Car tires may be built to withstand harsh road conditions, but this doesn’t mean that they don’t need some TLC. If you want your car tires to last for as much as possible, you should also do your part to ensure its proper care and maintenance.
Don’t worry; you don’t need expert car knowledge or skills to pull them off. There isn’t even any heavy lifting involved. All it takes is for you to pay attention to your car tire’s condition to know if it’s going to need repairs or replacement anytime soon.
Regularly inspect air pressure.
Most tire care steps don’t need to be done frequently. However, when it comes to tire air pressure, you need to do this on a monthly basis. This is important because the tire’s inflation directly impacts the quality of your driving.
If the tire’s firmness is below what is ideal, it becomes prone to damage and premature wear and tear. On the other hand, if it is over-inflated, it won’t maintain its grip on the road surface as it should. Without the correct air pressure in your tires, a deep crack or rough pothole on the road could cause you to lose control of the wheel quickly.
To check the tire air pressure, head over to the gas station and use the air machine. With this, you can check the PSI level in your tire.
Also, take note that there are different air pressure requirements for other tires. While there should be a sticker indicating the air pressure rate on the tire itself, know that this rate pertains to the maximum pressure the tire can hold, not how much your tire needs. To find out this specific detail, it’s best to check the instruction manual.
Align Wheels
The type and quality of the surface you drive on directly impacts your tires and could also cause the tires to shift out of their proper position. For this, you need to check your wheel’s alignment.
Unlike tire pressure, however, this is something that you can afford to do at least once a year. Make sure to have your mechanic check it out when you bring your car in for maintenance.
Check Tire Treads
Tire treads are responsible for giving your tires a good grip and traction on the road surface. If your tire treads are worn down, it’s best to get them replaced for your safety. Otherwise, it becomes difficult to handle your car because the tires aren’t gripping the road surface as much as they should.
Regular Rotation
Wearing the same shoes all the time means getting that pair all worn out much faster. It’s the same with car tires. Ideally, you should rotate the car tires after every 6,000 miles. The front pair tends to wear out faster, too, so you should pay extra attention to this.
Note that rotating your wheels does not mean swapping them out with a new set altogether. You need to move the tires from one spot to another. Replace the left front tire with the left rear tire, the left rear tire with the right rear tire, and so on.
The goal is to have the tires wear out at the same time so that when it’s time to replace them with a new set, you can be sure that you’ve maximized all four of them at the same time.
Car tire care is important for your driving safety. Keep in mind these simple but useful tips for tire care, so you can be confident driving yourself and your passengers.
