As a responsible car owner, you must understand the importance of well-maintained tires, both for safety and economic reasons. As drivers, we all love some roadside thrills. Those sudden stops, sharp turns, or accelerated speed are fun ways to express your driving fever, but they’re actually pretty tough on your trusty tires, causing them to wear prematurely.
To extend the lifespan of your tires and avoid costly repairs or early replacements, we have compiled a tire maintenance guide that will be helpful in increasing the longevity of your tires. Let’s unfold.
A Comprehensive Guide for Tire Maintenance
- Regularly Check Your Tire Pressure
Maintaining the recommended tire pressure is the key to increasing the longevity of your tires. Tires perform best when they are properly inflated. Low-inflated tires can affect braking distances and provide less responsive steering and handling. In addition, due to low pressures, the sidewalls of your tires flex excessively, leading to increased friction and heat buildup. This wears down the tread faster and elevates the risk of blowouts. Although modern tires can easily withstand high inflation, constantly overinflated tires suffer from rapid wear in the center of the tread. So, regularly maintain the manufacturer’s set PSI rates for your tires. Check your owner’s manual and determine the correct PSI for your vehicle.
Your tire is affected by several factors including your driving habits and weather impact. Typically, a tire can lose about 1 PSI pressure per month. So, get yourself a pressure gauge and make it a habit to check your tire pressure at least once a month, preferably when the tires are cold.
- Rotate Your Tires
Tire wear totally depends on your vehicle and driving habits. As a driver, you must understand that not all tires of your vehicle wear down at the same rate. For example, the tires on the driver’s side may wear faster if you do not have a co-passenger regularly. Worn-out tires perform poorly and are more likely to break. A good rule of thumb is to rotate your tires every 5,000 to 8,000 miles.
During a tire rotation service, professionals swap the position of your tires and move them into an optimal position. It can be left to right, back to front, or diagonally to reduce wear and extend your tire’s lifespan.
- Balance Your Tires
The most important benefit of tire balancing is that it improves the safety of your vehicle. By the time of installation, tiny weights are attached near the edges of your tires to ensure weight distribution. Often go unnoticed, along with wearing, your tires may also get slightly off balance. You can have your tires balanced when you have them rotate. Professionals use a small machine and weights to balance your tires. Getting your tires balanced occasionally will help you get a smooth and safe ride with better gas mileage and extended tire life.
- Keep Your Tires Aligned
Regularly check your tire for any signs of wear. When you hit a pothole or hit something hard, your tires bump out of their alignment. Misalignment means your tires are no longer parallel and are pointing in the opposite direction. Misalignment can make your tires toed-in or toe-out.
Tire alignment should be a regular part of your car maintenance routine. If you notice uneven or rapid tire wear, the vehicle pulling to one side, crooked steering wheel, vibrations, or steering instability during driving, it is time to get your tires aligned. It will not only extend the lifespan of our tires, and provide improved gas mileage.
- Always Choose the Right Tire
When it comes to increasing your tires’ longevity, one of the most important decisions you can make is choosing the right tire. Not all tires are the same! They’re designed with different purposes and driving conditions in mind. For instance, racing tires are designed for smooth surfaces and high-speed tracks, but they’re not the best choice for rough terrains or off-road adventures.
For drivers, it is essential to understand different types of tires and their purpose. For passenger vehicles, tires can be all-season, touring, performance, and summer tires. However, when it comes to SUVs and trucks, highway, all-terrain, mud-terrain, mud tires truck, all-purpose or trail, ribbed, and sport truck tires are the best options. By selecting the right tire for your vehicle, you can significantly increase the lifespan of your tires, ensuring optimal performance and safety on the road.
Final Thoughts
Isn’t it remarkable how a few simple habits can steer the health of your tires and ensure a long and smooth journey ahead? Your tires are the only point of contact between your vehicle and the road, so you must take good care of them.
Well-maintained tires ensure safety and save you money in the long run. By following the tips shared in this tire maintenance guide, drivers can significantly increase the lifespan of their tires.
