4 Tips For Taking Care Of Your Tires
Good quality tires are an expensive investment, so it makes sense to take great care of them. Maintaining your tires properly helps them last longer, prevents unnecessary flats and patches, and keeps your vehicle driving as smoothly and safely as possible. Here are a few tips for taking great care of your car's tires:
Get Regular Wheel Alignments
Driving is hard on your car's alignment and it is common for wheels to become out of alignment due to friction from normal driving. For this reason, it is recommended that you have your wheels aligned by a mechanic on a regular basis, most typically when you have your oil changed. Having your wheels aligned ensures they are parallel to each other and aligned evenly, which helps keep your tires in great shape by preventing uneven wear.
Have Your Tires Rotated
When your tires aren't rotated regularly, they wear out unevenly. For example, the inner part of one tire may wear out sooner than the outside, and even though the outside is practically new you will need to replace your tire because the inner section wore out too quickly. Rotating your tires at a tire shop or mechanic can be done quickly on your lunch break, is very affordable, and goes a long way toward keeping your tires in great condition.
Be a Safe Driver
Driving too fast or not paying attention while you drive is not only unsafe, but also makes it harder to avoid potholes and debris in the road, leading to more frequent flat tires. Braking too hard can also be tough on your tires, and cause them to wear more than they would otherwise. Driving safely and cautiously is one of the best ways to protect your tires.
Check Your Tire Pressure
Tires that are routinely either over or under-inflated wear unevenly and don't last as long as properly inflated tires. Over-inflated tires are more easily punctured by debris, potentially leading to a flat tire. If your have a newer car, you are likely alerted when your tires need extra air, but otherwise you should use a tire pressure gauge to measure your tires' air pressure once a month or so. Simply compare the pressure to the recommended pressure found in your car's user manual and adjust as needed.
By taking good care of your tires and practicing sound preventative maintenance, you will be able to keep your tires in like-new condition for as long as possible. Get in touch with a service like D Wells Automotive Service for more help.