The History Of Bridgestone Tires

Like with every industry and its apex, the tire industry worldwide has Bridgestone tires as one of its leading giants and the level of respect in the business this brand has garnered over the years didn’t come easy. It took a lot of work and something extra that we might never know and their story began thus…

Bridgestone Tires started in 1931 by Shojiro ishibashi, whose surname was translated too English to give the company its very inclusive name Bridgestone, with the first ever Bridgestone tire made on April 9th, 1930, a year before the official tire company was born.

This formidable tire company had its eyes set on the big picture as they merged with another company, Firestone Tire and Rubber Company which had its headquarters in Akron Ohio thereby expanding their tires and motor parts manufacture to even greater heights.

This brand has seen it all. From struggling with manufacturing their products solely base on Japanese technology and independent of European and North American technology, to barely surviving the wartime regulations in world war two which in combination with the war itself, almost became their undoing and the 425million dollars fine imposed on them by the U.S department of defense for price fixing and bidding etc.

This is one brand that has survived a lot of situations most brands would have fallen at their swords and hence, it is no surprise that they put that same level of resilience and dedication into the production of their tires and general merchandise.

The company’s general merchandise includes passenger tires, motorcycle tires, commercial tires, solution tires, specialties tires, etc and with each year that goes by; the Bridgestone tire brand has remained the number one stop for top quality tires worldwide.

Here is the thing about tire buying tires in general buddy: A tire buying guide

When you purchase a vehicle, chances are that you made said purchase because you needed a car because of its usability or you just wanted a car because why not, you love cars! The point here is that most people who buy vehicles aren’t always car/mechanical professionals; hence they do not possess the know-how which enables them to determine when to get new tires for their cars.

The first advice that is given when people ask questions relating to tire purchases is that said vehicle owner seek the expertise of a professional to help determine the state of the tires and if they require changing.

The above being said it wouldn’t hurt to have a golden nugget or two up your sleeve in regard to tire buying. And the guide to follow looks something like this….

Bridgestone Tire buying guide

How to know if you Really Need new Tires

Though a professional would be best to enlighten you on this, it is possible to make this determination yourself.

When performing a manual inspection of your tire, you are required to look out for the tire groove that makes contact with your drive path. If the tread isn’t deep enough and evenly and well-worn without spotting any irregularities, you are good to go. Though most tires come with the tread wear indicator feature that becomes visible when the tire has been chopped to one-sixth of an inch; a further manual inspection of the tire side wall could help you determine visible damage also.

How to determine the right tire size for me

Since your car already has tires, you can easily find the correct tire size on the sidewall of the tire or your owner’s manual.

When it comes to manually determining the right tire size via the tire sidewall, a lot of people usually have an issue with reading the specs. You can find excellent and detailed information online on the steps to take if you find yourself in this situation.

How to determine the right tire type for me

This aspect usually depends on an individual’s preference, driving habits, and driving area. Most tires typically fall into the all-season, summer and winter tires category, and depending on the just stated criteria; you should find a great fit for your car and driving needs.

Do I replace all four tires each time?

Save driving requires certain things to be equal, and this includes the tires. All four tires of your vehicle are required to make contact with the driving surface in the same way.

Identical tires are ideal for getting excellent control of your vehicle and driving. When your vehicle is fitted with Unidentical tires, the control factor is usually unhinged on some level, which makes it quite unsafe.

It is advised that in a situation that you can’t afford to change all four tires at once that you ensure that the new tires put in are the same size and type like the rest. It is also advised that the new tires be fitted in the rear of the vehicle.

Which way to go, old or new tires?

The bottom line is, old tires are unsafe, and this is generally because you have no idea where they have been and for how long.

With new tires, you sleep easier because you can be sure of its actual wear and tear state unlike with used tires.

A lot of people tend to opt for used tires because of the lower price points, but what they don’t seem to realize is that with a used tire, some damage is already done and eventually, you would need to buy more after having little use out of it.

The tire dealer conversation: it goes like this

The size and type of the new tires typically fall on you to determine, but your dealer can help you decide which tire producer warranties is best to serve you long term. Also, find out if your new tires would be accompanied by balancing and rotation or if an addition can be made on your maintenance service plan. These dealers know all the best deals and specials, and you should also inquire about that.