5 Tips To Keep Your Tires Safe All Year Long
While you may know how to change your tire, and that you should never drive on a spare tire for too long, do you know how to tell if you need new tires? Arguably one of the most important elements of your car, especially in terms of safety, your vehicle’s tires should never be ignored. Our most recent blog discusses five tips to keep your tires safe all year long.
1. Know the Warning Signs
One of the most common warning signs that something may be wrong with your tires includes rough vibrations while driving. If your car is producing serious vibrations, it’s important to have your car inspected as soon as possible. From a damaged suspension to tire damage, a professional will inspect your vehicle’s body and try to determine the cause of your driving issue. If your car begins to have tire issues, you will most likely feel it while you are driving. When paying attention, these signs are easy to spot.
2. Visually Inspect Tires Regularly
Knowing how to properly check your vehicle’s tire pressure is a useful piece of knowledge. It’s important to check your tire pressure when the tires are cool, as the heat can increase the pressure in your tires by several pounds.
If you’re unsure how to check your tire pressure, or you’re unsure of the exact PSI your make and model requires, stop by our shop for a visit. Tires lose pressure naturally, so it’s important to check your tire’s pressure at a minimum once a month, especially before a longer trip. If you have a vehicle that has been manufactured in or after 2008, your dashboard should have a low tire pressure warning. If this light lights up, visit a professional auto mechanic, or fill your tire via a gas station air pump.
Aside from tire pressure, it’s important to visually inspect your tires. You want to make sure you get into a habit of glancing at your tires before you operate your vehicle. Drivers often find bulges, scratches, scrapes, punctures, or cracks in their tires. If you find any one of these warning signs or if you suspect the loss of air pressure in your tires, have them inspected for any damage by a trained auto mechanic, so the issues can be addressed quickly!
3. Never Skip Routine Tire Maintenance
The key to keeping your tires safe all year long is routine maintenance. Not only does our team check your tire pressure, but we’ll make sure to inspect your tires to ensure they are free of physical damage. Our team will make sure you have the proper maintenance services completed to keep your tires in great condition.
Tire Rotations
Tire rotations are one of the most important services you can have completed for your ride. Not only do tire rotations help save you money on potential maintenance costs, but the rotation of your tires also helps ensure your vehicle drives smoother and stays safer on the road. Even though all of your vehicle’s tires are always making direct contact with the road, they all wear at different rates. In fact, your front tires wear far faster than your back ones. When you have your tires rotated, you are making sure your tire’s surfaces stay relatively even, which helps maintain your car’s handling and traction. You should always have your tires rotated every 5,000 miles or so. It’s easiest to remember this rule by having a tire rotation completed after every other oil change.
4. Don’t Carry Too Much Weight
Labeled on your vehicle’s door frame, your vehicle has a max capacity when it comes to carrying large loads. The max weight limit informs you of how much your vehicle can carry safely; thus, it should never be ignored. Overloading a vehicle, especially when the tires are old or flat, can cause tire failure. While the tires may not pop, your driving, car body, gas mileage, and safety can be greatly impacted.
5. Get New Tires Sooner Rather Than Later
While tires can sometimes be expensive, you should not drive your tires beyond a safe situation before you get new ones. While tires aren’t the most fun thing to purchase, having a new set of tires ensures you and your family are safe behind the wheel.
One of the easiest ways to tell if you need new tires is by the amount of tread on them. One of the easiest, and most famous ways of checking your tire tread is via a penny. When you place a penny upside down into the tread of your tires, you shouldn’t be able to see the top of Lincoln’s head on tires with appropriate tread. If you can, it’s likely time to replace your tires.
At the end of the day, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends having your tires replaced every six years minimum, regardless of the number of miles driven. This is one of the many reasons why it’s important to know the age of your tires, as they should never be driven on if they are 10 years or older.
Your Local Tire Specialists
Your tires are key to keeping you safe on the road. Whether you’ve noticed any of the warning signs discussed or you’re long overdue for a tire rotation, be sure to turn to Postle Tire Barn. Our professional auto mechanics offer a variety of tire maintenance services to keep your car and family safe on the road.
From tire rotation to wheel alignment, our team offers all the services you need to keep your car safe on the road.
Contact Us
Postle Tire Barn is West Alabama’s number one stop for tires and automotive services. We are a family owned and family operated tire and auto shop located in Tuscaloosa on Jug Factory Road. Give us a call or stop by if we can be of service to you.
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