When you're preparing to invest in new tires for your vehicle, it's important that you understand the newest options that may be available. Some of these new features are more reliable and consistent than their alternatives, so it's worth considering them. Here's a look at a couple of the features that you should discuss with your tire retailer and installer.
Balance Beads
In the past, metal weights were the go-to solution for balancing tires. Secured to the rim of each tire during the mounting and balancing process, they were intended to keep the tire's weight balanced. Unfortunately, those weights didn't always stay where they were put. There were many different situations that could knock one of the weights off your tire, from hitting a pothole to the weight's anchor cracking due to age.
As an alternative, there are now balance beads available. Balance beads are placed inside the tire instead of on the rim. The beads consistently stay distributed through the tire, keeping it in balance. And since they are placed in the tire, they won't fall off the way that a tire weight can.
Nitrogen Fill
Most people think of car tires as being filled with air. Historically, this was always the case. However, not all car tires are filled with air anymore. When you buy your new tires, you should talk with the technician about the advantages of filling those tires with nitrogen instead.
Nitrogen is actually a better alternative for car tires. It isn't vulnerable to the same pressure changes from temperature, which means that your tire pressure will stay consistent. It's not as likely to leak, either. That minimizes your tire maintenance worries.
Run Flats
Having a flat tire on your car is a frustrating situation. Especially if you don't know how to change a car tire, flats can be a significant challenge. Once the tire is flat, continuing to drive can warp and otherwise damage your rim. That's why most people have to swap to a spare tire.
However, that frustration can be a thing of the past if you choose run-flat tires instead. These tires have an inner liner with a tube that will stay inflated in the event that the outer tire goes flat. These tubes are designed to maintain enough pressure and inflation for you to be able to drive the car to the nearest repair shop without damaging your rims.
For more information, contact a company like Western Avenue Nissan.