Have you ever tried to walk with sore legs? Every step you take hurts, and you feel like falling down. If you do fall down, you damage more things and not only your legs but the whole body. That’s exactly what happens when you drive your car with unhealthy tires. You put yourself and your car at great risk. So don’t, and follow these tips to keep your car tires in the best condition.
Keep the tires properly inflated
Rule number one of treating your tires right is maintaining the right tire pressure. Tires are constantly in contact with the road, so the road temperature directly affects the air inside the tires. If the road is hot, the air inside the tires expands, and the tire pressure increases. If the road is cold, the tire pressure decreases. Both under and over inflated tires are dangerous.
Check the pressure inside your car tires every few weeks, especially before taking off on a long journey. If needed, inflate the tires to the right pressure level with the help of an air compressor, and you are good to go.
Keep a check on the tread depth
Like every other car part, tires also have a life span. They age, get old with time, and lose their strength. How do you know if the tires have gone weak? By checking the tread depth.
A new tire has around 8-9 mm of tread depth. With time, it will become shallower and the tire will begin to wear. When the tread depth falls below 1.6 mm, it’s time to replace the tire. So, you need to check if that’s the case or not. And how can you do that? With a quarter. No, seriously, a quarter will do.
Take a quarter coin and insert it into the tread of a tire. If you can see the head on the coin, it means the tread depth has worn out. Now, the job is not done here. You need to repeat this step a few times at different points around the tire. If the tread depth is good everywhere, your tires are healthy and fine. If not, it’s time to get alloy rims for your car.
Rotate the tires every once in a while
Talking about the uneven tread, rotating the tires is an effective way to have even wearing of tread. If you rotate the tires after every 5,000-8,000 kilometers, the tires don’t go through uneven tread wear and get to live longer.
Look out for visible damages
You cannot always tell if your car tires are hurt or not, so you need to look for the wounds. Inspect the tires for any cracks, knots, bulges, penetrations, etc. Such damages are signs that you need new tires for your ride. You could try to get them fixed from a mechanic shop, but the best idea is to say your goodbyes to the old tires and buy new ones.
More Dos and Don’ts
- Do not slam the brakes too hard and damage the tires.
- Do not accelerate too quickly and wreck the tires.
- Do not spin the tires excessively to get them out of mud or snow.
- Don’t overload the vehicle and put too much stress on the tires.
- Do not mix tires of different manufacturers on the same axle.
- Do not install tires of different speed ratings.
- Always read the owner’s manual before buying new tires.
- Go to an expert mechanic to mount new tires. Do not do a one-man show.
May your tires stay fit and healthy.
Just like all good things in life, your car and its parts are bound to fade and lose their charm. It’s okay, you can’t keep things young forever. What you can do is take good care of their health to keep them around for a long time. Follow the above tips to keep your car tires well-maintained, so they make your travels comfortable, safe, and fun. When you know that they have done their part and it’s time to get them replaced, don’t hesitate and buy new tires right away.
