AUTONET TV

Custom Wheels and Tires for Your Charleston Ride

It seems like everywhere you go in the Charleston area you see custom wheels. Big trucks, little cars, mini-vans - it doesn't matter - are expressing themselves with custom wheels. Some WV auto owners want smaller tires and wheels - some want larger - and some want them enormous. So where do you start if you want new wheels? At Steve & Stacy's Servicenter, we suggest you start with your budget. We know, that sounds so practical. But if the look you're after goes beyond just new tires and wheels and enters into the world of suspension modifications, you need to be prepared for the additional cost.

Let's start with something easy - you want to give your ride a unique look and the stock wheel size is just right for you. One of the concerns you will have is that the new wheels have the same offset as your vehicle factory wheels.

Your tire and wheel professional at Steve & Stacy's Servicenter in Charleston can help you find the right size wheel or install adapters to make your new wheels fit. All you have to do is pick from the hundreds of styles available.

So, what about Charleston drivers who want to upsize? Well, if you want bigger wheels, but you want to keep the same overall tire diameter, that's pretty easy for the team at Steve & Stacy's Servicenter. The same offset concerns apply. You need to know that the tires will likely be a little bit wider than the originals and you don't want them to rub when you make sharp turns. Your tire professional at Steve & Stacy's Servicenter in Charleston will help you avoid this.

Heading the other direction, some vehicle owners in the Charleston area like to run smaller than standard wheels and lower the suspension. All of the same fitment issues still apply as well as calibration issues. Don't think that vehicle suspension modifications are a bad thing. Many systems actually improve ride, function and performance over the stock set-up.

Regardless of your budget, you want your vehicle to continue to do all the things you need it to do. Some of those show cars and trucks you see on TV and Charleston showrooms  look good but have been modified in ways that may not suit your needs. For example, if you put large rims on your SUV with low profile tires, you may be in for busted rims if you go off-roading a lot around the Charleston area. There just isn't enough sidewall to absorb the impact of thumping over rocks.

Some stuff the largest tires and wheels possible in their vehicles but have to severely restrict suspension travel so that the tires aren't rubbing all day. That can lead to a very harsh ride around WV. Again, talk with your Steve & Stacy's Servicenter wheel professional about all of these things: how you drive in Charleston, what look you are going for, your budget and what compromises you are willing to make.

At the end of the day, you're going to be rollin' out of Steve & Stacy's Servicenter with one sweet ride.

Steve & Stacy's Servicenter
130 Virginia Street W
Charleston, WV 25302
(304) 343-4611
http://www.steveandstacysservicenter.com

Vive la Differential at Steve & Stacy's Servicenter in Charleston

There are a lot of drivers in Charleston who are due for a differential service, but had never heard of a differential before. With front-wheel drive being so common in WV these days, the differential is just taken care of during a transmission service, so most Charleston folks don't even have to think about it. And rear-wheel drive differentials don't need to be serviced for years, so it's understandable that it's not something on the top of your mind. It's not uncommon for people in Charleston to not know they have a differential, let alone know that it needs service.

To better understand what a differential does, think about a track at any WV high school. There are lanes marked off on the track. For the longer distance races, the starting lines are staggered. The starting lines for the outside lanes are ahead of the starting lines for the inside lanes. That's to compensate for the longer length of the outside lanes. Staggering the starting lines means that each runner has the same distance to run.

The differential compensates for the difference in speeds between the inside vehicle wheel and the outside wheel in a turn, because they have to travel together through slightly different distances.

It's a very important function. When you think of it, all the power to get a vehicle moving goes through the differential. Most cars weigh between 3,000 and 6,000 pounds (1,400 and 2,800 kg) – trucks even more. The power from the engine goes through the transmission and then through the differential to the drive wheels.

That's a lot of work and requires very heavy duty parts. And those parts need protection. The differential fluid lubricates the gears in the differential and keeps them cool. The fluid eventually gets dirty and worn down. Some kinds of differentials require special additives that break down over time. So manufacturers recommend intervals for when to replace your differential fluid.

Your knowledgeable Steve & Stacy's Servicenter service technician will drain the used fluid and check it out for metal bits, which could be a sign of excessive wear on the gears. He'll then replace the fluid and install the additives if necessary.

Your Steve & Stacy's Servicenter service advisor can look up the vehicle manufacturer's recommended service interval or you can check your owner's manual.

At Steve & Stacy's Servicenter, we've been providing quality automotive service for our valued Charleston customers since . If you need to schedule differential maintenance, or any other automotive service, give us a call at (304) 343-4611.

Steve & Stacy's Servicenter
130 Virginia Street W
Charleston, WV 25302
(304) 343-4611
http://www.steveandstacysservicenter.com

Fuel Filter Service in Charleston, WV

There are a surprising number of small, inexpensive parts that can lead to expensive engine damage when they fail. It doesn't seem right.

Fortunately a lot of those things can be taken care of in routine maintenance. They may not be easy to remember because it is a long list, but your service center at Steve & Stacy's Servicenter can help you know what's scheduled to be taken care of.

Some of us in Charleston, WV, really don't look forward to going in for an oil change and then getting a list of the other things the manufacturer recommends.

But automotive maintenance is all about prevention and addressing small problems before they get big. Let's take the fuel filter for example.

You may not know this but the median age for private vehicles on our Charleston, WV, roads is over nine years. When vehicles get older, five years or so, they've accumulated a lot of dirt and rust in their gas tanks. If that dirt gets into the engine it can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage. So somewhere between that dirty gas tank and the price of a great vacation is the lowly fuel filter: a very inexpensive part that doesn't cost too much to replace. And your vehicle will just run better too.

A clogged fuel filter can't let enough fuel through. You might notice at first that your vehicle is running fine around town but struggles or sputters on the Charleston, WV, freeway or when you accelerate. Enough fuel can't get through to meet the demands of higher speed. If it gets bad enough, your engine might just shut off or not start at all, which could be dangerous.

Some fuel filters have a bypass. When they get clogged, they allow dirty fuel to move around the filter element so dirt ends up in the engine. We've already talked about how expensive that can be.

The fuel filter is even very important for newer vehicles. The fuel is still dirty even if there isn't rust in the tank. It's just that the fuel filter will need to be changed more frequently as the vehicle gets older.

How often should you change your fuel filter? Check your owner's manual. Your Charleston, WV, service advisor at Steve & Stacy's Servicenter can tell you as well. It's usually around 30,000 miles (50,000 kilometers) or so. Ask if it's time for a full fuel system cleaning as well. They often go hand in hand.

It's good to know that your Charleston, WV, service center has your back. When you're motivated to maintain your vehicle's performance and to reduce operating costs, you'll think of Steve & Stacy's Servicenter as your ally - and maybe even your memory.

Steve & Stacy's Servicenter
130 Virginia Street W
Charleston, WV 25302
(304) 343-4611
http://www.steveandstacysservicenter.com