A car with well-maintained tires is much easier to drive and keeps you safer too. Lucky for you, tire maintenance is easy if you keep up with it. We’ve rounded up seven handy tips and habits that will keep your tires in amazing shape.
Check Your Tire Pressure Every Month
Tires lose about one pound per square inch of air (PSI) per month and even more if you’re driving around in extremely cold weather. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration claims that underinflated tires are the most common cause of tire-related crashes. An underinflated tire brings down vehicle handling and gas mileage, leading to premature tread wear and, over time, a blowout. You can avoid this and extend your tire life by checking the pressure regularly.
Inspect Your Tires
Get down on your hands and knees and look for cracks, bulges, and any small objects that may have lodged in the sidewall tires. These objects could include stones, screws, glass shards, and other kinds of road detritus. Replace the tire if you notice any abnormalities.
Rotate Your Tires
Rotate your tires every 6,000 to 8,000 miles to maintain even tread wear and increase the lifespan of your tires. Some tire stores offer free tire rotation, but even if you can’t take advantage of that, tire rotations don’t cost a lot and will boost your maintenance routine.
Don’t Overload Your Vehicle
Check the placard on the door frame of your car for information on how much weight your vehicle can handle. Stay under that limit as far as possible.
Replace Your Tires Before You Think You Need To
Driving on worn-out tires can be extremely dangerous. Check the tire tread depth of your tires by turning a penny upside down and pushing it firmly between the tread. If you’re able to see the top of Abraham Lincoln’s head, it’s time to replace your tire.
Avoid Mismatched Tires
A mismatched car tire affects the handling of the car and causes wear and tear on your older tires.
Put New Tires on The Rear of The Car
This gives you better control on wet and icy roads since poor tires on the rear can cause you to spin out.
