Most car owners forget that tires are the only point of contact between your vehicle and the road. This is why it is highly important to preserve the performance and quality of your tires to ensure your mobility as well as safety.
The fantastic news is that proper tire care is easy and simple. You can help extend the life of your tires and save money on fuel and so on. Here are 6 tire care tips to make sure that your car tires are always in fabulous condition and that you are safe on the road.
- Contact Patch: The part of your tire that is actually in contact with the road is small – about the size of your hand. Your fuel economy, comfort, and safety depend on this small patch of rubber but times this by four since you do have four tires on the road at any given time. It is important not only to pick the right tires, but also ensure regular maintenance so that they always give you their best performance. This is critical because they:
- Are the sole link between the road and your car
- Carry your car’s entire weight, which is a load of up to 50 times their own weight
- Respond to driving inputs such as acceleration, braking, and steering
- Absorb all obstacles on the road
- Tire Wear and Depth: Another vital tip is to make sure that you check your tires’ tread depth regularly and replace them when they are worn. This will help in guaranteeing maximum grip and traction and avoiding unpleasant surprises. Always make sure that you change your tires before the tread depth is worn to 1.6mm. Your mobility and safety require a solid level of tread depth for more than one reason, such as:
- The tread grooves help in maintaining control by dispersing water from underneath the tires
- The more tread depth remains on your tires, the more water they are able to disperse, which in turn reduces the risk of aquaplaning
- Regular vehicle maintenance along with the correct air pressure will ensure that your tires perform optimally for a long period of time
Tire Pressure: You should get your tire pressure checked every month. When your tire pressure is correct, it lowers the risk of losing control of your car. It also offers protection from premature wear and irreparable damage to your vehicle’s internal construction. Apart from the monthly inspection, make sure that you also check the pressure of your tires, including the spare, before you go on any long journey. You should do this preferably when the tires are cold. Monthly tire pressure checks are necessary because:
Tire Pressure: You should get your tire pressure checked every month. When your tire pressure is correct, it lowers the risk of losing control of your car. It also offers protection from premature wear and irreparable damage to your vehicle’s internal construction. Apart from the monthly inspection, make sure that you also check the pressure of your tires, including the spare, before you go on any long journey. You should do this preferably when the tires are cold. Monthly tire pressure checks are necessary because:- Over or under inflation of tires can affect their performance, increase the risk of damage, and reduce their life
- Correct tire pressure can even help in fuel conservation
- Wheel Alignment: While driving, it is difficult to tell if there is correct alignment of your car’s wheels and axles. But if the suspension geometry of your vehicle is incorrect, it may alter its handling and compromise your safety. If your tire comes into contact with a solid object, such as a pothole, or you have noticed that your tires have uneven wear, you should go to a tire specialist to attain a thorough inspection. It is necessary to make sure that your wheel alignment is correct to:
- Protect your tires from rapid and/or irregular wear
- Get the best handling when you are on the road
- Save fuel
- Rear Tires: To ensure complete control, you should get your new tires fitted to the rear axle. Because your vehicle’s rear wheels are not connected to the steering wheel, you will find it very difficult to judge their grip while you are driving. Experts recommend that you fit your new tires or your least-worn tires to the rear wheels to ensure:
- The risk of losing control of your vehicle is reduced, especially while driving on wet surfaces
- You have better control in tight corners or emergency braking when the roads are slippery
- You have better road holding, especially in difficult situations, no matter if your car is in front or rear wheel drive
- Balancing: This helps in ensuring a longer tire life and eliminates vibration. Balancing also protects your vehicle’s steering system, suspension, and bearings. You should get your wheels balanced when you buy new tires or when you replace a tire or move or remove a balance weight. You will know when a wheel in your car is out of balance when one area is lighter or heavier than the rest. This will result in:
- Vibration
- Rapid and uneven tread wear
- Premature wear of front-end parts
- Extra stress on front-end parts
It is critical to make sure that your tires are always in appropriate working condition to ensure your vehicle’s long life and more importantly, your safety on the road. Inspect your tires on a regular basis and if you are not adept with vehicle maintenance or unsure about something regarding your tires or wheels, make sure that you get it checked out by a car shop you know.