Posted on 9/16/2015
At 106 St. Tire & Wheel, we get a lot of questions about wheel alignments...so we thought it would be a good idea to set the record straight and clear up any misconceptions. Your car leaves the factory with the wheels set at specific angles for proper drivability, stability, and handling. The crucial alignment angles for the front wheels are toe-in/toe-out, referring to the direction in which a wheel points (relative to a dead-ahead straight line); caster, which refers to the position of the top of the wheel, and camber, which is the offset of the suspension relative to an imaginary vertical straight line behind the wheel. Many newer vehicles also are designed with adjustable rear suspensions, and a four-wheel alignment ensures that the rear wheels' “thrust angle” is at a proper relationship with the front wheels. There are only two major signs that can indicate improper wheel alignment. One is a persistent pull to the right or ... read more
Posted on 9/3/2015
The ABCs of TPMS:FAQ about TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) from the experts at Queens 106 St Tire & WheelI'm hearing a lot about tire pressure monitoring systems; what exactly is TPMS?TPMS is a fairly new automotive warning system feature displaying tire pressure in new vehicles equipped with them. The law requiring TPMS was mandated by the federal government in 2007. And right from the start everyone at Queens 106 St Tire & Wheel shop locations ... its techs, managers and staff were trained to answer questions about TPMS, maintain, replace and service tire presure monitoring systems. TPMS systems have warning lights on the dashboard (see image above) informing the driver whether anyone of the 4 tires is compromised in safety because of improper tire pressure. (Please note: the batteries powering the display on the dashboard wear out like any other batte ... read more
Posted on 8/18/2015
New 106 St Tire & Wheel Wheel Alignment Center Now on Northern Blvd...exciting news:Queens 106 St Tire & Wheel has now moved its 24 hour wheel alignment center to Northern Blvd. Our new alignment center address is 105-08 Northern Blvd and we're open 24 hours a day everyday ofthe year except Christmas. Our new wheel alignment center operates exactly the same as ourprevious location and, of course, has easier access because its on Northern Blvd. Vome on into our office as always, purchase an alignment ticket, take your car across the street,get your wheel alignment, SIMPLE, as always. Call our main location if you have questions24 hours 718-446-6769. All of our Queens locations do wheel alignments 7 days a week
Posted on 8/14/2015
It's been said that “a car engine is a machine that never has enough power.” While that's true for some, for most people their car is just fine as it came from the factory. Sometimes, though, you want to get a little more oomph and maybe one or two more MPGs out of your vehicle. We won't get into mods like a bolt-on turbocharger or a nitrous oxide tank, which can easily result in burned-out pistons or other expensive auto repair if done improperly! In the hands of a good auto repair technician, things like idle speed, fuel/air mixture, fuel metering and timing used to all be tweak-able on older vehicles. Today, that's all handled by the engine control computer. Still, there are a few ways to coax a few extra ponies out of your engine: New Spark Plugs: Spark plugs don't need to be replaced nearly as often as they did on cars from a generation ago, but they still need to be changed, usually at about the 100k mile mark. At one time, spark plug wires would ... read more
Posted on 8/14/2015
If you've driven around in Queens, NY very much, it's no secret to you that we've got more than our share of potholes. You can try to keep a sharp eye out for them and dodge them or swerve around them as much as possible, but eventually you're going to drop a wheel into a moon-crater-size pothole that rattles your teeth. Here are some ideas on how to minimize the damage (and auto repair bills) that come from encounters with potholes. Make sure your tires are properly inflated. Underinflated or overinflated tires are going to be much more prone to damage or blowouts from hitting a pothole. Properly inflated tires will also absorb more of the jolt, lessening the chance of damage to the rim or suspension parts. Slow down if you see one coming up and you can't avoid it. Easing your way through a pothole drastically reduces the risk of damage to a tire or rim. Watch cars in front of you. If you see other drivers swerve, there's a good chance they're trying to miss a pothole, and you shou ... read more