Albert Lea Auto Repair

The four-wheel drives and when to use them.  Maybe you have always owned four-wheel drive trucks?  Maybe this is your first four-wheel drive vehicle?  Four-wheel drive gives the driver options.  Knowing how to best use those options is the key to success. Does four-wheel drive allow you to get through anything?  Not even remotely close!  Sometimes it just allows you to get more stuck and broken.  To understand how to best use your four-wheel drive options we need to go over a few basic principles.   First, the drive axle differential.  All vehicles use a differential on the drive axle to allow for smooth turns.  When a vehicle goes around a corner the outside tire needs to cover more ground than the inside tire.  Power from the engine/transmission comes into the center differential and is distributed to the drive tires via the drive axles. The differential allows for the difference in wheel speeds while provid ... read more

We get this question a lot here at Sanderson Auto Repair.  It is commonly thought that a good “all season” tire is all that is needed in most passenger vehicle applications all the time.  That is not quite the case.  Tire manufacturers design tires for specific vehicle platforms along with weather conditions.  “All season” tires are primarily designed for mostly dry weather.  With some minor exposure to changing weather conditions.  “ All season” tires are best swapped out for “winter tires” when the weather gets cold and the snow comes in. For example, the Firestone WinterForce, is a great “winter tire”.  They are specifically designed for extreme cold and winter conditions.  They improve vehicle stability, control, and braking in adverse, winter conditions.  They are designed with a very soft tread compound and are limited to use at temperatures below 60°.    A ... read more