

Why is this important?  Because when the technician balances the tires, it's important to look for these two factors to help create a well-balanced tire or tires.

if your tires are not balanced properly, you will feel the vibration when driving, especially when driving fast on the highways.  Steering and controlling your vehicle can be more difficult and it could increase the "stop" time when hitting the breaks.

So make sure that if you are purchasing new tires, these factors are taken into consideration.   The tech knows, and now you do too.