Important Tire Maintenance for your Car

One of the easiest ways to extend the life of your tires is by checking the tire pressure. Making sure your tires aren't significantly above or below the recommended tire pressure will ensure even tread wear for the life of the tires. Overinflated tires cause the tread to expand, which will create uneven wear to the tire's road surface. Meanwhile, underinflated tires will cause premature wear because the road surface will be larger. We recommend checking your tire pressure once a month to make sure they're at the correct pounds per square inch (PSI) which is posted on a placard on the driver's door jamb.

Tire rotations are possibly the most surefire way to extend the life of your tires. Rotating the tires is important because most of the weight of the vehicle is on the front axle due to the location and transmission. The weight causes the front wheels to wear faster than the rears. To slow down this uneven wear, it's recommended to rotate your tires approximately every 5,000 miles. When the tires are rotated front to back, the tread will last longer giving you better traction for longer. The balance of your tires is also important. Small weights are used to evenly distribute the weight around the whole tire. A balancing machine is used to spin the tire at highway speeds to ensure even balance, preventing an obnoxious hum or vibrating sound while also preventing uneven wear. 

On the outer edge of your tires, right before the sidewall, you'll find channels leading from the edge of the tire with an open edge facing outward. These channels are designed specifically to funnel water and snow away from the main tread to help maintain a good grip on the road surface even in inclement weather. Wheel alignments are done to protect these channels. Three specifications are checked and adjusted if needed during a wheel alignment. First is the toe, which is the horizontal axis of your tires. Toe-in or toe-out will cause a slight dragging effect decreasing gas mileage and causing uneven wear. Camber is the vertical angle of your wheels. Negative camber causes the bottom of the wheel to lean slightly outward, causing wear to the inside edge of your tires while positive camber does the opposite. Caster is the angle of your steering axis which has a specific degree set by the manufacturer to keep your vehicle driving straight and the tread wear even.

Taking care of your tires is essential if you want to extend their life and stay safe on the road. When you think it time to get one or all of these tire services taken care of, come on down to the service center at Junction Auto where a certified technician will take care of the services in a timely manner. You can schedule your next service appointment using the contact form below this page! We look forward to seeing you!