Maintaining Your Vehicles Tires

We take our tires for granted until they fail us. Most of us forget that the most important part of any vehicle is its tires. Unless you are a professional driver, it is most likely that the tires on your vehicle have been neglected. So what can you do to maintain the tires on your vehicle? Here are some suggestions.

1. Tire Pressure - The single most important aspect of tire maintenance is tire pressure. Always keep in mind that tires naturally lose air over time. If you hit a pothole, or strike a curb while parking, this can also result in tire pressure loss. Maintaining the correct pressure not only increases gasoline mileage, but helps the car handle and ride better. Correct tire pressure also increases the life of the tire. All tires have the correct tire pressure imprinted on the tire. Although car manufacturers advocate for a lower setting to improve the ride of the vehicle, it may not always be the best thing for your own personal driving style. The information on tire pressure and load limits is almost always posted on a placard on the vehicle door edge, door post, glove-box door, or inside of the trunk lid. You can also find the recommended tire pressure and load limit for your vehicle in the vehicle owner's manual.

It is a wise idea to buy a good tire pressure gauge, and check the pressure at the minimum of once a month - more often if you drive high mileage. You may also wish to consider a portable air compressor that runs off your cars electrical system as well. A small air compressor in the home garage will also suffice, and are not expensive if bought with maintaining air pressure in mind.

Always check tire pressure when the vehicle has not been driven for at least three hours. This is called recommended cold inflation pressure. A tire that is hot will show a much different reading than a tire that is cold, because driving causes a tire to heat up, increasing the tire pressure and giving you an incorrect reading.

2. Check For Nicks, Cuts or Uneven Wear - Examine your tires on a regular basis for damage. Inspect the rim to see if it has been damaged as well. If you are constantly driving on poor roads with lots of potholes it is essential that you make tire inspection a part of your regular routine. A visual inspection can help you determine whether or not the tire is under or over inflated. Uneven wear on the outer edges of the tire is a very good indication that the tires are not carrying the proper tire pressure. If wear is evident in the center of the tire, then it has been continually over inflated. Be aware that these visual checks do not apply to radial tires, which have a different ground profile than regular tires.

3. Rotate Your Tires - Experts report that the front tires of a vehicle wear the quickest, especially in front wheel drive cars. Each time the steering wheel is turned, the tire receives extra wear. Turning the wheel causes resistance, and the end product is heat, which is a real contributing factor to tire wear. As each individual vehicle is different, refer to your owner's manual for instructions on tire rotation. Be sure to have your tires rotated on schedule as this is critical for maintaining your car’s balance.

Front-end alignment is also highly recommended to reduce tire wear and handling. Your tires should be parallel to one another as well as perpendicular to the ground. Sophisticated equipment is used to determine the correct alignment for each vehicle so this will require you also taking your vehicle in on schedule for review.

As far as visually checking your cars for wear, all tires have wear indicators built into them. Inspecting these small bumps or nubs can help you determine when the tire needs to be replaced. These numbs are located throughout the tread pattern, and especially on the ridge where tire tread meets the sidewall. If you spot this wear indicator, compare it to the height of the tread surrounding it. If the tread is of equal height as the wear indicator, it is time to purchase new tires. Proper tread depth is essential for proper tire performance. If you notice a loss or change in wet traction, you may not have enough tread left on your tires. Once the tread depth reaches 1/16th of an inch it must be replaced.

Following a few simple guidelines will pay for itself in both cost of tire replacement and your own personal safety. Keep tire pressure correct, rotate tires on a regular basis, keep the front end aligned properly, and do a visual check of your vehicle's tires. Doing so can save you a lot of grief down the road.

By Greg Chapman