Tires
are essential. They are the backbone of any vehicle that transports you
from point A to point B. It can be an automobile, truck, 10 wheelers or
the like. Tires also come in different sizes and shapes such as
all-terrain, all-season, run-flat, off-road, mud and road tires. But no
matter what type of car tire you have, this should be kept in good
condition at all times to ensure safety in as much as enjoying the
utmost driving performance of your vehicle.
To help you on maintaining your tires, below are tips on how to keep your cars in good condition:
10. Right Tire Selection For Your Vehicle – More specialized tires are now engineered to ensure quality and high performance satisfaction for car owners. Manufacturers have created tires designed to perform better for snow, ice, and off-road driving to mention a few. Some are even designed uni-directional or run-flat.
Using the right kind of tire for your vehicle and weather condition protects them from early wear and tear; thus ensuring longer use and better driving experience.
9. Correct Tire Replacement Practice – Tires may be costly but it is recommended that tire owners try as much as they can to replace tires if not by set, at least in pairs. Pairs mean tires should be in the same construction, size, brand and type. It is imperative that both sides are the same, just as both front and rear should also be a matched except of course for those high-performance cars that requires larger tires in the rear.
Moreover, when replacing only two, make sure to put it on the rear wheels. Remember, it is highly important to maintain stability at the rear wheels.
8. Proper Tire Replacement Schedule – Replacement should be done when you notice the following:
- Once the tread is showing the “wear indicator bars”.
- Palpable uneven tread wear – that is; the center is worn more than the edges.
- Severe cracks on tire sidewalls.
- Bulges present in tires
- There is an indication of tread separation from the tire carcass.
- Punctured tires and can no longer be repaired.
- Wrong type of tire for a particular weather.
7. Avoid Tire Overheating – Heat or high tire temperature is your tire’s worse nightmare. It can fast track tread wear and structural resistance.
Factors to consider include the following:
- Underinflation
- Aggressive Driving/Hard Braking
- High Speed
- Overloading
- Coarse Pavement
All the above contributes to high tire temperature; thus, make sure to avoid such scenarios if you want to keep your tires in good condition for a longer time. Remember, constant use plus tire overheating can cause extreme damage to your tire. So keep in mind to avoid the underlying factors that causes the sudden failure of your tire that may even lead to life endangerment.
6. Avoid Tire Overloading – Overloading can lead to tire failure. Always keep in mind that tires are built with a corresponding load range. Any excessive loading may cause shortened tire life and extreme damage to it just like any other equipment or machines. As the saying goes, anything excessive is not good.
5. Maintain Proper Tire Balance – Maintaining a proper tire balance helps you avoid uneven tread wear, suspension wear and other components to your car. If you notice severe thumping while driving (more apparent at highway speeds), have an expert technician take a look at your vehicle right away.
4. Maintain Proper Alignment For Steering and Suspension – This is also very important. Misalignment of either the front or rear steering and suspension of a vehicle can cause rapid tire wear affecting driving stability and comfort.
Go to your trusted Auto Repair Shop immediately once you detect that your steering wheel is pulling you to either the left or the right side of the road even when driving on a flat road.
If you are constantly driving on rough roads or have been in a vehicle collision, make sure to have your alignment checked also.
3. Tire Rotation – Rotating your tire according to the specification is essential in order to maximize tread life.
What you can do, especially if you are using non-unidirectional tires is to move the left front-tire to the right rear-axle and the right front-tire to the left rear-axle. On the other hand, unidirectional tires must rotate tires in front to rear and rear to front pattern and it should be on the same side of the vehicle. While lateral rotation is recommended for all-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive vehicles. That is, from right to left and left to right at the same end of the vehicle.
2. Regular Tire Inspection – A regular tire inspection must be done to ensure that there are no abnormal wear occurrence that is left unattended or ignored. This should be done once a month or before going on a long trip.
Take time to check on the following: uneven tread wear, cracks or bulges, tread chunking or separation from the carcass, signs of punctures and presence of nails, glass or any object embedded in the tire.
Addressing these issues beforehand ensures driving safety, high driving performance and longer tire life.
1. Keep Tires in Correct Pressure
– Always check and adjust tire pressure at least once a month and of
course before going on a long trip. Therefore, it is imperative that you
know the recommended tire pressure of your vehicle. This is usually
found on the driver’s doorframe, in the glove box or printed on a label.
According
to studies, the leading cause of tire-related crashes is
underinflation. It can immediately affect vehicle handling and fuel
consumption; but most of all on the overall safety of the passenger and
tire life.
Underinflation
may result in rapid uneven tire wear, overheating and more which leads
to structural failures. So, to avoid this from happening, make sure that
your tires have the correct pressure all the time.
Marcus.Widjaya
