When you purchased your new set of tires, they came with a mileage guarantee. In other words, if the tires had a 60,000-mile guarantee, they are supposed to last for 60,000 miles. The caveat to this is you must take care of your tires to ensure that they last throughout the duration of their anticipated lifespan. Failing to care for the tires will cause the tread to wear out unevenly and, as a consequence, shorten the life of the tires. Hightech Automotive explains more below.
Air Check
Part of taking care of your tires includes checking the air in each tire about every other week. Use a tire gauge that you purchase from an auto parts store rather than the tire gauge on an air machine in the service station. The latter tend to be inaccurate. Test the air pressure in each tire to make sure it is at the recommended PSI. If it isn’t, add air to the tires that are low.
Tire Inspection
While you are checking the air pressure, inspect each tire to see if you spot anything suspicious or damaging. For example, the sides of the tires should not be bubbling or cracking. The tire tread should also be wearing down evenly instead of in patches. Look for things that can flatten the tires, as well, such as nails, screws, and bolts.
Tire Rotation
Tire rotations relieve the pressure points each tire experiences on each wheel. In other words, how the tire rests on the wheel and the brake system parts that press against it apply pressure points. When you rotate the tires, they receive different pressure points because they are on a different wheel. The general recommendation for tire rotations is every 6,000 miles.
Wheel Balance
While you are getting the tires rotated, you should also have the wheels balanced. This helps ensure that once the tires have been moved to different wheels that the weight is even across the axles. You can tell that your wheels are out of balance if they begin to vibrate when you pick up speed. The faster you go, the more noticeable the vibration will become.
Wheel Alignment
Finally, you should have your wheels aligned every two years at a maximum. This ensures that all of the tire tread is making contact with the road. It’s easy to knock your wheels out of alignment by hitting curbs or driving through potholes too fast.
Hightech Automotive in Forest City, NC, can help you take care of your tires so you get the guaranteed mileage out of them. Call us today to schedule a tire service.