The Basics Of Caring For Your Car's Tires

Posted on: 7 October 2018

Automotive tire care is one of the most overlooked types of vehicles maintenance. While this is a common mistake for vehicle owners to make, it can be easy for you to avoid these problems by learning and implementing some basic tire care tips.

Understand The Hazards Of Poor Tire Care

Individuals will often assume that the worst case scenario for their tires will be one of them going flat. However, it can be possible for a vehicle to experience a blowout, which occurs when one of the tires explodes or otherwise rapidly deflates. This can cause the car to suddenly pull hard to one side, which can cause you to lose control of the vehicle. Additionally, improper tire care can impact the ability of your brakes to slow the vehicle in a timely fashion.

Rotate And Balance The Tires Regularly

The tires on your vehicle will wear at different rates and in different ways. This is partly a result of the weight the vehicle's weight is distributed on the tires and the conditions of the roads. Rotating and balancing the tires on a regular basis will help to even this wear among the tires so that the lifespan of the tires is extended. If you have your oil professionally changed, this may be one of the most convenient options for having this maintenance done. The costs for this are usually fairly low, and it can save you from the difficult labor of needing to rotate and balance all of the tires.

Inspect The Tires Before Long Trips

Whenever you are preparing to leave for a long trip, the tires should be one of the things that you inspect prior to leaving. Tires that are underinflated, excessively worn or experiencing other problems could put you at a greater risk of experiencing an accident or becoming stranded. If you do not feel comfortable in your ability to inspect the tires on your vehicle, auto repair centers will be able to inspect the tires for you to ensure they are suitable for a long trip.

Only Use Specially Designed Snow Chains

Snow chains are necessary for helping the tires to grip the road when there is a large amount of ice and snow on the road. Unfortunately, there are some individuals that will use any random chain for this purpose, and this can be damaging to the tires due to the risk of sharp edges puncturing the rubber. Rather, individuals should only use tire chains that have been specifically designed to be used on car tires. These chains are made so that they will avoid the sharp edges that could dig into the tires and damage them.

Contact a shop, like Radial Tire Service, for more help.

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