Happy Tuesday, writing an informational post about tire treads, depth and winter driving. I am hoping this post answers many of the most frequently asked questions we get about tires and winter driving. I am also hoping to explain how an "All Season" and an "All Weather" tire are different. 

1. The first question we get asked is, "Aren't my all season tires also good as snow tires?" The answer is unfortunately, not always. According to Federal law, all season tires do not have to meet federal requirements for snow.  Winter in southern and western states is different than the Northeast. In order for a tire to be deemed snow worthy, it must go through specific tests and outperform a designated snow tire as per federal requirements. If a tire can pass those requirements, it gets the 3 peak mountain snowflake symbol, thus deeming it capable for driving in the snow. If a tire gets this symbol, then it qualifies and becomes an "All Weather" tire.
2. So what is the difference between "All Weather Tires" and "Snow Tires?" The answer comes more to tread design, tire compound and tread depth. Snow tires are made of a softer tire compound that helps for gripping; however, it does not equal good longevity. An all weather tire is a hybrid compound using both soft and harder type rubbers to get better mileage use while providing traction. Snow tire tread designs tend to be blocky and directional based. All weather tires commonly use an asymmetrical tread pattern with 1 side of the tire looking blocky designed for snow and the other tighter for water dispersion and noise reduction. (Snow tires tend to be noisy due to open tread blocks causing vibrations). Lastly, tread depths on snow tires often start with more tread around 11/32 to 12/32 of tread, whereas often all weather and all season begin with 10/32 to 11/32 depending upon the manufacture. 
3. This segways into how much tread depth is needed for wintertime driving. I would like to start off this part though with New York State's Inspection requirement for a tire. A tire to be able to pass inspection in NYS must have 2/32 (1/16") of tread. All manufacturers have a wear bar at 2/32 of tread to indicate it is time to be changed. Tire manufactures deem snow tires no longer worthy of snow driving once they reach 5/32 to 6/32 of tread. This is because there is not enough depth to pierce the snow for adequate traction and also because the tread compound changes to the harder base that makes up the tire. All weather tires commonly have a snowflake symbol on the center of tread that will disappear once worn off to indicate that they are no longer good snow weather. If you are already thinking to yourself, "Why is the legal limit below what's needed for necessary winter time driving?" Well, that question should be directed to NYS Government because I don't have a good answer for that one.

So, what is a good rule of thumb to go by for buying tires and tread depth/life in NYS? I will always be recommending an All Weather tire if 1 is available. I want my customers to have confidence and safety in winter driving. When it comes to tread depth, in the springtime we recommend continuing to use tires that have depths of 4/32 to 5/32 throughout the summer and plan on changing in the fall. If your tires in the fall are at 4/32 to 5/32, then we will have a discussion. Although they are roadworthy in NYS inspection requirements, you will be advised that you may find yourself slipping and sliding in snow. It is ultimately the consumers decision to change tires or not; however, it is our job here at the garage to keep our customers informed and educated on their cars condition. That way, our customers can make the best decision for themselves as we are all in different situations. 

If you have tire questions, please do not hesitate to call us and ask! 

This is symbol that indicates that this tire has met the requirements of the law to be deemed worthy of snow conditions.

For conversations and visual sake, here is a picture of a tire that has reached its tread bar wear indicator. This tire needs to be replaced as it has reached 2/32 of tread. 

Hello everyone! This is Clint Ferrel writing to bring up some much needed updates. I have not touched this blog since 2021, ouch. I will do my best to keep at it; however, it has been proven to be difficult with all the other needs of the shop and family life taking up my time. 

I am just going to jump into some important updates. Firstly, the shop has been passed on from my father, Paul, to my brother Will and I. Paul has finally retired (although he comes in frequently still). Will and I have been working at the shop since we were in Highschool. Will is more behind the scenes but I am still going to be at the shop everyday. This segways into the second important update on the front office. I have since hired Keith as my new front end and office manager. He like me, has over 20 years of experience in the automotive industry and customer service. If you are wondering why I had to find a new office manager, it is because I cannot do everything by myself. Aside from being in the office, I am still very active in the garage repairing customers' vehicles. I am also constantly training my technicians as I am one of the few ASE Certified Master Technicians around. I like to think I can be in 2 places at once; however, I just cannot juggle multiple tasks. If your concern is "Where is Clint?" if I am not in the office, then please just ask. I am more than likely out in the garage working. I do my best to be present for my customers when I can.

Other updates include the website, new office furniture and some new technicians. Why new technicians? Unfortunately, life has a way of setting some people on different paths. Most of my previous technicians have stayed with us for over 5 years, even 10 years plus. Life events happen that are out of our control and force us to move on. So this goes back to why I am always training my techs. Here at Ferrel's Garage, I have high quality standards that I focus on and that requires eyes and ears watching and teaching so those standards are met. 

We will continue to strive to provide our customers with a great experience and great quality automotive repairs. Going forward with this blog, I plan to post examples of how we strive to perform the best repairs possible. I also plan on posting in here some of the cool and classic cars we work on for your enjoyment.

​- Clint Ferrel

As summer comes to a close, it's important to not forget about your car, which took you to all that summer fun. Here are some end of summer car care tips to help your car stay up to snuff as you enjoy the end of the season.

1: Check your tires! Not only does each car and tire have a specified pressure for how much air to keep in the tires, but check for wear too. Everyone drives more in the summer as we all get outside and enjoy the nice weather. That means more ware on your tires and vehicle. If your tread looks like it's disappearing, or worn out unevenly give us call. Also, remember to regularly check your tire pressure to make sure you have the right amount. Having the right amount of air in your tires is critical to maintaining proper stability and fuel economy on the road. You will gain or loose one pound of pressure per 10 degrees.

2: Check your battery! The summer heat can make the fluid in your battery evaporate faster. This can cause corrosion and effect your battery's ability to hold a charge. If you think your battery needs to be serviced, give us a call. We'll help you extend your battery life by checking the fluid levels, making sure there are no cracks, and cleaning the connections so they are rust, corrosion and oxidation free.

3: Wash your car! This is probably the one that most people don't do, but should. Summer is hot and that means your car has to work harder to stay cool. If you have mud caked on the underside of your vehicle, or even worse it gets up into the underside of your car that can cause it to run hotter. The crud from the road and all the things you pick up driving around from being out and about aren't good for your vehicle either. That's doubly true for bird poop, which is acidic and will eat into the paint if you leave it. So break out the suds and give your ride a wash. If you don't want to do it yourself, head to the nearest car wash and let their professionals handle it. Your car will thank you!

4: Have your radiator checked. The radiator is responsible for keeping your car running at a constant temperature. Any cracks or leaks here will cause you to loose valuable fluid necessary to keep your car from overheating. If the engine or transmission overheat, it can result in severe damage to your vehicle and an expensive repair bill. Your cooling system and radiator levels should be checked at the end of the summer season when hot temperatures could have caused coolant to evaporate.

The leaves are falling. Here in Rochester that means it won't be long before the snow comes calling. As you get ready to hunker down for winter, don't forget to get your car ready too. Here's a few things you can do before the snow falls to make sure that when winter arrives you're ready.
 
1: Check your fluids! This is one of the most critical and most overlooked car care routines. The various fluids in your vehicle lubricate, cool, and perform other vital functions to keep it running and driving. We recommend taking a few minutes to check under the hood and make sure your fluid levels are where they need to be. This goes double for the oil, coolant and brake fluid.
 
2: Check your tires! Your cars tires are super important and shouldn't be overlooked. They affect your braking ability, handling and overall vehicle safety. Use a gauge to check your tread depth of the outer, center, and inner tread of the tire. If any of these read 4/32", we recommend replacing the tire. A reading of 2/32" or less indicates a safety hazard and the tire should be replaced immediately. Also, check your tires air pressure. You can find out how much air should be in your cars tires by looking in your vehicles manual. It's important to have the right amount of air in your tires. As too much air can mean a blowout and too little will make your tires wear out faster. For our fellow Rochesterians, we recommend investing in a quality set of snow tires to help you navigate the winter roads.
 
3: Check your lights! Soon we'll all be driving to work in the dark and coming home in the dark. It's important to see and be seen. We recommend getting a friend or spouse to help you check the exterior vehicle lights and make sure they're all working as they should. The interior lights you should be able to check yourself. Replace any bulbs that aren't working. If you need instructions on how to do so, just check your vehicles manual. If it's something you can't do yourself, or just don't feel comfortable, give us a call. We'll be happy to help you!
 
4: Check your wiper blades! Fall means rain, leaves, and sometimes snow. It's important to make sure your wiper blades are in good shape to keep your windshield clear. If your wipers are streaking or broken, replace them. Consider checking your washer fluid as well when checking your wipers. It's important to have so you can wipe the road salt away. Some brands make freeze resistant washer fluid for winter. Consider filling your reservoir with some when temperatures start to go below freezing.
 
5: Check your brakes! Stopping is important! Your brakes are critical! You should be checking them or having them checked twice a year to ensure they're in top shape. If you check them yourself and find 4mm of friction material left, we recommend replacing them. If you find 3mm or less left they should be replaced immediately, as that's a safety hazard. If you don't feel comfortable checking your own brakes, or don't know how, give us a call. We'll be more than happy to assist you!
 
6: Make sure your heater works! Most people don't use their heater very often in the summer. However, as it gets colder and the nice weather leaves us behind, you're going to want to stay warm while you drive. Automotive heating systems rely on hot engine coolant. So if your heater is blowing cold, it could mean you have a problem. If you have the know-how, you can diagnose it yourself, but we recommend giving us a call to let a professional handle it.
 
7: Take care of any outstanding maintenance! Check your vehicles owners manual for when the manufacturer recommends you should perform routine services. If your car is due, or overdue for service, take care of it now. Neglecting routine maintenance is the most common cause of breakdowns and big repair bills. Also, address any known problems your vehicle is having. If your car has a leak, rattle, squeal, grinding, or any other issues that you've been putting off, put them off no longer. Ignoring problems now can lead to bigger problems later. Also, you don't want to have a breakdown and get stranded in the snow. Fix it today to avoid headaches tomorrow!

Doing a post update about the effects salt and 2 dissimilar metals. Aluminum and steel are our 2 most common found metals on automobiles. Unfortunately they do not agree when put next to each other with salt added in. The bolts that were supposed to hold these truck running boards on came out due to the bolts being steel with aluminum boards. You can see in the picture below how the aluminum corroded away around the bolts. New hardware and repositioning the boards allowed us to save the boards so the customer did not have to buy new ones. This same issue also happens on other parts of a car. The most common is on exhaust heat shields, causing rattles as the shields contact the pipes.

Now that the weather has gotten cold and the salt is laid out on the roads we are seeing more corrosion issues. The most common are aluminum rims that are leaking air from the bead area. Salt corrodes the rim and causes an uneven surface eventually leading to air coming out of the rim. Most of these leaks do not go flat over night but over the course of several days. I have attached a picture of a rim leak from today. We use soapy water and let the bubbles show us where the air is escaping from.

In order to resolve this issue we dismount the tire. Clean and remove the corrosion from the rim. Next we apply a rim sealant and allow it to cure. After the sealant has cured, we mount the tire back on and computer balance it to insure no vibration. This job usually takes about 30 minutes to complete.

If you think you have a rim leak, then please give us a call to set up an appointment for us to check.

Hello Everyone, Clint Ferrel here, I wanted to take the time to wish everyone a great 2019. The shop is excited to continue on another year.

As many of you know I became a father last year. Little myles will be turning 1 soon. He does make it to the shop! Unfortunately, it is usually when he is sick; however, you may see him down here and get to meet his wonderful personality and see his dimple. He always brings joy and makes everyone's day when he is with us.

We will be making some changes here at the shop this year. Last year Paul updated the office with a new floor, counter and cabinets. I will keep everyone posted as we continue to make changes through out the year.

In case you missed it, below is the Synthetic VS Regular Oil story Channel 8 ran last night, which we were fortunate to be featured in. Changing your car's oil is it's life blood. Love your car and it'll love you back for a long time.

​www.rochesterfirst.com/video?videoId=733546611&carousel=1&index=9