Tire purchase and repairs
Tires connect your vehicle to the road, and they can be the difference between a pleasant, safe driving experience and a horrible one. Tire purchase and repairs are two very important activities to keep passengers and drivers safe.
Tire Pressure
Checking the pressure of the tire is one important activity that should be done on a regular basis. Tires lose air as time goes on and a digital gauge or simple pencil gauge can be used for measuring the air pressure of tires. This should be done bimonthly and before every long road trip.
Car owners can find data on inflation pressure in the owner’s manual or on a sticker inside the driver’s door. It is advised that the pressure of tires is checked when they are cold as this gives more accurate readings.
According to automobile experts, a tire’s worst enemy is under-inflation, resulting in irregular wear and unwanted tire stress. This can subsequently lead to serious road accidents and should, therefore, be addressed as soon as possible.
Rotation
Rotating the tires regularly has been discovered to help extend the life of tires and encourage uniform wear. It is recommended that tires are rotated every 5,000 to 7,000 miles, though owner’s manual usually contains specific recommendations for specific car makes and models.
Alignment
Wheel alignment is done to ensure that the tires are in the right positions to ensure a safe and comfortable drive. Cars sometimes shake while driving or even pull to one side of the road, signaling alignment issues that are usually caused by the car hitting a pothole or curb. This can damage the tires and therefore should be taken care almost immediately it is noticed by the driver or car owner as the case may be.
Tread
When you inspect your tires or take your car to the auto repair shop, the tread depth of the tires should be looked at. A weak tread means that the tire is unable to properly grip the road in case of adverse weather conditions.
The depth of the tread can be checked using the penny check method. If the whole head of President Lincoln is visible, then it is time to replace your tires with new ones.
Purchases
When buying tires, it is recommended that you replace the entire set at once. The very least is to purchase two of the four tires at once – an axle pair for either the rear or front wheels. As mentioned earlier, tire rotation helps the tires to last longer and ensures an even rate of wear.
It is also advised that you always purchase the right type of tires for your car and the weather condition. There are however general-purpose, all-season tires that can be used by car owners depending on their location.
The spare tire is just as important as the four tires the car moves on. It is, therefore, important not to overlook the spare when buying and inspecting tires as you do not want to have a flat spare when you need it most.
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