Every day, we get in our car, drive to some destination, and give little thought to the big, round rubber things getting us there - tires! While tires provide the ability for us to move about, they do need to be maintained, just as with any other part of the car. For starters, you always want to check the air pressure of your tires. As a rule, tires will lose between one and two pounds of pressure each month during the cooler months and more in the hot, summer months. If the air pressure is not maintained properly, you could have less gas mileage, find the car more difficult to handle, or worse, experience a sudden and unexpected blowout.
We recommend you check the pressure in your tires once a month, to include the spare tire in the trunk. Just remember that altitude and temperature both play a role in how the air pressure holds up so when there are sudden or extreme changes, the tires should be checked more often. To check the air pressure, simply use a tire gauge, which is pressed into the uncapped valve on the tire. A stick like part of the gauge will pop out, showing you the number of the current pressure. On the side of your tire, you will see numbers before or after PSI, which is Pounds per Square Inch. The gauge and the tire pressure should match. In other words, if your tire holds 32 pounds of pressure, when you test the tire with the gauge, it should read 32.
Another important aspect of car tires is the alignment. Chances are you have hit a pothole or two while driving. Each time, you put the car at risk of going out of alignment, even a small amount. However, enough potholes or curbs would make a difference in how the car handles. Therefore, about every 18,000 miles, the alignment of the car should be checked, which is about the same time you put on new tires. Of course, if you notice that one tire or one side of the car has tires that are wearing down quicker than the other tires this could indicate a problem with alignment.
Slow leaks can occur in tires at anytime. They can pick up an unknown nail and then come out making the tire's air leak out slowly. Or you may find a bubble on the side- wall of a tire, if you see this take it to your tire shop immediately because this can become a serious problem. A weak tire leak may be fixed by a can of fix a flat at your local auto parts dealer. If not, the you will need to have it checked out. Tires put on wrong at the shop can cause a vibration within your car when you get to a certain speed. If this occurs, take your car back immediately and have them fix and balance your tires properly.
Finally, to help the life of your tires last longer, you should have them rotated about every 5,000 to 8,000 miles. The reason is that typically, one tire will begin to wear out in a certain pattern, depending on the weight it is supporting. Therefore, by rotating the tires, you are not stressing one particular tire but allowing them to wear more evenly. In addition to the money saved, this also reduces risks when driving. Get more Information on Tires and other Truck Accessories here.
Posted on March 22nd, 2013