Regular Tire Maintenance Basics
Most car owners neglect their tires. Tires are the only physical part of the car that touch the ground and play a vital role in handling, braking and safety of the vehicle. Tires must be regularly checked not only for air pressure but for general wear and tear. Regular checks are easy and can help you save money and increase safety of the car.
How to assess tires
Assessing tires requires visual inspection on a regular basis. However, it is essential that one get acquainted with what a normal tire looks like before making an assessment. Every car comes with a spare tire and one should look at it to have some idea what a normal tire looks like. The things to look out for in a tire are the following:
Look at the sides and assess for cracks, rips or cuts in the sidewalls. Sometimes you may see large tears at the sides or even find a nail stuck inside the tire.
Check for irregular tread. This often occurs due to uneven inflation, misaligned wheels, spoiled tires or problems with suspension.
Sometimes the tread is extremely worn-out. This is mostly due to aging. The newer tires all have a tread wear indicator bar running across the middle. The minimum allowable tread depth for safe driving is 1/16-inch. If you notice that the tread has reached to this level, it is time to get new tires. One can even buy tread wear gauges but most people fail to use them regularly and are not worth the expense.
When servicing your car, it is important to ensure that the tires are properly balanced. Balancing tires evenly will ensure that the wheel and rim weight are equally distributed as they rotate. Shimmying is often the result of unbalanced tires.
Asides from tire balancing, wheel alignment should be a regular part of scheduled car service. Wheel alignment is important for prevention of uneven wear on tires. It improves car performance and allows for better handling of the vehicle around corners and during braking. The end result is a much longer life of your tires. It is a good idea to get wheel alignment performed whenever you purchase new tires.
For those who want to asses tread wear, simply insert a penny into a tire’s groove with Lincoln's head facing towards the tire. If you are able to see the top of Abe's head, your tread is worn out.
Sometimes you may see uneven bulges on the side of the tire. This is a sign that must be heeded. Your car tire must be replaced immediately. The bulges are usually due to weakening of the tubing inside and can lead to a sudden tire rupture.
Tire rotation is an important aspect of maintenance. Tires should be rotated every 10,000 kilometers. The aim of tire rotation is to achieve a more uniform wear on all tires on the vehicle.
Sometimes when you are driving, you may feel excessive vibration. Tire vibrations may signal a misaligned wheel, a bent wheel or there may be internal tire damage. Vibration while driving should not be ignored. Always get the car checked out immediately.
The Problem of under inflation
Driving a car with under-inflated tires is a major cause of tire failure. Tire inflation can never be assessed visually. It must be assessed with a pressure gauge. Under inflated tires are not only prone to damage and failure, but also lead to higher fuel costs by as much as 3 to 5¢ per gallon.
Tire-Inflation Maintenance Tips
Buy a tire gauge and make an effort to monitor the tire pressure at least once a month. These gauges only cost $ 3-$ 6.
To determine the recommended tire pressure, look at the placard in the car located either on a doorjamb, the fuel-filler door, or on the inside of the glove-compartment lid. All tires have an imprint saying “maximum inflation pressure"- this number is inaccurate and should generally not be relied upon. All cars have a spare tire and one should make sure that it is inflated to the pressure specified on the placard—usually 60 psi.
True pressure of a tire is best measured when it is cold. If the car has been driven for a mile or two, the heat will increase the pressure and give you an artificial reading.
Visually inspect your tires on a regular basis. If you note any of the above warning signs, have a professional inspection performed.
The Motachanic
Stumble It!
How to assess tires
Assessing tires requires visual inspection on a regular basis. However, it is essential that one get acquainted with what a normal tire looks like before making an assessment. Every car comes with a spare tire and one should look at it to have some idea what a normal tire looks like. The things to look out for in a tire are the following:
Look at the sides and assess for cracks, rips or cuts in the sidewalls. Sometimes you may see large tears at the sides or even find a nail stuck inside the tire.
Check for irregular tread. This often occurs due to uneven inflation, misaligned wheels, spoiled tires or problems with suspension.
Sometimes the tread is extremely worn-out. This is mostly due to aging. The newer tires all have a tread wear indicator bar running across the middle. The minimum allowable tread depth for safe driving is 1/16-inch. If you notice that the tread has reached to this level, it is time to get new tires. One can even buy tread wear gauges but most people fail to use them regularly and are not worth the expense.
When servicing your car, it is important to ensure that the tires are properly balanced. Balancing tires evenly will ensure that the wheel and rim weight are equally distributed as they rotate. Shimmying is often the result of unbalanced tires.
Asides from tire balancing, wheel alignment should be a regular part of scheduled car service. Wheel alignment is important for prevention of uneven wear on tires. It improves car performance and allows for better handling of the vehicle around corners and during braking. The end result is a much longer life of your tires. It is a good idea to get wheel alignment performed whenever you purchase new tires.
For those who want to asses tread wear, simply insert a penny into a tire’s groove with Lincoln's head facing towards the tire. If you are able to see the top of Abe's head, your tread is worn out.
Sometimes you may see uneven bulges on the side of the tire. This is a sign that must be heeded. Your car tire must be replaced immediately. The bulges are usually due to weakening of the tubing inside and can lead to a sudden tire rupture.
Tire rotation is an important aspect of maintenance. Tires should be rotated every 10,000 kilometers. The aim of tire rotation is to achieve a more uniform wear on all tires on the vehicle.
Sometimes when you are driving, you may feel excessive vibration. Tire vibrations may signal a misaligned wheel, a bent wheel or there may be internal tire damage. Vibration while driving should not be ignored. Always get the car checked out immediately.
The Problem of under inflation
Driving a car with under-inflated tires is a major cause of tire failure. Tire inflation can never be assessed visually. It must be assessed with a pressure gauge. Under inflated tires are not only prone to damage and failure, but also lead to higher fuel costs by as much as 3 to 5¢ per gallon.
Tire-Inflation Maintenance Tips
Buy a tire gauge and make an effort to monitor the tire pressure at least once a month. These gauges only cost $ 3-$ 6.
To determine the recommended tire pressure, look at the placard in the car located either on a doorjamb, the fuel-filler door, or on the inside of the glove-compartment lid. All tires have an imprint saying “maximum inflation pressure"- this number is inaccurate and should generally not be relied upon. All cars have a spare tire and one should make sure that it is inflated to the pressure specified on the placard—usually 60 psi.
True pressure of a tire is best measured when it is cold. If the car has been driven for a mile or two, the heat will increase the pressure and give you an artificial reading.
Visually inspect your tires on a regular basis. If you note any of the above warning signs, have a professional inspection performed.
The Motachanic
Labels: Maintenance, Motachanic, tires
Stumble It!
posted by Miss Mota Mouth@ 11:01 AM 0 Comments
