Tire Maintenance in 2020
A car is an investment and keeping it well maintained requires tending to all the little details. Your tires will often take the brunt of wear and tear on your car, so they should be your focus.
Good tire maintenance doesn’t have to be a chore. There are 3 major steps and a few items to consider to keep your car running well.
Your tires take you places, so learn how best to take care of them. We’ll guide you through the entire process here.
How to Check Your Tires
Before you start checking your tires you need to understand the best way to check your tires in the first place. The key is in the details.
Be thorough with every check. Don’t do half measures or estimations, and don’t overlook something because it is hard to get to.
Every cut or crack in your tire could be serious damage. As well, bumps or bulges could mean separation within the tire body. Any of these can lead to a blowout, which at high speeds can be fatal.
1. Checking Pressure
The first thing on the list is tire pressure. Running on low-inflated tired can damage your tires, the rims, and more.
Some cars come with a sensor that will tell you when your tires are low. These can often be accurate, but if it keeps going off after you fill your tires, something may be wrong, either with your sensors or with the tire holding air.
When a tire is very low, it is easy to spot. This is when it is most dire, so keep an eye out. A simple walk-around inspection before driving can catch any big troubles with pressure.
2. Checking the Treads
The second thing is to keep an eye on your tire treads. If your tires are bare and smooth, then you have no traction and the rubber is very worn. This can lead to any number of accidents.
If your treads are getting worn, or if there are cuts and damages to the patterns, you will need to replace your tires.
If only a few of your tires have wear on them despite installing all of them at once, your car may have alignment issues. This will cause too much pressure or awkward angles to wear down some of your tires.
3. Rotate Your Tires
The last item is tire rotation. Vehicle manufacturers recommend a tire rotation every 5,000 miles or so, depending on make and model.
Rotating your tires allows the wear and tear from driving to be even across all 4 of your tires. The design on most tires have this idea in mind, so don’t forget it!
Hot Weather and Packing Your Vehicle
Before and after inspection, there are a few details that can affect your tires. Keeping them in mind might save your tires a few good years down the line.
When packing for any major trip, be careful not to overload the car. Each model has a certain weight it should carry before it starts to weigh down on the car itself. This pressure goes right to the tires and wears them down faster.
As well, hot weather can make rubber go soft. This can leave your tires more vulnerable to bumps and debris. Be mindful every time your car has been out on hot asphalt for a while.
Quality Tires For Good Tire Maintenance
Your tire maintenance can save you hundreds on tire replacements and ruined vacations. Skipping out on any of these steps can leave you with a nasty surprise.
Tire maintenance only goes so far if you don’t have quality tires to maintain. If you have any more questions about our products, contact us today.