Your tires are truly one of the most vital parts of your vehicle. They provide traction, stability, and handling. When they are not properly maintained, they can be unsafe. A tire is a ring-shaped covering that fits around one or more wheels to enable your car to move on land. Depending on their type, tires can be made of synthetic rubber, natural gum, fabric, and numerous other materials. They are available in different sizes to accommodate various vehicle designs. Keeping your tires properly inflated improves gas mileage while reducing the amount of wear and tear on the tires, brakes, and suspension system. The tire’s sidewall has a number of definitions that provide important information about it. Staying informed about tire safety is the first step toward getting the most out of your ride.
Follow these tire care tips to increase the lifespan of your tires and, as a result, maximize your safety and protection.
Tire Rotation
Tire rotations are an extremely important part of tire maintenance. Rotation can help your tires reach their full life expectancy by making sure they wear evenly. It also ensures that your car rides and handles its best while keeping you and your passengers safe with properly balanced wheels.
Air Pressure
Regularly check the air pressure in all four tires as part of your vehicle’s regular maintenance schedule. Using a good tire pressure gauge is the only accurate way to check the air pressure in your tires. As you drive, temperatures can change dramatically and cause tires to inflate or deflate, which is why it’s important that you do a quick check of your tires’ air pressure from time to time. Remember that under-inflated tires decrease your vehicle’s fuel efficiency, reduce the life of your tires and create a risk of a dangerous blowout.
Tread Depth
If you really think about it, tires are the only component of your vehicle that comes in contact with the road. Their job is to grip the road. The tread depth is the scoring on the tire, which allows it to grip the road. A good guideline for checking tread depth is to take a quarter in hand and place it headfirst into your tires’ groove at the deepest part of its tread, making sure that you can see George Washington’s head in full. If you cannot see all of his head, then your tires need replacing as soon as possible.
Flat Tires
Flat tires cause downtime and get expensive. Worse, they are accidents waiting to happen. Yet, some auto maintenance providers repair tires with string or fabric-based plugs. Don’t risk it. Only a licensed repair facility can offer the safest way to fix your flat tire–i.e., a removable patch plug with steel cord reinforcement and protective rubber coating. Properly repaired tires can help reduce drag, improve mileage, and create a safer ride for you and your passengers.
