Driving carefully by not over accelerating, braking hard and sharp corning is the best way to extend the life of your car tires. This article has five other tips to keep your car tires in good condition:
1. Correct Tire Pressure
Regularly check your car tires are not under or over inflated.
Under inflation causes greater flexibility of the rubber, increasing the operating temperature and reducing the tyre's lifespan. The wear on the edge or shoulder of the tire is increased and damage can be caused to the vehicle's suspension when driving over a pothole.
Under inflation also results in poor fuel economy. Increased rolling resistance makes a car engine work harder and uses more fuel.
Over inflation is equally bad by increasing the wear in the center of a car tire's tread; An area important for protecting the ty against impact damage.
To find the recommended tyre pressure check the owner's manual or look for a plaque on the inside of the fuel flap.
2. Balance and Alignment
Whenever your car tires are repaired or replaced make sure they are correctly balanced when remounted on your car. If not this will cause vibrations, increasing tyre wear, damaging suspension and leading to driver fatigue.
Correct alignment is necessary to have the steering, suspension, wheel components and car tires all working in harmony to achieve the optimum performance from your vehicle.
It does not cost much for your local garage or car tire specialist to check the vehicle's balance or alignment. Without it the resulting cost of repair will be far greater.
3. Inspection
A visual inspection once a month does not take long and is important to maintain your car tires in a safe condition.
Check the tread depth. Most tires have a tread wear indicator built into them. Look for a horizontal bar of rubber located between the tread patterns, at a depth of 2mm. When the height of the tread wears down to the height of this bar it is time to replace your car tires.
Check the car tires for any unusual bulges or lumps as these are often a sign of internal damage. Inspect the tread and sidewall rubber for any signs of cracking. If found change the ty as soon as possible as cracking can cause a blow-out.
Remove any stones and other objects stuck in a car tire's tread. If a nail is found embedded in the rubber, do not remove as the tyre will rapidly deflate. Instead take the ty to a specialist who may be able to repair the puncture.
4. Repairs
Do not risk driving on a car tire that is losing pressure. Take it to a specialist who will give the ty a a complete inspection and make the decision wherever it can be repaired or replaced.
Driving on a flat tire for even a short distance will damage it beyond repair.
Never try repairing a car tire yourself. This should be handled by a trained professional.
5. Tire Rotation
The weight of a vehicle is not even distributed on all of the car tires. By regularly rotating the tires their lifespan is extended and uneven car tire wear is avoided.
Visit a car tire specialist for further advice and to check the condition of your current car tires.