Your vehicle won’t go anywhere if it doesn’t have working tires, right? Most people end up having to buy all new tires for their vehicles over the course of several years because tires do wear out, but what can be done to extend the life of your tires? Actually, there are several ways to “get the most out of” your tires…
Air Pressure
For starters, be diligent about checking the tire air pressure. Most people ignore their tires and never check the pressure. However, this is a bad idea. In order to extend the life of tires, it’s a smart idea to check tire air pressure at least monthly, if not every two weeks! If and when a tire or two has the wrong air pressure (too low or too high) you can expect a lot of problems, including increased wear and tear. Keep in mind that tires tend to lose about a pound per square inch (PSI) of pressure every month, so eventually you need to add air to them. Furthermore, in the summertime, thanks to warmer weather, tire pressure increases, while in the winter months, cold air temperatures can lower air pressure. Therefore, it behooves you to pay attention to your tire air pressure and make sure tires are inflated to proper levels. If you look on your tires, you should be able to read what PSI is acceptable for them. You can use a pressure gauge to check your tires, or bring them to a place like AV Bumper to Bumper in Lancaster, California, for a quick check-up.
If you’ve noticed gas prices are insanely high these days, you want to do what you can to extend the life of your tires as well as make sure your fuel efficiency is good, right? When you have correct air pressure in your tires you help improve fuel efficiency for your vehicle.
Rotations
Another smart idea to “tend to” your tires would be getting them rotated every 5,000 miles or so. Realize this: only one or two wheels “drive” your car at a time. For most vehicles, it’s the front two doing all the work. Eventually, the front tires wear down after much use, so you can have them rotated to the back and bring the back ones up front in order to maximize the use of your tires. Basically, regular tire rotations help tires last longer than if they’re not rotated.
Balancing
Along with tire rotations, you can have your tires balanced. No tire is perfect. Some have heavier spots in them, and this can cause uneven wear as well as vibration(s). Mechanics, like the ones at AV Bumper to Bumper, use machines with weights to help “balance” tires for you– they usually do this in tandem with doing a tire rotation.
Besides rotation and balancing, consider getting an alignment for your vehicle, perhaps twice a year. If and when tires are out of alignment, it’s like they’re toed-in or out– “pigeon-toed” or “duck-footed.” How would you know if your tires are out of alignment? If the steering wheel shakes and/or your vehicle wants to drift to one side (left or right), you might need to get your wheels/tires aligned by a mechanic. If and when you have misalignments, they’ll cost you in fuel efficiency and tread wear.
Driving Habits
What about good driving habits to help extend the life of your tires? If you’re the type of driver who stomps on the brakes, that can lead to increased tire wear. Think of all the pressure you put on your tires to stop you suddenly! It’s better to take it somewhat slow when accelerating and/or putting on the brakes. Become a smoother driver rather than a “jerky” one to help give your tires less wear and tear.
Proper Tires
Finally, make sure you have the right tires for the right job(s). For instance, there are different types of tires, including ones meant for winter driving (snow tires) in challenging environments. Tires come in many varieties. If you love to take your vehicle through the mud, off highways, then “mud-terrain” tires are appropriate. All-purpose tires work well for… all purposes. You can ask an expert if you have the right tires on your vehicle for how you use the vehicle; AV Bumper to Bumper can give you a good assessment on whether or not your tires are right for your vehicle and whether or not you need new ones.
If you need to check your air pressure, get your tires rotated, or get wheels balanced and/or an alignment, these are all things that can be done at AV Bumper to Bumper at 44559 N. Division Street in Lancaster, CA. Call 661-949-1999 for more information, to make an appointment and/or to talk about your current tire situation and find out what can be done to improve it.
