Learning to drive involves a lot of practice and a lot of instruction on the rules of the road, defensive driving, safety features, and vehicle maintenance. If there’s one part that we may tend to forget, it’s the maintenance. For safety’s sake as well as your bank account, maintaining your vehicle in good working order is the smart thing to do. We usually don’t think about the tires until something goes wrong, but tire maintenance is crucial to safety on the road. The tires get a workout every day as they literally drive you to every destination and back.
Under Pressure
Learn how to check your tire pressure. Keeping the correct air pressure in your tires helps them last longer, helps your car handle better and more safely, and helps you save money on fuel. Low tire pressure is the leading cause of tread damage, blowouts, and premature wear. You can check the pressure yourself by removing the cap from your valve stem and inserting a tire pressure gauge. Most tires have a recommended pressure of 30-35 PSI. To confirm, check your owner’s manual, the sticker on your door jam, or look up the pressure recommendation for your specific tire. If your pressure is outside of the recommended range you should add or remove air to reach proper inflation. You can also let the expert technicians at Liberty Auto Center perform tire pressure checks or adjustments as part of your overall routine maintenance.
Tread Lightly
Tires have tread to grip the road and also to allow water to be expelled underneath to prevent hydroplaning. The proportion of rubber to air space on the road surface directly affects its traction. You can use a tread depth gauge to check your tires, or you can perform the “penny test.” Insert a penny into the tire tread grooves with Lincoln’s head facing down. If you can see the top of Lincoln’s head, your tires are at 2/32nds of an inch or less of remaining tread. This indicates that your tires are worn beyond the recommended safety guideline and you should have them checked by a professional.
In the Rotation
Tire rotation is another item on the maintenance checklist and involves moving your tires and wheels to different positions on your vehicle. Your tires should be rotated on a regular basis so that the tread wears evenly. Your owner’s manual can provide a recommended schedule, or visit Liberty Auto Center for advice and professional rotation. The experienced crew of technicians will perform the rotation as well as double checking your tire pressure and brakes
A Tire’s Lifespan
Routine maintenance will go a long way toward maximizing tire life, but they will eventually wear down. Natural oils in rubber will evaporate and cause cracking, and the extremes of winter cold and summer heat only add to the wear. Maintenance can help keep tires safe and make them last longer, but if they become too worn or suffer damage, it will be time to get them replaced. Liberty Auto Centers is your one stop shop for tire maintenance, repair, or sales. Throughout the life of your tires, they are ready at every turn.