Winter's harsh salt and ice hinders our interest in new aftermarket wheels, but in the summer—a season full of bright sun and clear, usually dry roads—we're all about it. So as we enter into summer, let's take a look at a few of Tire Rack's featured aftermarket wheels.


The Granite Alloy GA13 is an alloy wheel with a painted black finish. The center cap shown comes at no extra charge to you. Granite Alloy wheels work wonderfully on both SUVs and light trucks. And best part—they're all affordably priced, including this new GA13.




This wheel was born to go off-roading! The KMC XD Series Hoss is rugged and tough, and features a painted black finish that looks great on almost any truck or SUV. KMC XD Series wheels are tested on some of the most demanding off-road race courses, which means you'll never have to question their quality.



The GS wheel from Sport Muscle comes in silver painted (shown) and machined finishes, and will complete the look of any contemporary muscle car. Like the GS, all Sport Muscle wheels feature popular, aggressive designs, and come together at a value that anyone can appreciate.




Tire Rack is the exclusive distributor of Bremmer Kraft wheels, including this BR05 with a bright silver finish. Also available in a painted black finish, this wheel is surely an attractive style option for Audis, BMWs, Merecedes-Benzs and Volkswagens. And just like the cars they're mounted on, quality is never a question.


Shop the Upgrade Garage to see, yes...actually see, these wheels on your vehicle. Or, just browse our entire collection of aftermarket wheels.

When you think about aftermarket lighting, you think bulb. And while it seems to be that simple, replacement bulbs are actually fairly complicated. One thing often overlooked: the reflector, which directs any light emitted by the bulb through the lens. But, as with most aftermarket components, there are a variety of different reflectors out there. Take a look:


This is a parabolic reflector. It's highly reflective and can be found in a variety of head light bulbs on the market. They are, you might say, the original reflector. Light rays are projected in a parallel line to each other, which helps to create a very tight beam of light. And that means these reflectors aren't typically used when low-beam light patterns are required.



DE light technology reflectors mirror what common slide projectors do with light. The light beam is reflected to a focusing lens that projects it onto the road. Hella is responsible for this innovative approach to replacement bulbs. Unlike the parabolic reflector, they're great for low-beam and fog lamp use.


The last type of reflector uses FF (free-form/free-surface) light technology. High-performance computers optimize the position of the reflector surface in relation to the bulb's position, which produces a higher light output. The entire surface of the reflector is used, in combination with a pattern-free lens, to produce a light beam.



At Tire Rack, we offer a number of replacement bulbs in each of the three categories. To find one for your vehicle, simply search our inventory according to your vehicle.

Looking for performance car tires? Bridgestone Potenza Tires always seem to find their way to the top of the performance tires review categories.  Check out some of the Potenza tires available today and also some of the more popular Bridgestone tires on right hand side by tread design picture.

Extreme Performance Summer

Potenza RE-11 (shown at right)

Potenza RE070

Potenza RE070R RFT

Max Performance Summer

Potenza RE050

Potenza RE050 RFT

Potenza RE050A

Potenza RE050A I RFT

Potenza RE050A II RFT

Potenza RE050A Pole Position (shown at right)

Potenza RE050A Pole Position RFT

Potenza RE050A RFT

Potenza RE050A Scuderia

Potenza S-02

Potenza S-02 A

Potenza S001

Ultra High Performance Summer

Expedia S-01

Potenza RE010

Potenza RE011

Potenza RE030

Potenza RE040

Potenza RE040 RFT

Potenza RE760 Sport (shown at right)

Ultra High Performance All-Season

Potenza RE960AS Pole Position (shown at right)

High Performance All-Season

Potenza G 019 Grid

Potenza RE92

Potenza RE92A

Potenza RE92A RFT

High Performance Summer

Potenza RE93

Tire Rack carries Bridgestone's line of Potenza Tires from the Original Equipment to aftermarket tires for use in dry, wet and even light snow when using the All Season Bridgestone Potenza Tires. 

It's unfortunate that head light bulbs can't last forever, Nothing seems to be more annoying than a bulb that burned out. It weakens your view, and has this weird way of making you feel silly as you drive.

Make sure the front end of your car is always in perfect condition with a set of aftermarket lights that at least diminish the frequency at which you'll need to replace headlights. Tire Rack offers Hella lighting and PIAA lighting products, both of which do just that.

Search by vehicle for a list of replacement lighting products, or click here to see a complete list of head light bulbs.

Aftermarket lighting is about bulbs. But you have to know what bulbs you need in order to make an effective aftermarket lighting purchase. 

Scientifically speaking, a Kelvin is the unit of measurement used to describe the particular hue (color) of a light source. In this case, your headlight. Isn't all light white, you ask. Surprisingly, no. The higher the Kelvin value, the closer the color will be to sunlight which is actually a bluish tint. If you go lower on the Kelvin scale, you'll get more of an amber tint. Stay in the middle, and that's where you'll see the white.

Why does it matter? Different Kelvin values work better in different conditions. Higher values increase visibility at night, while lower values combat fog, snow or rain.

Read more, then search our inventory of aftermarket lighting products.

This winter has been pretty bad for most of the country.... and our cars. Luckily most of us can keep our custom wheels, low profile tires, and other aftermarket items in the garage or basement. Unfortunately our paint isn't so lucky. Highlighted below are a few simple Griot's detail products under $20 that will make your car looking great this coming spring.

Speed Shine Kit $19.00

Griot's Garage most popular car care product, Speed Shine, is a fast, safe way to keep any painted surface clean and brilliant -- a perfect between-washes cleaner for vehicles. A quick mist and light toweling removes dust and other foreign residue and leaves behind a brilliant shine. Special lubricants won't scratch a paint's surface. Perfect for all paints, clearcoats, wheels, chrome and exterior plastic trim. Extends time between washes.



Paint Cleaning Clay $19.95

Regardless of how clean you think your paint is there are still contaminants stuck on the paint that you need to remove before waxing or polishing. Griot’s Garage Paint Cleaning Clay leaves behind an ultra-smooth surface that makes wax adhere better and last longer, too. It also makes the wax much easier to buff out. Clay is safe for all paint and also works great on glass.


Griot’s Garage Car Wash $7.95

When using Griot’s Garage Car Wash, the first thing you'll notice is how slippery it acts between your wash mitt and the paint. This is an important characteristic and contributes to its ability to lift away contaminants while protecting the finish during washing. Many of the mild scratches in your finish are from aggressive washing. The dirt acts like sand paper, scratching the finish while you're rubbing the surface of your vehicle. Car Wash is gentle on your wax, yet removes more dirt and road grime than any car wash Griot’s Garage has tested. Safe for all paints.


Microfiber Wash Pads $11.95

Griot’s Garage Microfiber Wash Pads hold a great deal of water yet rinse totally clean with a quick shake in your bucket. Hundreds of tightly twisted strands are super-soft and extra-gentle on paint. The extra amount of water that these pads can hold provides more lubricity across the paint. Plus, it's machine washable! Two different colored pads per set keep one free for the dirtiest parts of the car and one kept separate for the hood, glass and roof. 8-1/2" wide by 11" long.


Multi-Pattern Hose Nozzle and Car Wash Dispenser $14.95

Griot’s Garage Multi-Pattern Hose Nozzle and Car Wash Dispenser conveniently sprays a soapy film on your vehicle for washing then rinses the surface clean. The soap reservoir holds three ounces of Griot's Garage Car Wash. The padded trigger and integrated lock minimizes hand fatigue during long rinse cycles. The nozzle has 10 spray patterns to choose from. Great for delivering the perfect amount of water to plants and foliage, too.


Chrome Wheel Polish Set $19.00

Griot's Garage's no-scratch Chrome Wheel Polish is a safe way to polish chrome and will not leave behind swirl marks or scratches. It is easy to apply and take off. In fact, test comparisons performed by Griot's Garage determined the Chrome Wheel Polish required the least amount of effort and produced superior results compared to other polishes.

 

Aftermarket bulbs increase your margin of safety and enhance the appearance of your vehicle; so if you haven't put them on your F150 yet, you might want to consider the LED Tail Light/Third Brake Light Kit from Hella (shown). The kit includes two tail lights, a cab-mounted stop lamp and a complete set of installation instructions—and installation, of course, is really easy.

In addition, you can add to the kit above with a Grille Kit featuring Halogen or Xenon driving lamps. You can also choose a Blackout Head Lamp Kit.

Search all aftermarket bulbs.

They're aftermarket bulbs. They light the road ahead of you. What's more to know?

A lot, actually:

• A headlight contains the bulb(s), reflector, lens and housing. Newer vehicles feature headlights with replaceable bulbs, however earlier vehicles have sealed-beam headlights where the filament, reflector and lens are combined in a single unit.

• Replaceable bulbs are typically twin-filament with a built-in shield that keeps your low and high beams aimed in the right direction. Low=forward and down. High=straight ahead.

• The bulbs should be as small as possible and accurately fitted, otherwise you'll get a random scattering of light. In other words, reduced performance.

• The headlamp lens actually distributes the light. Grooves in the glass function as prisms, deflecting light while reducing brightness.

Interesting facts, although not the end of our aftermarket lighting story.

Read more, or check out other articles in our Lighting Tech library. Then, search by vehicle to see what aftermarket lighting products could enhance your current lighting system.

Improve or enhance your Original Equipment lighting system with aftermarket bulbs. You'll increase visibility while driving, that's for sure, and update the style of your current lighting system. It makes your bulbs look good so you can, well...look down the road pretty good, too.

Tire Rack offers a variety of aftermarket lighting products. Shop by vehicle to find out which aftermarket bulbs would work for you.

I have been using the PIAA Xtreme White Plus Headlight Bulbs and also Super Silicone Wiper Blades on my vehicle for some time now. I found it difficult to see at night, especially in rainy conditions. The PIAA Xtreme White Plus head light bulbs offered me clearer visibility over my OE headlights and the PIAA Super Silicone Aftermarket Wiper Blades kept my windshield much cleaner than my OE wiper blades. 

I have most of the family using the the PIAA wiper blades. Today as I was installing the latest set of PIAA Super Silicone Replacement Blades on my grandparents' car, we were discussing how visibility has improved for them using these two PIAA products. The PIAA headlight bulbs will not be any brighter or show light further down the road. They will, however, allow you to recognize road hazards easier as they project a clearer light down the road. The PIAA lighting and replacement wiper blades are available for most vehicles.

Well, my son Samuel finished up the brakes this past Saturday and they are working fine. The rear drum brakes were in good shape so he only had to work on the fronts. The whole process took about two hours from start to finish and he's justifiably proud of himself. I'm going to break this up into a few posts so let's get started!

By the way; Samuel was under close adult supervision during all procedures. He also wore protective eye wear and gloves when required. When working on your vehicle, always refer to a good, vehicle specific, shop manual to review the procedures before you start. Follow all safety procedures in the shop manual and read all of the instructions that come with the parts you are installing.

Step 1:  Safety first!

The first step was placing chocks behind the rear tires of the van. These keep the van from rolling backward when it's jacked up in the air. Never jack up a vehicle without chocking the tires. Even a slight movement backward can cause the vehicle to slip off the jack. 

Since he was only working on the front brakes, I had him apply the parking brake as well. This locks up the rear brakes which will also help to keep the rear end fixed in position.

The next step is to break the lug nuts loose. You want to do this before you jack up the vehicle. The weight of the vehicle will hold the tire and wheel in place while you are applying force to the nuts. The whole wheel will just spin if you attempt this with the wheel in the air.

Here's Sam using a Gorilla Power Wrench to accomplish this. It's much easier if you are lifting up on the power wrench. You have more leverage that way.

You only need to loosen them enough to get them moving and then snug them lightly back against the wheel. Do this one nut at a time.  Don't unthread them all the way yet! You'll do that once you jack up the vehicle.


Step 2: Jacking Up The Vehicle

With the wheel chocks in place behind the rear tires, it's time to jack up the vehicle. Refer to your vehicle's owner's manual or your shop manual for the proper jacking points under the vehicle frame.

Carefully set the jack under the proper point making sure there are no wires or lines that could be pinched or damaged!

Here Sam is using a Tire Rack Aluminum Service Jack to lift up the corner of the van. Note the van is on a nice smooth, level surface. 




Step 3: Jack Stands

Another important safety device is a set of jack stands. Make sure they are rated high enough to support the vehicle weight you are working with. These supports go under the frame of the vehicle to support the weight and to give the vehicle a stable connection to the ground.

It's never a good idea to leave the full vehicle weight on the jack. Most jacks are mounted on rollers that could move causing the vehicle to shift as you work on it.

Once the jack stands are in place you can slowly lower the vehicle off the jack and onto the stands. Do this slowly and watch the stands to make sure they don't shift.

They should be sitting flat on the ground. After they are properly seated under the vehicle, the load should not shift easily. I typically move my jack back up to within 1/4" of the frame just as a backup should something shift unexpectedly.

Step 4:  Remove Lug Hardware and Wheel/Tire

Now the tire and wheel is up in the air and you can remove the lug nuts or bolts. This is pretty straight forward. The Gorilla Power Wrench comes in Handy for this as well.



If you have aftermarket alloy wheels, you may see centering rings sticking to the hub. Make sure you remove them carefully using a flat blade screwdriver. 



Step 5: Look at the parts!

This is the point of no return. Once you start taking the calipers and rotors apart, there's no turning back. Now is the time to carefully inspect your new replacement parts and to compare them to the parts on the vehicle. You don't want to go any further if you don't have the correct parts right? 

Samuel will be replacing the pads and rotors with Hawk HPS performance brake pads and  ATE Premium One Brake Rotors. He's also going to be replacing the fluid with ATE SL.6 Brake Fluid. 

He inspected the parts and checked them against the ones on the van. Everything checked out and they look like the parts on the van. He's ready to move on to our next blog post: 


Brake Job Part II: Taking it all apart