Perhaps needless to say, tires are critical to the performance of any vehicle. After all, tires form the very foundation of what keeps the vehicle moving. Often we may find ourselves neglecting this part of our regular car maintenance simply because we do not know the proper protocol for taking care of them. Tire maintenance requires paying attention to under-inflation, regular rotating your tires and knowing how to replace your tires. If you have a solid understanding of each of these facets of tire care, you will be able to prevent most of the common incidents that come from tires.
Under-inflation of a tire is the leading cause of tire failure. Some view proper inflation of tires as the most important aspect of tire maintenance. According to tiresafety.com, 75 percent of drivers wash their cars monthly and only 15 percent of drivers correctly check their tire inflation pressure. This scary statistic is one of the biggest reasons why people often find themselves with a flat tire. When it comes to air pressure, all four tires (plus the spare tire) should be regularly checked once a month. Tiresafety.com also notes that under the conditions of normal tire operation, approximately 1psi of tire pressure will escape every month. Also, for every 10 degrees (F) change in ambient temperature, tire pressure will change by approximately 1psi. This is one of the main reasons why it is important to consistently check tires for deflation.
Regular rotation of your tires is critical when it comes to tire maintenance. One method many people follow that helps them remember this important step for tire maintenance is getting their tires rotated each time they get an oil change. This way, your tires are rotated on a regular basis, and you are getting work done by a professional. By rotating your tires, you can help irregular and premature wear. This will help your tires stay much stronger for much longer.
In the end, it is always going to be important to know how to change a tire. Even if you follow these steps and still regularly check and care for your tires, you could still potentially get a flat tire. Whether this is from driving over something sharp or getting in an accident, simply put: flat tires happen to the best of us. With this in mind, make sure you have a spare tire in your vehicle at all times. If you end up using your spare in an emergency situation, make sure that you replace it immediately. Check your driver’s manual on what tools you may need to replace your tire. Follow the steps diligently, and make sure that you don’t damage any part of the tire while changing it.
Tire safety is extremely important, and sometimes we neglect that. Whether this involves a lack of regularly checking inflation levels, not rotating regularly or not knowing how to replace a tire, at some point or another we have all been guilty of not giving our tires the attention they need. However, once you start checking on all of the essentials of tire maintenance, you will eventually get into the habit of regular safety checks. If you need any help or assistance with how to approach any aspects of tire maintenance, be sure to ask your local auto shop.
Written by the staff at KB Tire & Auto. KB Tire & Auto is the leading expert in auto repair Moberly MO has to offer.
