Tires are where your car meets the road. They are critical for traction, performance, ride, and safety. With all these important functions, it is a good idea to keep your tires in good working order. Although your tires will wear out, there are a number of steps you can take to make them last longer and perform better. Here are four important steps in tire care that are worth considering.
Proper Inflation
Keeping your tires properly inflated is an important tire care task. Having too much or too little air in your tires will cause uneven wear patterns. You’ll also see an increase in fuel economy with properly inflated tires. Check your tire pressure frequently and compare that pressure to the recommended level, which is usually located on the driver or passenger side door frame. Keeping your tires aired correctly will increase tire life and decrease damage to other parts of your vehicle.
Tire Rotation
Each vehicle is different and you should check your owner’s manual for the exact interval, but tires should be rotated about every 5,000 miles. Front and rear and left and right tires wear differently depending on driving characteristics and the condition of your vehicle. By rotating your tires from back to front and side to side, you’ll even out the wear on all four tires. Be careful if you rotate your tires yourself, as some tires are uni-directional, meaning they can only go on either the right or left side of the vehicle.
Tire Balancing
It is not very often that a tire and wheel combination is perfectly balanced after installation. This is where tire balancing comes in handy. Using a balancer, the tire and wheel assembly weight is equalized so that it runs smoothly at high speed. Balancing decreases vibration from the wheel and tire combination and can lead to a smoother ride and less wear and tear on the suspension system and tires.
Alignment
Your vehicle’s suspension system is comprised of many parts that all need to work in unison to provide a smooth ride. The act of aligning the suspension takes into account three items: camber, toe, and caster. While you don’t necessarily need to know the definition of each of these terms, you should be aware that if any of these three are out of line, it can have negative consequences for your tires. Improper alignment can result in tire feathering, wear to the inside or outside of the tread, and heel/toe wear. If your tires are showing signs of wear it is worth having your vehicle professionally aligned. You’ll save your tires and get a safer and more responsive driving experience.
We all know that buying new tires is an expensive proposition, something that none of us looks forward to. With proper inflation and regular rotation, balancing, and alignment it is possible to get a lot of miles out of your tires. Just know that spending a little money now on tire care will pay back in fewer trips to the tire store down the road.
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