Off Road Tire Shopping Tips

Posted on March 17, 2011 by admin

Off Road TireInstalling off road tires on trucks has become a popular accessory option for many truck owners.

Off road tires provide enhanced traction for driving in the mud, dirt and snow.  These types of tires have deep treads that handle well in tough conditions.  If you’re new to off-roading, you probably are wondering what do look for in off road tires.

To help you out, we’ve come up with a list of some of the most important off road tire shopping questions.  Here is what you need to ask yourself.

  • What Type of Wheels Do You Have?Purchasing off road tires, depends a lot on the wheels that you have on your truck.  Wheel height, width and rim size are all important factors that will help you determine what type of off road tires to buy.
  • What Type of Ride Do You Want?This is a very important question to ask yourself.  Are you looking for a smooth ride when you’re not driving off roads?  When shopping for off road tires, ask the salesperson about the type of ride expected when not off-roading.
  • What Type of Off Roading Do You Do?To help find the right off road tires for your truck, you need to consider the type of off-roading that you do.  Do you race your truck off roads?  Do you go mudding?  You need to answer these questions.

Answering these three questions, will help you figure out what type of off road tires are best for your truck.

Remember to take care of your tires after you purchase them.  Using the best tire cleaner and tire shine products can help to improve the look of your off road tires.

Posted in Tire Maintenance | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Top Five Causes of Flat Tires

Posted on March 14, 2011 by admin

Causes of Flat TiresThere’s nothing worse than seeing your vehicle with a flat tire.

A flat tire means you have to dig out the spare and change your car’s tire.  To help you understand why flat tires happen, we’ve come up with a list of the top five causes of flat tires.  That way the next time you get a flat, you’ll know why.

Here is our top five.

Flat Tire Source #1:  Sharp objects

Lots of times, you’ll get a flat tire because a sharp object such as a nail or screw on the road.  Whenever possible, drive around debris on the road. This will prevent a flat from happening.  These types of flat tires can usually be fixed with a patch.

Flat Tire Source #2: Valve Stem Leaks

Sometimes the valve stem may get a leak in it from dirt inside the valve or because it’s old.  A lot of times, the valve stem may get cracks in it because of wear and tear.  This causes a leak, leading to a flat tire.  Often times, this can be fixed by replacing the valve stem.

Flat Tire Source #3:  Tire Bead Leaks

If you’re unfamiliar with the tire bead, it’s the sealing surface of the tire.  Sometimes air will slowly leak out of the tire from this area.  To find out if you have a bead leak, spray your tires, wheels and valve system with soapy water.  If you see any bubbles anywhere, you probably have a bead leak.

Flat Tire Source #4:  Alloy Wheel Leaks

If you have aluminum alloy wheels, your car may experience this.  This happens when air escapes from the tire and the wheel.  If you have aluminum alloy wheels, be sure to regularly check the tire pressure.  A lot of times you can place a sealer on the wheels.

Flat Tire Source #5:  Vandalism

It’s possible that someone could have let the air out of your tires.  Before jumping to this conclusion, always check with a tire professional to see if this is actually the case.

Summary

These are five of the most common sources of flat tires.  Always, be sure to regularly check your tire pressure along with using tire shine and tire dressing products to keep your car looking great.

Posted in Tire Maintenance | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

How To Protect Against Car Theft

Posted on March 11, 2011 by admin

Lock Your DoorsWe’ve all seen the movies where the bad guy steals a car or the movies where the car is on cinderblocks because the wheels and other parts are stolen.

Unfortunately, this happens in real life too.  According to the FBI, car thefts happen almost every 40 seconds. Protecting your car is just as important as making it look great with tire shine products.

A lot of people will spend the time to wash their car, but won’t take the few seconds required to lock the doors.

If you want to keep your car safe, you should follow the car security tips below.

Car Security Tip #1:  Lock Your Doors

Criminals are looking for easy targets.  Locking your car’s doors will prevent criminals from getting easy access to your car.  As a rule of thumb, always check to make sure that your car doors are locked after exiting your vehicle.

Car Security Tip #2:  Park Your Car In Heavily Populated Areas

Whenever possible, park your car in parking lots with lots of people and traffic.  These types of lots have plenty of people walking around, which make it difficult to steal a car.  Also, many of these types of parking lots have security cameras.

Car Security Tip #3:  Get A Car Alarm

While they may sound annoying, car alarms are effective theft deterrents.  Many cars today come with some sort of car alarm system.  If your car does not have an alarm, we would recommend getting one.

Car Security Tip #4: Park In Your Garage

To protect your car while at your home, make sure that you park it inside your garage.  This will prevent criminals from gaining easy access to your car.  Be sure to lock your garage to prevent people from getting to your car.

Car Security Tip #5:  Leave Your Car At Home

If you’re traveling to the airport or parking your car where it will stay for days on end, take a taxi or some alternative form of transportation.  Airport parking lots are not the safest places to park.  Items can be stolen out of your vehicle.

Summary

Following these five tips will protect your car from thieves.  Remember to lock your car’s doors every time you park it.  This is just as important as washing your car and applying a tire cleaner.  For more tips to protect your car and keep it looking great, read the PowerSheen blog.

Posted in Car Safety | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Spring Cleaning Tips For Your Car or Truck

Posted on March 9, 2011 by admin

Spring Cleaning

Spring is almost here.  It actually falls on March 20 this year.

With spring comes warmer weather, barbeques, baseball and of course spring cleaning.  If you haven’t cleaned your car or truck out over the long winter, here are some cleaning tips to get your car looking great for spring.

We’ve compiled a list of the top three below.

Spring Car Cleaning Tip #1: Clean Your Tires

If you haven’t washed all the road salt and dirt away from your wheels and tires, spring is the best time to do it.  Use a high-pressure hose to spray away any dirt and road salt.  To get a deep clean, use a tire brush.

After cleaning, be sure to apply a tire dressing to the tire for a nice shine.  When buying tire dressings and tire shine products, look for long-lasting formulas with no sling.  Sling is when the dressing splatters on to the sides of your car or truck.  This is bad.

Spring Car Cleaning Tip #2:  Remove Bad Interior Smells

After a long winter, the interior of your car can really smell bad.  Melted snow combined with closed ventilation can really cause a mildew-like smell in your vehicle.  To help combat that smell, thoroughly vacuum the interior of your vehicle.

Use a stain remover to clean away any stains.  Also, use an odor-lifting product such as Febreze on your seats and floorboards.  This will make your car or truck smell like a new car.

Spring Car Cleaning Tip #3:  Organize Your Vehicle

A lot of times, winter can cause havoc on the organization within your vehicle.  Go to the store or online and buy containers and trunk organizers to keep everything in order.  A trunk organizer can neatly store away jumper cables, flashlights and emergency tools.

Interior organizers can help keep track of pens, paper and other things rolling beneath the seats and on the floorboards of your car or truck.

Summary

These three tips will get your car or truck looking great just in time for spring.  For more car cleaning tips, read the PowerSheen blog.  What types of car cleaning things do you do every spring?  Leave your comments below.

Posted in Detailing Tips | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

5 Car Cleaning Mistakes That You Will Want To Avoid

Posted on March 5, 2011 by admin

645032_54684538.jpgSometimes good intentions can lead to bad results.

This is especially true when it comes to washing your car or truck.

When you’re washing your car or truck, you will want to avoid making these five mistakes.  This will help to protect your vehicle and keep it looking great.

Be sure to avoid these mistakes at all cost.

Mistake #1 You don’t regularly wash your car: If you want to protect your car, you need to regularly wash it.  Bird droppings, dead bugs and road salt can all damage the exterior and paint on your car or truck.  Wash the grime off of your car as soon as possible.

Mistake #2 You don’t use car care products: Dish soap is made for dishes.  Tire dressing is made for tires.  Do you get the picture?  Whatever you’re using, be sure it’s for cars.  Dish soap and other household cleaners can damage your vehicle.  Be sure to use premium car shampoos and tire shine products.

Mistake #3 You over polish your car: You shouldn’t use car polish too much.  Polishing your car too much can remove the clear coat, ruining the paint job of your car.  Try to keep car polishing to a few times a year.

Mistake #4 You don’t dry your car: Why go through all that hard work if you’re not going to dry your car?  Drying your car with a soft cloth is very important.  This helps to prevent water spots on your vehicle.

Mistake #5 You don’t clean the tires and wheels: A lot of people bypass cleaning the tires and wheels because it’s hard work.  Be sure to regularly clean your tires and wheels.   This helps to remove brake dust, which can damage your vehicle’s wheels.

Avoiding these five mistakes will help keep your car looking great.  For more great car care tips, read other posts on our blog.

Posted in Car Maintenance, Car Safety | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

What You Need To Know About HD And Satellite Radio

Posted on March 3, 2011 by admin

radio.jpgWhen you’re washing your car or truck you need a few important things:

  • A hose
  • Soap and tire cleaner
  • Sponges and towels
  • Good tunes

Okay, you probably don’t need good tunes, but it makes the car cleaning experience a lot better.

As you may know, radio is going through significant changes right now. People now have the option of AM, FM as well as HD and satellite radio.

You’re probably familiar with AM and FM radio because they’ve been around forever. However you may not know much about HD and satellite radio.

If you’re looking to upgrade your car radio, you’ll want to get an HD or satellite radio. What you get all depends on your preferences. Here is what you need to know.

Satellite Radio

Satellite radio is a lot like cable television.  You pay a monthly subscription and you get a lot of stations.  You’ll need a special radio receiver to get these stations.  A receiver can cost anywhere from $30 to $150.  The biggest provider is Sirius XM Radio.

  • Number of Stations: 120-180.  It all depends on the subscription.
  • Monthly Cost: $12.95 to $16.95
  • Commercials: There are none.

HD Radio

hd_radio_logo.jpgHD radio is a lot like AM and FM radio, but it sounds a lot better and you get a few more stations.  To get HD radio, you’ll need a new receiver in your car.  These usually cost between $30 and $150.  You can buy HD radios at places like Amazon.com or at electronic stores.

  • Number of Stations: It all depends on where you live.  You typically get a few more than regular radio.  You can find out how many HD stations are in your market here.
  • Monthly Cost: None
  • Commercials: It’s just like regular radio.  You get commercials.

Which Is Better: HD or Satellite?

It all depends on your preference. If you like commercial-free radio with lots of stations and are willing to pay a monthly fee, then go with satellite.

If you want crystal-clear sounding AM-FM radio, then go and buy an HD radio receiver.

If you’re fine with good old fashion AM-FM radio, then just stick with what you have.

No matter what, fire up the AM, FM, HD or satellite radio and clean your car with some soap and some tire shine.

Posted in Car Maintenance, Detailing Tips, PowerSheen News | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Important Tire Bush Buying Tips

Posted on February 28, 2011 by admin

tire brushIf you want your car or truck’s tires to look great, you’re going to need to buy a good tire brush.

A good tire brush helps to remove dirt and grease buildup from your tires and wheels.  Most importantly, a tire brush helps to remove brake dust from the wheels of your car or truck.  If you don’t regularly remove brake dust, it can damage your wheels.

Brake dust can become lodged in your aluminum wheels causing pitting and scaring.

To avoid this, you need to regularly wash your car or truck’s wheels.  A tire brush is a great car care tool to protect your car or truck’s wheels.

Because tire brushes are meant to clean one of the dirtiest parts of your car or truck, they need to be replaced more often than other car care tools.  This can become expensive, especially if you wash your car or truck often.

A quality tire brush can help protect against this.  Here are some things you should consider when purchasing a tire brush.

  • Examine The Bristles: You want to find a tire brush with firm bristles.  However, you don’t want to use a brush with bristles as firm as a wire brush. This can do damage to your tires and wheels.

  • Look At The Handle: The handle of a tire brush is one of the most important parts that you should inspect.  You want a tire brush with a good grip, so it does not slip when you are using it.  You also want to find a tire brush with a contoured handle, so it’s easy to use.

  • Find Ones With Protective Bumpers: Tire brushes with protective bumpers are a great option.  The bumpers wrap around the head of the brush and protect against denting your car.  Sometimes tire brushes can slip and possible dent or scratch your car.  Bumpers protect against this.

Examining the handle, bristles and bumpers of a tire brush is very important.  After cleaning your tires and wheels, be sure to apply some tire dressing formula to improve the appearance of your car or truck’s tires.

Posted in Detailing Tips, Tire Maintenance | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Important Facts About Window Tinting

Posted on February 25, 2011 by admin

Window tinting is a popular option for many car and truck owners.

This is especially true in sunny states.  If you are considering getting your car or truck’s windows tinted, there are several things you should consider.

First, be sure to check your states window tinting laws.  Depending on the state, there must be so much transparency.  Different states require varying degrees of transparency for:

  • Back windows
  • Front side windows
  • Back side windows
  • Windshield visor

If you are unsure of your state’s window tinting laws, be sure to visit one of the following websites. These sites can provide you with the information you need to know.

  • TintLaws.com: This website provides you with all the tinting regulations for all 50 states.  It includes easy to read tables and charts.
  • TintCenter.com: This website includes tinting regulations for all 50 states.  It also includes other laws on side mirrors, restricted colors and tinting sticker requirements.

Both of these sites provide important information that you should read before tinting your windows.

Once you know the laws in your state, you can either do it yourself or have it done by a professional.  Window tinting involves placing a thin layer of film over the interior side of your vehicle’s window.

If you decide to do it yourself you have two options:

  • Tint By The Roll: These are long rolls of tinting film that you can apply to your car’s windows.

  • Pre-Cut Tinting Kits: This film is pre-cut to fit your vehicle’s windows.  This is a better option for people tinting windows for the first time.

If you decide to go with a professional, you won’t have to worry about getting the necessary tools.  If you decide to tint the windows yourself you will need: razor blades, squeegees, spray bottles and smoothing cards.

The choice is up to you. Just be sure to do the necessary research before undertaking this type of project.  If you’re unsure about getting your windows tinted, be sure to talk with people you trust for automotive advice.

Whether it’s selecting the right company to tint your car’s windows or deciding on the right tire dressing formula, getting the advice of people you trust is important.

Posted in Car Maintenance | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Car Care Products And Tools Detailers Don’t Want You To Know About

Posted on February 22, 2011 by admin

car detailingHave you ever wondered how car detailers make vehicles look so great?

You go to a car show, and the cars and trucks look amazing.  The cars may be 50 years old, but they look like they just rolled off the showroom floor at the dealership.

Well, here’s the secret. Car detailers use a variety of products that you probably don’t use.

OK, so you probably knew this already, but here’s what you probably don’t know – the products and tools they actually use.

Here is a list of some important car detailing products that will make your car looking great.  You’ll want to include these with other car cleaning products such as shampoos and tire dressings.

  • Clay Bars: These bars also known as detailing bars are meant to remove impurities from the paint of your vehicle.  Washing your car is great for getting rid of surface level dirt and grime.  Clay bars take it to the next level.
  • Rotary Polisher: Most detailers will also use a rotary polisher to help remove scratches.  These polishers are able to help remove scratches because of the tremendous amount of heat they produce while spinning.  If you’re considering using this tool be sure your are properly trained on how to use it.  Rotary polishers can burn through the clear coat if you are not careful.
  • Paint Sealant: Paint sealants help to protect your car or truck’s paint from contaminants.  This car care product also helps to make your car or truck look shiny.  Sealant is similar to car wax, but it does not need to be applied as often.
  • Swirl Finders: These are powerful spotlights that allow car detailers to find paint imperfections on your vehicle.  These swirl finders help to identify the problem, so the detailers can fix them.

These are just some of the car care tools that detailers use to make cars and trucks look great.  If you’re considering any of these products, be sure to learn how to properly use them before trying them out on your car.

Posted in Detailing Tips | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Are Automatic Car Washes Bad For Your Car?

Posted on February 18, 2011 by admin

car washWe’ve all probably heard at some point or another that automatic car washes are bad for your car or truck.

Some people say that automatic car washes cause dents, scratches and other cosmetic “injuries” to your vehicle. So is there any truth to the claims?

The answer is: It depends.

Some automatic car washes are good.  Some automatic car washes are bad.  It all depends on their features.  In the past decade, automatic car washes have made great technological strives to improve quality and safety.

However, there are still a lot of car washes that use old technology that is not good for your vehicle.

Here are some features that you should avoid when selecting an automatic car wash.

  • Brushes: If the car wash still uses those fast spinning barrel brushes, you will want to avoid these car washes.  These types of brushes can scratch your vehicle.  Look for automatic car washes that use cloth brushes.  Even better, look for car washes that only use water.  This will protect your car or truck.
  • Drying: Most car washes give you two options when it comes to drying.  They either have high-powered dryers or people drying by hand.  Surprisingly the automatic dryers are not as dangerous as the people drying by hand.  Be sure the people drying your car are using clean cloths.  Sometimes they will use the same towel on several vehicles.  This is not good because dirt and debris trapped in the towel can scratch your vehicle.
  • Waxes And Polishes: If you decide to go to an automatic car wash, hold off on the waxes and polishes.  Many times these products are of low quality and are overpriced.  It is better to go with the cheaper car wash that doesn’t have these options.

In short, automatic car washes are not bad if you do your homework.  They’re great if you’re looking for a quick rinse.

However if you’re looking for a detailed job, you’ll either want to do it yourself or go to a detailer that uses high quality tire dressings, car waxes, etc.

Posted in Detailing Tips | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment