Tires are one of the most important -- and offten overlooked components of our cars. Automakers can spend all the time and money they want on engineering a car for handling and comfort, but in the end, the tires are the only thing that attach our car to the road. A problem with a tire affects ride comfort, handling and safety. Here are some simple tire safety tips to help keep you and your car's occupants safe.
Check your tire pressure regularly. Tires tend to lose air over time. Buy a digital tire gauge and check your tires once a month and before a long trip. Proper inflation pressures can be found in your owner's manual or on a sticker on the car (usually on the driver's doorjamb or fuel-filler lid .) Remember to check tire pressure only after the car has been sitting for several hours in order to ensure that the tires are cold -- the friction of driving heats the tires and increases tire pressure, which can hide an under-inflated tire.
Address under-inflated tires immediately. An under-inflated tire has more rolling resistance which decreases fuel consumption. It also creates more heat, which can lead to tire failure.You could be riding on the side wall of the tire and not know it.If you riding on the side wall the tire will rub and cause the tire to blow out.
Don't forget the spare. Getting a flat tire and discovering that your spare is flat too is a miserable experience. Inspect your spare as you would your other tires. If you have a compact spare, the inflation pressure will usually be written on the tire. If your car comes with a compressor and/or flat repair kit in line of a spare, check their operation regularly.
Check for tread depth. Check tread depth by placing the edge of a penny upside-down into the grooves of the tire's tread. If you can see all of Lincoln's head, it's time for a new set of tires. Never buy a single tire -- it's best to replace all four tires at once, but at the very least they should be bought as axle pairs (both fronts or both rears). Rotating your tires every 5,000 to 7,000 miles will help ensure that all four tires wear at the same rate or every 2nd oil change is a good way to keep up with you tire rotations .
Check for even wear. When you check tread depth, check both the inside and outside edge of the tires and the middle . Uneven tire wear is usually a sign that your car is out of alignment. Proper alignment optimizes handling and helps prevent premature tire wear.
Look for tire damage. When you check tire pressure, inspect the sides of the tires for nicks, bulges, cracks and cuts. Such damage often cannot be repaired and will require replacement of the tire in new or used form .
Stay balanced. If your car develops a shimmy (a back-and-forth vibration, usually felt through the steering wheel) at a certain speed, it's possible that one of your tires has lost its balance weight. Having your tires re-balanced is a fairly inexpensive procedure.
Buy the right tire for the job. Most cars come with all-season tires, the tire equivalent of a jack-of-all-trades. If you live in the rust belt, consider a set of dedicated snow tires for the winter; they do wonders for safety. If you live where it's always warm and dry, "summer" performance tires can vastly improve your car's handling.
And most importantly:
Never hesitate to replace a worn or damaged tire. Tires are not cheap, but they are vital to the safety of you and your car's occupants. Remember, the tires are the only thing that connect your car to the road. Advanced safety features such as antilock brakes and electronic stability control can't do their life-saving jobs without four good tires. Take care of your tires -- because whether you know it or not, you're counting on them to take care of you.
we hope this has given you some good insight in tire safty.If you need more information feel free to give us a call .
MR. TIRE AND WHEEL 722 HWY 28 BY PASS , ANDERSON,SOUTH CAROLINA 29624 PHONE # 864-261-3609
