3208 International Street, Fairbanks, AK 99701  |  Phone: (907) 312-1447   

SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT

3208 International Street, Fairbanks, AK 99701  |  Phone: (907) 312-1447   

SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT
SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT

3208 International Street, Fairbanks, AK 99701  |  Phone: (907) 312-1447   

Tires, Wheels and Brakes

At METRO, We Take Pride in Looking at the Whole Picture

Go ahead and plan your day, because Metro Garage has renovated the maintenance experience. If you are here, we are working on your car- the whole car not just one part. Did you know that driving in Alaska during the winter means increased wear on the underside of your car? This wear can affect all sorts of things from your alignment to your brakes. The good news is we offer under-car inspections tailored to the Alaskan winter wear and tear. 


Schedule your appointment today!

At METRO, We Take Pride in Looking at the Whole Picture

Go ahead and plan your day, because Metro Garage has renovated the maintenance experience. If you are here, we are working on your car- the whole car not just one part. Did you know that driving in Alaska during the winter means increased wear on the underside of your car? This wear can affect all sorts of things from your alignment to your brakes. The good news is we offer under-car inspections tailored to the Alaskan winter wear and tear.


Schedule your appointment today!

Tire Replacement

______________

Do you need new tires?

- Uneven tread wear

- Sliding through intersections

- Slow accelerations from intersections

- Unpredictable Braking

- Persistent Flats

The Right Tires for The Right Season


It is a nice idea—that one tire is all you need to be safe in all four seasons. But when the rubber meets the road here in the subarctic, the idea actually has no practical application! It’s a fantasy. Let’s face it, Fairbanks, our new climate has made interior Alaska the Anchorage of driving: Intersections and highways caked with ice. We literally spend half the year driving around on sheets of glass.


While we are getting real about dangerous driving, let’s talk about windshield time: Fairbanks isn’t big on public transportation which leaves us on our own to get around. At a minimum, the majority of us spend one hour per day commuting. Now let’s say this hour is spent with the anxiety of a white-knuckle grip because you really don’t know if you will slide through the next intersection. This adds up to a winter’s worth of unnecessary angst.


Come to METRO. Let us eliminate this winter worry! For a few hundred dollars per year, you can spend that hour or two a day feeling relaxed and in control on Fairbanks’ icy roads. It is possible. In fact, with Nokian’s one-month, money-back guarantee, we have never had a customer return their tires.

Tire Replacement

______________

Do you need new tires?

- Uneven tread wear

- Sliding through intersections

- Slow accelerations from intersections

- Unpredictable Braking

- Persistent Flats

Tire Replacement

______________

Do you need new tires?

- Uneven tread wear

- Sliding through intersections

- Slow accelerations from intersections

- Unpredictable Braking

- Persistent Flats

The Right Tires for The Right Season


It is a nice idea—that one tire is all you need to be safe in all four seasons. But when the rubber meets the road here in the subarctic, the idea actually has no practical application! It’s a fantasy. Let’s face it, Fairbanks, our new climate has made interior Alaska the Anchorage of driving: Intersections and highways caked with ice. We literally spend half the year driving around on sheets of glass.


While we are getting real about dangerous driving, let’s talk about windshield time: Fairbanks isn’t big on public transportation which leaves us on our own to get around. At a minimum, the majority of us spend one hour per day commuting. Now let’s say this hour is spent with the anxiety of a white-knuckle grip because you really don’t know if you will slide through the next intersection. This adds up to a winter’s worth of unnecessary angst.


Come to METRO. Let us eliminate this winter worry! For a few hundred dollars per year, you can spend that hour or two a day feeling relaxed and in control on Fairbanks’ icy roads. It is possible. In fact, with Nokian’s one-month, money-back guarantee, we have never had a customer return their tires.

Tire Replacement

______________

Do you need new tires?

- Uneven tread wear

- Sliding through intersections

- Slow accelerations from intersections

- Unpredictable Braking

- Persistent Flats

The Right Tires for The Right Season


It is a nice idea—that one tire is all you need to be safe in all four seasons. But when the rubber meets the road here in the subarctic, the idea actually has no practical application! It’s a fantasy. Let’s face it, Fairbanks, our new climate has made interior Alaska the Anchorage of driving: Intersections and highways caked with ice. We literally spend half the year driving around on sheets of glass.


While we are getting real about dangerous driving, let’s talk about windshield time: Fairbanks isn’t big on public transportation which leaves us on our own to get around. At a minimum, the majority of us spend one hour per day commuting. Now let’s say this hour is spent with the anxiety of a white-knuckle grip because you really don’t know if you will slide through the next intersection. This adds up to a winter’s worth of unnecessary angst.


Come to METRO. Let us eliminate this winter worry! For a few hundred dollars per year, you can spend that hour or two a day feeling relaxed and in control on Fairbanks’ icy roads. It is possible. In fact, with Nokian’s one-month, money-back guarantee, we have never had a customer return their tires.

Wheel Alignment

______________

When do you need an Alignment?

- Following strut replacement

- Following ball-joint replacement

- Following steering linkage replacement

- After hitting potholes or road debris

- After sliding into a ditch

The Wheel Alignment Necessity 


Why does a firm ride matter for road trips in Alaska? Lolling through the frost heaves seems to work fine. A firm ride does matter. Let us tell you why.


Alignment and suspension components that are fatigued result in vehicles with compromised handling abilities. When we unexpectedly encounter a moose or icy patch, we cannot control the lateral movement of the car body with the steering wheel. This is what “losing control” looks like. Proper alignment requires tight suspension because these parts are a system on modern vehicles. Alignment and secure maneuverability go hand in hand.


Proper wheel alignment in modern cars is a wonder when compared to even a decade ago. Adjustments to both front and rear wheel alignment are precise and can be fine-tuned to get the smoothest and longest-lasting result. Our commitment to excellence demands that we upgrade equipment as often as vehicle manufacturers do. This is what makes METRO a full-service wheel alignment shop. Front and rear wheel alignment, including visual inspections of the underbody and brake components are routine at our garage.

Tire and Rim Swaps

______________

What comes with a METRO tire swap? 

- Measure and mark tread depth

- Rotate tires

- Inspect brakes

- Inspect for uneven wear or damage

- Thoroughly clean rims

- Balance rims and tires

- Hand-torque all lug nuts to spec.

Let Us Care for Your Tires


As you can tell, we love tires! After all, tires are the only things keeping you and your 5,000-pound rocket sticking to the ground. Tire change-overs are a fact of life for safe driving. At METRO we help our clients plan by offering same-day tire swaps. If your summer/winter tires are already on rims, drop them off ahead of time. We will balance them and have them ready to swap out while you wait. We love to see our clients safe which is why we innovate in order to make tire-changeover season pleasant.

Brake Repair

______________

Brake repair symptoms?

- Pulsing brake pedal vibration

- Grinding feel in pedal or noise

- Brake dash light on

- Vehicle pulls to one side when braking

- Soft, spongy brake pedal

The Most Important Safety Feature


It’s hard to say which safety feature is most important on a car. For us, next to tires, it’s brakes. Car and truck brakes wear at entirely unpredictable rates. Driving habits alone can determine wear. These habits result in drastically different rates of decay in brake components. Charging intersections, erratic fluctuations in speed, hauling heavy loads over elevated terrain—these are examples of driving behaviors that wear brakes quickly. Once we have seen a vehicle twice, we can begin to identify a pattern and predict service intervals.


Brake services include measuring the hydroscopic action of water in brake fluid, inspecting pads, rotors, shoes, drums and calipers. Brake hoses, brake lines and brake master cylinders are routine stops during inspections.

Wheel Alignment

______________

When do you need an Alignment?

- Following strut replacement

- Following ball-joint replacement

- Following steering linkage replacement

- After hitting potholes or road debris

- After sliding into a ditch

The Wheel Alignment Necessity 


Why does a firm ride matter for road trips in Alaska? Lolling through the frost heaves seems to work fine. A firm ride does matter. Let us tell you why.


Alignment and suspension components that are fatigued result in vehicles with compromised handling abilities. When we unexpectedly encounter a moose or icy patch, we cannot control the lateral movement of the car body with the steering wheel. This is what “losing control” looks like. Proper alignment requires tight suspension because these parts are a system on modern vehicles. Alignment and secure maneuverability go hand in hand.


Proper wheel alignment in modern cars is a wonder when compared to even a decade ago. Adjustments to both front and rear wheel alignment are precise and can be fine-tuned to get the smoothest and longest-lasting result. Our commitment to excellence demands that we upgrade equipment as often as vehicle manufacturers do. This is what makes METRO a full-service wheel alignment shop. Front and rear wheel alignment, including visual inspections of the underbody and brake components are routine at our garage.

Tire and Rim Swaps

______________

What comes with a METRO tire swap? 

- Measure and mark tread depth

- Rotate tires

- Inspect brakes

- Inspect for uneven wear or damage

- Thoroughly clean rims

- Balance rims and tires

- Hand-torque all lug nuts to spec.

Let Us Care for Your Tires


As you can tell, we love tires! After all, tires are the only things keeping you and your 5,000-pound rocket sticking to the ground. Tire change-overs are a fact of life for safe driving. At METRO we help our clients plan by offering same-day tire swaps. If your summer/winter tires are already on rims, drop them off ahead of time. We will balance them and have them ready to swap out while you wait. We love to see our clients safe which is why we innovate in order to make tire-changeover season pleasant.

Brake Repair

______________

Brake repair symptoms?

- Pulsing brake pedal vibration

- Grinding feel in pedal or noise

- Brake dash light on

- Vehicle pulls to one side when braking

- Soft, spongy brake pedal

The Most Important Safety Feature


It’s hard to say which safety feature is most important on a car. For us, next to tires, it’s brakes. Car and truck brakes wear at entirely unpredictable rates. Driving habits alone can determine wear. These habits result in drastically different rates of decay in brake components. Charging intersections, erratic fluctuations in speed, hauling heavy loads over elevated terrain—these are examples of driving behaviors that wear brakes quickly. Once we have seen a vehicle twice, we can begin to identify a pattern and predict service intervals.


Brake services include measuring the hydroscopic action of water in brake fluid, inspecting pads, rotors, shoes, drums and calipers. Brake hoses, brake lines and brake master cylinders are routine stops during inspections.

Frequently Asked Questions

Explore Our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How often should I have tires rotated?

This really depends on the vehicle, the tires you use and whether or not you have dedicated winter and summer tires. 


Front-wheel drive vehicles that use an all-season tire with a medium/soft compound need to be rotated every oil change (3-5K miles) during the summer for even wear and long life. Every 10K during winter months if you live above the Alaska Range. For Coastal Communities, winter mileage on medium/soft compounds should be closer to 7K between rotations. 

Rear-wheel drive vehicles follow roughly the same schedule as front-wheel drive cars, depending on whether or not they carry weight. If the rear-wheel drive vehicle is used to haul water or heavy loads during summer, the rotations will need to happen every 3K. Winter rotation will be on a 7K schedule. 


Rotation schedules for all-wheel drive vehicles with medium/soft compound tires depend largely on driving style. Aggressive drivers that charge out of intersections and have an overall assertive and bold driving style need to rotate medium/soft tires every tire change in order to get the maximum life out of tires. All-wheel drive cars depend on the overall circumference of each tire remaining the same. If one tire becomes worn relative to the other three, it will damage the transaxle which is an extremely expensive repair.

What happens If I ignore my low tire pressure warning light?

If your tire pressure is low then it can cause uneven wear on your tires. That means that one tire may wear faster than another forcing you to have to replace all of your tires sooner. This can be quite costly. Low tire pressure also puts you at risk of popping your tire sooner. When you drive down the highway you may also feel your vehicle pulling to one side of the road because of this. Also low tire pressure forces your vehicle to use more power to generate the same amount of speed, costing you more gas and money!

How often should I have my brakes checked?

Every year. Most folks have their brakes checked when they have their tires rotated. The Shop should make a note of break wear each time and send you a reminder when the brake pads need to be replaced. Staying on top of brake wear saves LITERALLY thousands of dollars over the life of the vehicle. Take your car to a mechanic you trust. He will never sell you a brake job you don't need.

How often should I have my brake pads replaced?

Your brake pads should be replaced when they are worn down. If you don't replace your brake pads in a timely fashion then it can severely reduce your stopping power. This puts you and folks around you in danger. Not replacing your brake pads also means that your brakes will wear on your brake discs. This will wear them out and cause more costly repairs down the line.

Do I really need winter tires?

Depending on where you live the answer to this could be maybe, absolutely or not at all. Climates with icy periods require winter stock. There is no getting around it if you want a safe commute. Even the smallest fender bender, say from sliding into the ditch, if not unsafe, is a great inconvenience because automotive body shops are noted for being difficult to schedule and finish repairs. You'll be out a car for weeks and even months. 

What's the point of a tire rotation?

A tire is basically musical chairs for car tires. Every 5-10K motorists remove tires from each corner of the vehicle and rotate them to a different spot. Why? Because cars don't provide even power to all four tires and one or two tires always get more worn out than the others. It's like the one key on your laptop that gets worn out before all the others (for me it's the 'L' and the 'A'.

Certified Mechanics

Contact Our Brake, Wheel, and Tire Service Experts

We love making people happy. It’s what we do!


Part of making people happy is taking the anxiety out of winter driving by testing tires and supplying Fairbanks with the stickiest tread on Earth! Part of making people happy is also putting them into summer tires that can handle blast rock on Haul Road and the weight of three coolers of Chitina Salmon—all without a flat. Part of making people happy is taking care of them and letting them know when their brakes are due and when it’s time for an alignment. Let one of our mechanics become your mechanic, and we'll handle your schedule for you!


Call or fill out a contact form now to schedule an appointment with our friendly and talented team of Fairbanks tire, wheel, and brake specialists!

Or call  (907) 312-1447

PAYMENT


We trust our customers! However, personal checks have become an entirely unreliable form of currency. 🤨 We now accept payment in cash, or credit/debit cards.


FOLLOW US

PAYMENT

We trust our customers! However, personal checks have become an entirely unreliable form of currency. 🤨 We now accept payment in cash, or credit/debit cards.

FOLLOW US

© Copyright 2023   Privacy policy

Your cart is empty Continue
Shopping Cart
Subtotal:
Discount 
Discount 
View Details
- +
Sold Out