Taking care of your tires is important for safety and fuel efficiency — and it can also save you money.
Tires play a major part in keeping your vehicle under control. Before you step on the gas, you must be confident that your tires are ready for action. If they fail, not only are you at risk, but so is everyone else around you.
So how can you keep your tires in good shape? Here are some tips:
Look for Signs of Wear and Tear.
Overinflation
If a vehicle’s tires are overinflated, most of the middle of the tread will be in contact with the road. This creates wear in that part of the tire, with less wear at its edges.
Underinflation
If a tire’s air pressure is too low, the outer edges of the tread will make more contact with the road. This can cause a lot of wear on both edges of the tire tread with less wear in the center.
Tread Wear on One Edge
This is typically caused by misaligned wheels.
Erratic Tread Wear
This indicates that the wheel may be out of balance, or the shock absorbers may need replacing
Raised Area of The Tread or Sidewall
This may indicate a separation between the belts in the tire carcass.
When driving, pay attention to any thumping, unusual vibration, or a pull to one side.
Inspect the Treads.
Tires must have at least 1/16 of an inch of tread depth to maintain traction and shed water on wet roads. To check the tread depth on your tires, you can use a simple tread depth gauge available at any parts store. Try the more convenient quarter test if you don’t have one on hand.
Insert a quarter into the groove on your tire with the top of Washington’s head facing down. If you can see above the top of Washington’s head, your tires are worn out and should be replaced soon.
Get Professional Maintenance Services.
Getting your tires rotated, balanced, and aligned by a professional will increase their life expectancy. It will also make driving safer.
To Sum Up
For optimal performance and safety, tires should be inspected monthly for proper air pressure, tread depth, balance, and alignment. If you drive long distances regularly or live in a cold climate, you should inspect your tires more often.
It is always a good idea to check your tires before a long trip. The more often you check for problems, the easier it will be to catch and fix a minor issue, such as a nail in your tire.