The Tire Rack is the largest online retailer of new and factory-direct tires in the United States, selling more than 2.5 million tires a year, with more than 700 employees on staff.
The company was founded in 1979, originally as a wholesaler of used tires and wheel pants, and later expanded to include sales of new tires.
The Tire Rack offers several ways to find the right tire for your vehicle: If you know what type of tire you need, you can select that from the “Shop Tires” menu.
If you’re looking for a specific tire brand or size, click “Shop All Brands” and then choose the brand or size from the drop down menu.
What is the history of the Tire Rack?
The Tire Rack was founded in 1979, by Peter Veldman. Peter opened the store after peddling tires out of the back of his car while working as a sales manager at an auto dealership.
He started with a few hundred dollars and an idea that people would be interested in buying tires without paying for installation costs.
In 1981, The Tire Rack was relocated to South Bend, IN, and outgrew multiple warehouse facilities within the first decade. Eventually settling into a state-of-the-art distribution center that is still home to The Tire Rack today.
The company has seen significant growth over the past three decades and continues to maintain the same customer focus that it was built upon more than 30 years ago. With more than 4 million tires available for next-day delivery, The Tire Rack has answered the call for every driver.
The Tire Rack was created in 1979 by Peter Veldman, who had a vision of making tire testing data available to the public. This concept was first introduced through a small ad in Hot VWs magazine.
The concept took off and the business grew from its original base in a pole barn in South Bend, Indiana, to a 100,000 sq. ft. facility in the same town.
In 1984, The Tire Rack began promoting Hoosier Racing Tires on the SCCA Autocross circuit. In addition to being an Official Vendor for the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), The Tire Rack also provided support for tire testing and development with the SCCA Pro Rally and Solo events.
In 1987, The Tire Rack began providing tires for the SCCA Club Racing competition and has continued to sponsor events and competitors at all levels of that sport throughout its history.
In 1997, The Tire Rack became an Official Sponsor of IMSA World SportsCar Championship road racing events as well as the Grand-Am Rolex Series sports car racing series. In 2002, The Tire Rack expanded its sponsorship to include the Grand-Am Cup road racing series and KONI Challenge Series street stock races.
Do Tire Rack tires come inflated?
The answer is yes, they do come inflated. Tire Rack tires are delivered fully inflated and ready to install on your vehicle.
Yes, Tire Rack tires come pre-inflated with nitrogen. Nitrogen gas helps to maintain tire pressure and minimizes the impact of temperature changes on your tire.
If you buy a set of four tires from Tire Rack, they will be inflated with nitrogen and mounted on wheels for you before shipping. This way, your package is ready for the road upon arrival.
If you want to purchase just one or two tires from Tire Rack, those will be shipped inflated but unmounted.
A matching full-size spare is just like the tires you are using on your vehicle. These should be inflated with the same air pressure as your running tires.
They should be incorporated in with the tire rotation so that they wear out evenly along with your regular tires.
We transfer our tires in bulk containers by truck, and the tires can be damaged if they’re inflated under pressure. Once you receive a set of tires from us, take them to your tire installer to have them mounted and inflated to the correct pressure for your vehicle.
A compact spare is an economy tire, and should not be driven at highway speeds for any length of time. It is a short-term temporary solution to a flat tire until you can get your normal tire repaired or replaced.
A compact spare will have different tire pressure specifications than your regular tires, and it’s important to follow those specifications if you use this type of spare.
A “donut” or space-saver spare should only be used in emergency situations and should be replaced as soon as possible. The maximum speed rating of a “donut” spare is 50 mph and they are not intended to be driven on for more than 50 miles.
A temporary spare is a lightweight emergency spare. Many of these come at least partially inflated from the factory, but not all of them.
A temporary spare should be inflated to the cold pressure (before driving) stamped on its sidewall, or to the pressure specified by the car manufacturer for that vehicle and tire size.
Some temporary spares can’t be adjusted once mounted on a vehicle, so test it before mounting it on your car if possible.
The recommended practice for use of a compact spare is to drive no more than 50 miles and no faster than 50 mph to get the tire repaired or replaced.
Can I buy tires online and have them installed?
Yes, you can buy tires online and have them installed. We work with tire installers all over the country, so you’re covered no matter where you are. To get started, order your tires online and select a certified TireBuyer installer in your area to schedule an appointment for installation.
If you’re wondering whether you can buy tires online and have them installed, the answer is yes. It’s a fast and convenient way to take care of this regular maintenance task, and many car owners are choosing to purchase tires online.
You can buy tires online and have them installed at a tire shop. This is a very common way to buy tires. In fact, most tire retailers will sell tires both in their stores and online.
Many dealerships also sell tires online and offer installation for an additional cost. And for some vehicle models, it’s possible to purchase tires directly from the manufacturer.
If you’re not sure what type of car tires you need, you can use Firestone’s website tool to help you find the right set for your vehicle make, model, and year.
After selecting your tires, you can choose a local Firestone store to have them installed or even schedule an appointment online.
Tires Plus offers both tires and car repair services. If you buy tires online, you can get them installed at Tires Plus for a fee.
The first step is to register your vehicle with Tires Plus’s website so that you can shop for tires that suit your needs. Once you find the right tires, you’ll be able to schedule an installation appointment at a Tires Plus location near you.
You can also use Tires Plus’s site to schedule appointments for auto repairs and maintenance. The company claims that it can offer warranties on most repairs, which means it will fix the problem again if it crops up within a certain timeframe.
On top of that, you can go to any of the company’s locations and request a free battery analysis or brake inspection to find out whether either part is due for replacement.
How much does Tire Rack mobile install cost?
Tire Rack’s mobile installation service is a convenient alternative to the traditional tire-installation process, in which you would drop your vehicle off at a shop and leave it there until the work is done.
Instead, with Tire Rack mobile installation, a mechanic comes to your home or office to change out tires and wheels.
The cost of Tire Rack mobile installation varies by location but is typical $120 per wheel for tire mounting and balancing, plus an additional $50 per wheel for installation. There are also one-time travel charges based on how far away you are from the nearest authorized installer.
When it comes to tires, you want a good selection, the right fit, and easy installation.
With a mobile tire installation service, you can choose your new tires, arrange for them to be delivered to your home or preferred installer, and have them installed at a time that’s convenient for you. You’ll also get peace of mind knowing they were installed by an expert tire technician.
The Tire Rack mobile install cost will vary depending on what kind of tires you need and where you live. Check out our mobile installer listing for more specific details about pricing and services offered in your area.
It’s a great time to buy tires from Tire Rack because of our selection, customer reviews, and convenient installation options. But don’t let the idea of installation stop you from buying new tires.
You can have your tires installed at any one of more than 9,000 Tire Rack Recommended Installers nationwide. The cost is $15 per tire plus shop supplies. In addition, we offer Mobile Install for an additional charge of $50 per order.
We’ll send a trained installer to your home or office to install your new tires.
With Mobile Install, there’s no need to drop off your car to have the work done. You can be at work or home while the installation is completed.
We’ll also provide before and after photos and a TPMS reset demonstration so you know the work was done right and your car is ready for the road.
How fast does Tire Rack deliver?
Tire Rack generally has tires shipped to customers within two business days after the order is placed. However, this may vary depending on the brand of the tire and the location of the customer.
For example, if a customer in Kansas orders a set of tires from a warehouse in Tennessee, it will take about two business days for them to arrive.
If a customer in New York places an order for a set of tires that are only available at Tire Rack’s headquarters in South Bend, then the estimated delivery time can be as long as three business days.
We have found that the majority of our customers value getting their order as quickly as possible. That’s why we’ve made it our goal to get your order out the door within 24 hours of receipt during the business week, and ship from one of several distribution centers located throughout the U.S.
Orders for items in stock at one of our distribution centers typically arrive within 3-4 business days after shipping.
Orders containing custom-built products, such as custom wheels, are shipped within 24 hours but will require additional time to arrive since they are built to order by the manufacturer.
We also offer a variety of expedited shipping options to fit your needs.
How does a gear rack work?
A gear rack is a spur gear that is designed to engage with another spur gear in the form of a pinion. The rack has straight teeth and is therefore a linear actuator, as opposed to a rotary actuator.
The advantage of the rack and pinion is that it provides a mechanical advantage to the user.
The teeth on the gear rack are cut at right angles to the length of the gear, meaning that they are parallel to the axis of rotation. The teeth of the pinion are helical, which means that they are oriented at an angle with respect to the axis of rotation.
This causes the pinion to roll along with the gear teeth, rather than slide. This reduces wear and noise and improves efficiency.
The pitch of the pinion (the distance between two adjacent teeth) is usually different from that of the gear rack in order that they do not mesh together at exactly one point, but instead form a rolling contact that slides along each other without binding. The angle between them can be recognized as the angle between their pitch circles.
The main disadvantage of using a gear rack is that it cannot be used over long distances because bending stresses will cause it to warp.
Why buy tires from Tire Rack?
We have over 2,200 dedicated sales specialists who will answer your questions and help you find the right tire.
Our Test Team has driven millions of miles on every type of road surface imaginable.
Our Test Team has evaluated more than 180 different tire models and hundreds of sizes.
We offer many leading tire brands, including Bridgestone, Continental, Dunlop, Firestone, General, Goodyear, Michelin®, Pirelli, Toyo, and Yokohama.
More than 90% of our tires ship within one business day of the order.
We can mount your new tires to wheels you already own or sell you a new set at great prices.
The fact that 80% of vehicle owners surveyed found their tires through Tire Rack speaks to our ability to provide the information you need to make an informed purchasing decision.
Tire Rack is the place to get new tires. We carry a wide variety of tires from leading manufacturers, including Michelin, BFGoodrich, and Uniroyal.
Whether you’re looking for ultra-high performance tires, heavy-duty all-terrain tires, or budget-friendly all-season tires, you’ll find what you need at Tire Rack.
Use our online tools to help you make the right decision when it comes time to buy new tires. Our tire selector helps you easily find the exact tire that meets your needs, at a price that meets your budget. Or browse our buying guide for tips on what to look for when buying new tires.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Does Tire Rack deliver to your home?
Yes, we do! Most of our customers have their tires shipped directly to their installer of choice. But, if you’d like to have your tires delivered to your home or workplace, we offer that option too. You can even ship to multiple addresses at the same time!
- When you’re ready to checkout, just follow these steps:
- Select your delivery option at the bottom of the page.
- Enter the recipient’s address.
2. What does UTQG mean with tires?
Utah stands for Uniform Tire Quality Grading System. It is a system that the Department of Transportation came up with to rate tires based on three factors:
- Tread wear
- Traction
- Temperature resistance
The rating numbers you see on tires are all relative. For example, if a tire gets a tread wear rating of 200, it means that it should last twice as long as a tire with a tread wear rating of 100.
3. Does Walmart install tires for free?
Yes, Walmart offers free mounting and balancing of tires that you purchase from Walmart. The exceptions to this are tires that are purchased online through Walmart.com or those that are not installed at a Walmart store.
Walmart installs tires on all cars, trucks, and vans. They do not install tires on motorcycles or ATVs
4. How long are tired well for?
No matter what you drive, tires are important. Without them, your vehicle wouldn’t be able to move. In fact, they are the only part of your vehicle that touches the road.
This means they’re also the most abused part of a vehicle. They encounter everything from potholes to nails and are practically working 24/7.
Conclusion
Tire Rack has a wide variety of tires for all types of vehicles from some of the biggest names in the tire industry such as Michelin, Goodyear, BFGoodrich, and Pirelli.
This includes passenger car tires, light truck tires, performance tires, SUV and crossover tires, summer tires, and winter tires.
There is no definitive answer as to how long tires will last. It depends on several factors, including the type of tire, its maximum load capacity, speed rating, and tread life warranty.
Many different variables affect how long your tires will last before needing to be replaced.
