Low Profile Tires - For Looks Or Performance

By Gregg Hall

Every where you look these days it seems you will see a certain type of tire more and more. A lot of people want a sporty, racer look to their vehicle and just the sound of the words 'low profile tires' impart sentiments of intense and speedy to mind. But do you actually know what low profile tires really are, and are they the most effective option for your particular automobile? You might just find that there's a lot more to consider in regards to your vehicle's tires than just appearance.

The low profile variety are more distinguishable than their higher counterparts, being lower and wider than high-profile tires, but the thing to remember is that when you are moving down a highway at 80 miles an hour, looks aren't as important as performance and safety. Considering the fact that all that's keeping your automobile on the road is four pieces of rubber adding up to a square approximately the size of a pizza box, good tires are a crucial consideration.

What matters in a tire is the amount of contact and grip your car has between the tire rubber and the road. Higher-profile tires have a longer and narrower contact patch with asphalt, whereas low profile tires have a contact patch that is broader, but shorter. So what does all that mean for you and your vehicle in plain English? Essentially,it means that your car will handle and perform differently on the road with these types of tires. Cars with wider tires have more cornering force, while higher tires have the distinct disadvantage of not being capable of deflecting side loads and the steering of the car is not as responsive in curves.

Another reward that comes with low profile tires, besides cornering force, is that the rubber uses less of the overall diameter of the wheel and tire, which signifies that the wheel itself can be bigger. What this means for you, as a driver is that bigger wheels means bigger brakes, and stopping ability is a crucial thing to have when you're driving fast.

Of course, as with anything there are disadvantages to installing these on your car. A vehicle that was configured with a narrower tire in mind will not be nearly as stable with low profile tires installed on it. In addition, wider tires with shorter sidewalls incline to have a rougher ride on bumps in the road, and virtually seem to look for out the worst parts of the road. A harsh ride isn't just tough on riders; it's also hard on the tires and your automobile.

Just about everyone today drives on straight highways and they don't require the additional cornering force that low profile tires provide. However, if you reside in a region that has a lot of tight turns and necessitates enhanced control, low profile tires could just be what you are looking for in tire load capacity and handling features of your vehicle. In any case it all comes down to a personal decision. - 21393

About the Author:

Discount Tires stores have the tires and wheels/rims you'll need for all the terrain you'll encounter.

Monroe Shocks - Monroe Shock Absorbers

By Justin Lofton

Strutmasters is your one stop shop for all Lincoln Town Car air suspension parts and suspension conversion kits. Find Lincoln Towncar Monroe shock absorbers, struts, shocks, air springs, coil springs, air bags, air shocks, conversion kits, coil over air suspensions, air ride suspension conversions, helper springs, ride control suspension, suspension air compressors, air bag suspension components and Lincoln Town Car air ride suspension products. Have a suspension problem with your Lincoln Towncar rear suspension or front suspension? Strutmasters can help.

The Lincoln Town Car's air suspension uses a small, separate air compressor under the driver's side left fenderwell, with air lines running to the air bags. On the top of each air bag is a electrical valve. This is a relief valve that allows air to be exhausted when activated, and which senses the amount of air pressure within the air bag to keep both sides equal.

These valves are operated via a leveling sensor that is attached to the body of the car and to the rear axle by a movable arm. When the rear of the car drops due to increased load, the arm is pushed up. When the arm is pushed up, it turns on the air compressor and fills the air bags to level the car. When the load is removed and the arm moves down, indicating that the back of the car has risen, the sensor opens the valve on the air bags and allows air to escape, lowering the car.

If the back of the car is low, indicating that the air suspension is not working, and the air suspension light is on, check the fuse first. If the fuse is all right, check the air suspension switch in the trunk and make sure it is on. This switch is used when the car is in for service. Always turn off the switch before lifting the car, because the sensor will think the car is rising and keep the air bag valves open, ruining the rear air suspension.

Turn the ignition key with the engine off. Listen for the compressor to come on while pushing down on the rear bumper. If it does not come on, test the switch terminals for power, using a circuit tester. If one terminal has power and the other does not, replace the switch. If there is power, turn the switch to the off position, raise the vehicle and place it on jack stands in the rear.

Inspect the leveling switch on the axle, making sure it is not bent and is connected. Use an ohmmeter for this test. Pull the electrical connector off the switch. Loosen the arm of the switch from the axle. Test the switch with the ohmmeter by checking across both terminals while slowly moving the arm. There should be no continuity with the arm down. As the arm is raised, there should be continuity. If not, replace the switch. If there was continuity, connect the arm and the electrical connector.

The Monroe Reflex truck shock absorber with the patented Impact Sensor Technology combines specially tuned valving with a Flu on banded piston. The Impact Sensor valve has the ability to sense acceleration to improve the handling, safety, and overall ride characteristics of sport-utility vehicles, mini-vans and light trucks. The Impact Sensor base valve will sense a bump in the road and automatically adjust the shock to absorb the impact, leaving the shock with greater control when it is needed. The features of the Monroe Reflex truck shock absorber make it the superior shock for improved handling, safety, and comfort in all road conditions.

In times like these, folks keep their cars longer (just ask Comrade Fidel's oppressed masses of loyal subjects). Unfortunately, faster-spinning odometers have the nasty side effect of more quickly chewing up your car's normal wear items. Some of these components (like brakes) can get downright demanding as they die. Others, like shock absorbers and their MacPherson strut cousins, just blend into the woodwork and stay there. - 21393

About the Author:

Want to find out more about monroe shocks, then visit Justin Lofton's site on how to choose the best monroe shock absorber for your needs.

About Led Emergency Vehicle Lights

By Roy Bouldin

So, do you know what LED stands for? It means Light Emitting Diode. And nowadays, LED lights can be found in everything from kitchen appliances to toys, from electronics to automobiles, and all things in between.

When LED emergency vehicle lights first started coming out, they were used primarily to add a little extra flash to a product. Later, though, science and research began to uncover more uses for LED lights beyond the additional flashiness.

There are many benefits to using LED lights over such traditional types of lights like halogen, incandescent, and fluorescent.

LEDs don't use as much energy and longer-lasting. And, though smaller, they have more durability and almost anything they are used in benefits.

Searchlights used by firefighting and police crews use LEDs, as they are brighter than regular lights. By using LEDs, crews see further and can conduct searches from further afar than before.

LEDs are also more common these days in lanterns and outdoor lighting. These LEDs can last longer, take up less energy, and are easier to store or carry along.

Lighting in outdoor stadiums, indoor arenas, and on theatrical stages also benefit from LEDs. They don't put out as much heat, they are brighter while using less energy, and more easily controlled. This can help keep large crowds comfortable, keep consumer prices down, and create more detailed images during light shows.

Recently, television makers have begun employing LED lights in their TVs. Again, in addition to being more energy-efficient, TVs now are able to project brighter pictures than with traditional light bulbs.

Too, LEDs are becoming standard in nearly every realm of vehicle lighting. LEDs are now the primary light source in many cars' headlights, dashboard lights, taillights, emergency lights, and more.

In addition to being more widely used by police and firefighters, they are also being used more in emergency lighting. The colors are brighter and stronger, they can be seen more clearly, and there is less confusion about telling similar colors apart.

Here in the U. S., the following colors are typical examples of what is used in certain situations. And the use of LEDs usually makes these look better.

Yellow (or Amber) is used for vehicles that are moving slower than normal vehicles. Tow trucks, security patrol vehicles, school buses, and snow plows use LEDs in this color. Yellow is also used on road signs or barricades.

Blue is associated with one thing to most Americans - law enforcement vehicles.

Green is used for vehicles such as a fire chief's car or truck or those used by private security. Mobile command posts designated for emergencies also use green.

Purple is not very common, but is often found in funeral procession vehicles.

Red is probably the most common color because it usually indicates an emergency. Red is seen on ambulances and police and fire vehicles.

White is found in any kind of neutral lighting, such as in a parking lot. But white is also used on ambulances, police cars, and fire trucks.

However used, LEDs are becoming the lighting standardly found in almost everything. LEDs are especially used in emergencies for their long-distance lighting capabilities and brightness. - 21393

About the Author:

Want to find out more about LED emergency vehicle lights, then visit Roy Bouldin's site on how to choose the best LEDs for your needs.

No Car, No Washie

By Myer Thompson

If you think you can get around the City of Angels without a car, you got another thing coming. There is no way you can feasibly use mass transit -- the city (and its suburbs) are so vast, you could easily spend two or three hours trying to get to a destination that would only take you an hour tops to get to in a car. Just like you can't live in New York without a winter coat, you just can't pull off the car-less, eco-friendly lifestyle in Los Angeles.

You can certainly indulge your taste for big city living and take the Metro to one or two locations, but if you're feeling like exploring, you'd be hard pressed to navigate the overlapping, byzantine bus schedule with any kind of success. Los Angeles does not care about your green aspirations. Actually, it could not care less.

If you managed to end up in LA without driving in -- let's say you flew in and hired a taxi -- and now you're eager to stay (it happens) then you have no choice. There are certain necessities for living here: housing, food, and a car. You argue which comes first, but I think it would be hard to get home or to the grocery store without a car. There is a reason why LA traffic is a cliche. In fact, the latest ratio of people to cars clocked in at 1:1. So, with about 9.9 million people calling the greater Los Angeles area home, you only have about 10 million cars to contend with.

Peddle your super swift Schwinn bicycle around Silverlake or Santa Monica. If you're like the rest of us not-so-privileged masses, though, you need to go and go fast and usually go long. The old saw about anywhere you need to be in LA takes you twenty minutes is now more like forty-five. In fact, if you get caught in the traffic zones -- that is between the hours of 6 to 10 Am and 3 to 7 PM you will be spending a great deal of time in your car. Make sure it has air conditioning and a decent radio or CD player. Or at least make sure you have headphones for your iPod or iPhone.

The longer you delay, the longer its going to take you to be involved. Need to find a job? You have to have a car first. Your best bet will be finding a used car. The good thing about trying to find a used car in Los Angeles is that you don't have to try very hard. The city abounds with relics, racers, and Rolls Royces. OK, so you can't afford the last one, but you can certainly find a clunker that gets decent mileage and won't conk out on you on the 101 or 405. Thank me later. - 21393

About the Author:

If you think you can do without a used car Los Angeles is certainly not the place to prove your point. Be a human being and just get a car.

Electric Hybrid Cars

By Colin Jones

There are various modes of travel that people can make use of. Among those is the electric hybrid car. The various models of electric hybrid car afford people the choice of having a stylish looking vehicle which at the same time saves fuel.

Furthermore, the environment benefits from less pollution from these electric hybrid cars. The kinds of hybrid cars which you will see included in the range of electric hybrid cars will be the popular SUVs, sports cars and pick-up trucks. You will be able to see those latest electric hybrid cars which are due to come on to the forecourt. As there are many types of electric hybrid cars you should look to see if there are any performance reviews available.

This knowledge will help guide you when you are trying to make up your mind about which electric hybrid car to choose. You will need to realize that some of the electric hybrid cars will not be that easy to repair or have their parts replaced. This is one factor that you should keep in mind while you are shopping for the electric hybrid car that suits you.

There will be times when you will not be able to find the exact model of electric hybrid car that you want. In order to diminish this frustration, make a list of several different electric hybrid car types, (include some of the best known electric hybrid car types).

You may also want to make a list of the other most important qualities that you are looking for from an electric hybrid car. Don't forget that you should visit the car showrooms to see the electric hybrid car of your choice, as I'm sure you may appreciate seeing what sort of cars are available before you buy one.

Since there will be times when you will not be able to see details of all of the cars which can be bought, you should find some way of getting this information. Of the many ways that you can look up the many models of electric hybrid car, the Internet can provide you with pictures, descriptions and reviews of the different makes of electric hybrid car. You can access information for the current stable of hybrid Honda cars or the previous models. Among the many details that you can find are the seating, safety and engine specifications of these hybrid cars.

There are, as I'm sure you already know, many different kinds of hybrid car on the market. These will, for the most part, be from well-known car ,manufacturers. You will find that Honda which is a world-famous manufacturer of cars employing modern technology also has their version of a hybrid car. One of their hybrid cars that is very popular with the public is the electric hybrid car. - 21393

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If you are interested in the working parts of New Hybrid Vehicles, just visit our website at http://new-hybrid-vehicles.com