If you feel like a considerable amount of your hard-earned cash goes towards the maintenance of your car, you’re not alone. Vehicles can be costly to run if you frequently have to replace things like brake pads and tires.
If you don’t need the financial stress that comes with replacing your tires, you could look up companies with subscription plans for tires, such as the Treads website. However, with the current state of the economy, you’ll want to save as much as you can. But how can you do so when it comes to your tires?
Below are some tips on getting the most out of your tires:
1. Always Check Your Pressure
Over- or under-inflated tires can cause faster wear-and-tear. Underinflated tires are one of the main causes of tire failure. If your tires are under-inflated, they use more surface area, and that leads to increased friction against the road. Increased friction means more heat, and that can result in wear-and-tear or separation. When you over-inflate your tires, it could create a bulge in the center of the tread. This could cause increased weight in the center of the tire. To avoid this, it’s important to always check the pressure of your tires.
2. Use A Pressure Gauge
Tires have got to have the right amount of pressure at all times. Tire manufacturers always have the optimum pressure inscribed on the tire. When inflating your tires, always ensure that you have a gauge to avoid over or under-inflation. The correct pressure is normally stated in the user manual or on the door panels of your car.
Having the correct amount of pressure in your tires not only saves them from premature wear but also helps with your car’s overall performance on the road. Remember to check your tire pressure at least three hours after the vehicle has been parked for accurate readings on the gauge.
3. Make Sure The Wheels Are Well Aligned
If you drive a car that’s not wheel aligned, you could end up replacing your tires prematurely. Unaligned wheels usually wear unevenly and can cause other problems to your car’s control. For the best tire care, make sure you get your car’s wheel alignment checked and fixed at least once every six months. Choose a repeatable alignment shop and ask for a printout to keep a record of your service history.
4. Rotate Your Tires Regularly
The weight exerted on your tires is different for each tire, depending on its position. Therefore, there may be uneven damage on some tires. To avoid this, always rotate your tires after about 5,000 miles or as recommended by the manufacturer. Tire rotation could promote even wear on the tires. This ultimately leads to a prolonged lifespan of the tires.
5. Check Wheel Balancing
Wheel balancing is a tune-up on your wheels, which ensures all the areas of your tires have an even distribution of weight. If your wheels are not balanced, they could rotate unevenly. This can cause an unsmooth or wobbly and bouncy ride which results in vibration. Wheel balancing also helps to create a smooth ride and protects against uneven wear on the tires.
6. Mount Directional Tires Correctly
Some tires have prescribed mounting directions. This means your tires will not have proper traction, and there can be a risk of slipping if you don’t mount them incorrectly. If this happens, you’ll notice that the tires could create a louder noise when you’re driving. Going against the prescribed direction can also result in excessive friction on the treads. This can lead to premature wear on the tires. Correct mounting of directional tires will ensure their full effect.
7. Buy The Right Tire Size
When you buy new tires for your car, check your owner’s manual for the recommended tire specs. These often include the tire width and diameter. If tires are too big, they could rub against parts of the car’s body. This could also cause premature wear on the tires. If the tires are smaller than recommended, on the other hand, they’ll rotate faster than intended. This causes increased heat and friction, which will lead to quicker wear and tear.
8. Use The Same Size For All Wheels
Mixing tire sizes on your car can be dangerous and illegal. Different tire sizes on the same car can confuse the speedometer and anti-braking system. A faulty braking system could lead to increased wear on the tires. Different tire sizes can also cause an irregular distribution of weight on the tires, which can lead to increased wear on some of them.
9. Buy The Correct Type Of Tire
Tires are designed to cater for specific conditions and vehicle models. Choosing the right tires for your car can be quite confusing. They’re manufactured for vehicles such as vans, sedans, 4x4s, trucks, and sports cars. Tires also have different types of treads. They’re designed for different weather conditions and terrains. Having the wrong type of tires on your vehicle could lead to underperformance and increased wear.
10. Don’t Overload Your Car
Overloading your vehicle might lead to excess strain on the tires. Tyres have a weight limit set by the manufacturers. Any loads about the threshold could put you in danger of tire blow-ups. When tires are overloaded, they could heat up due to increased friction with the road, and this can increase their wear and tear. Overloading your car can also cause separation of the tires.
11. Improve Your Driving Skills
Your style of driving has a bearing on the lifespan of the tires. Fast acceleration and hard braking could increase the wear and tear on your tires. To preserve your tires’ health, you have to learn to drive gently. An aggressive driving style could increase the friction on your tires’ treads. Hard turning has also been said to boost the wear on the outer edges of your front tires.
Conclusion
Your tires will deteriorate over time. The lifespan of tires is typically at least five years. They may still look good after their lifespan, so you’ll need to have them inspected by an expert. If you have to change them, try to put new tires in fours. This ensures balance, and you can reduce wear on the tires. Considering the suggested tips could save you time and money, but most importantly, it will keep you safe on the road.
