Cars need a lot of moving parts to help you get to your destination. Between your engine, computer systems, and safety equipment like seatbelts, it’s hard to choose what’s most important. You know you need to maintain these systems to help keep your car on the road, but what about your tires?
Tire wear and tear can lead to dangerous situations on the road. Make sure your tires are in great shape before your next drive by going through our crash course on car tire care and maintenance.
Check for Uneven Wear
An easy way to keep your tires in good shape is to regularly check them for issues. Uneven wear on your tires’ tread can indicate there’s a mechanical issue in your tires and wheels. This could mean your wheels are out of alignment, the tires aren’t balanced, or something is amiss with your suspension.
To check your tires’ wear patterns, simply look at the tread depth on each tire. You’ll want to note if any tires seem to have more wear on the outside edge of the tire or if certain sections of the tire seem more worn than others.
If you notice inconsistencies in your tire treads, bring your car to a trusted tire shop to get the problem diagnosed and fixed. Continuing to drive on a car that’s out of alignment or with uneven tire wear could lead to expensive repairs down the road.
Keep Enough Tread
Worn treads are a part of normal wear and tear of tires. The important thing is to know when to replace your tires. You can easily check the depth of your tire tread using a penny. Place the penny in between the treads. If you can see all of Lincoln’s face, it’s probably time to replace your tires. Driving on bald — or worn — tires increases your risk of losing grip with the ground or having a tire blowouts and needing to call roadside assistance.
Watch Air Pressure
Too much air in your tires gives you less contact with the road. Your tire will only connect with the road in the center. This means more wear in the center of the tire. Less contact with the road can also make it more difficult to steer safely. You may lose grip on corners or slick roads, such as those with rain or ice.
Too little air in your tires, on the other hand, also causes issues. Low tire pressure creates more friction, since more of the tire is in contact with the road. This is one of the leading causes of tire blowouts. As the friction increases, so does the heat which breaks down the tire’s materials faster.
Investing in a high-quality tire gauge and regularly checking air pressure can help prevent issues from too much or too little air pressure. You’ll want to check air pressure when the tire is cold — meaning you haven’t driven it recently.
An easy way to make checking the air pressure part of your routine is to pick one day each month to check your tire inflation before leaving for work. For example, you could plan to check your tire pressure on the first day of each month in the morning before heading out the door.
Regular Tire Maintenance
Following a regular car tire maintenance schedule helps you avoid tire issues before they start. Find a local tire shop you trust and work with your mechanic to set up a maintenance schedule that includes:
- Tire Rotation: Rotating your tires involves moving the rear tires to the front and the front tires to the back of the car. This helps keep your tires wearing evenly as you drive, as the front and back of your vehicle have different driving and braking functions.
- Tire Balancing: The most common time to balance tires is when they’re new. Balancing uses small weights to limit vibrations and help aid in turning. If you notice your tires are vibrating, it may be time for a tire rebalance.
- Wheel Alignment: Wheels out of alignment can cause uneven wear to your tires and make your vehicle handle differently. The easiest way to tell if your vehicle is out of alignment is if ityour vehicle pulls ing morehard to one side of the road.
Good Driving Habits Help Tire Health
Monitoring your tires regularly and following proper tire maintenance are essential to keeping your tires safe for the road. Your driving habits can also have an effect on the health of your tires. Defensive driving habits not only keep you, your passengers, and other drivers safe, they also help reduce wear and tear on your tires.
Driving too fast, for example, creates more friction — and more heat — between your tires and the road. It also makes it more difficult to avoid debris or road hazards like potholes. Hitting debris at a high speed often increases the chance of damaging your tire. Driving at recommended speeds makes the roadway safer and limits the damage speeding can do to your tires.
Your tires are one of the most important parts of your car. Using good driving habits and tire care reduces normal wear and tear — and helps you save money by extending tire life. But what happens if an unexpected accident damages your tires? The right car insurance can help protect your car and tires. Get in touch with a Wawanesa agent today to learn more about car insurance coverage, including tires.
