Six tips for keeping your tires in shape so you can be safe

Recently I went to Amritsar to visit the Golden Temple. So, due to lockdown, my car was parked for around 6-7 months and I thought that I didn't drove my car so my tires, air will be fine. But, I was wrong. On my way, my car tire got punctured. Then when I went to the tire shop. They told me that air in a tire doesn't depend on how many times you drove your car. They also gave me some tips that how can I save my tire from getting damaged. So keep reading till the end to know all the tips and to know that how can you save your tires.

Here are some tips to help you do that:

1. Check your tire pressure monthly: Tires can lose approximately one pound per square inch of air (PSI) per month. A tire can lose even more in cold weather climates. So if you rely on your mechanic to check your tire pressure only at oil changes or tire rotations, you could be putting you and your family at risk.

2. Inspect tires regularly, especially before long road trips. At the time you’re checking tire pressure or washing your car, do a physical inspection of your tires. Don’t be afraid to get down on your hands and knees to do your inspection. Things to look for include cracks, bulges, and objects that may have punctured the tire, such as nails, screws, glass, or stones. If one of these objects punctures the sidewall of your tire, your tire will need to be replaced.

If you’re going on a long road trip, check your tire pressure and inspect your tires before you leave home. It’s much easier to inspect your tires in the safety and comfort of your own garage or driveway than on the side of the freeway with cars zipping by at 65mph or faster.

If you do experience a tire failure while traveling, consider calling a tire professional in that area to help you change or replace your tire.

3. Rotate, rotate, rotate. In order to maintain even tread wear and to get the maximum life out of your tires, it’s recommended that you rotate your tires every 6,000 to 8,000 miles. If you buy a set of tires from your local tire store, they may provide free tire rotation. If they don’t, tire rotations are fairly inexpensive.

4. Don’t overload your vehicle. Located on the placard on your door frame is information on how much weight your vehicle can safely handle. Overloading a vehicle can also cause tire failure.

When I was in high school, I overloaded my parents’ Cutlass Supreme station wagon. While the tires didn’t blow, the way the car handled was definitely affected.

5. Don’t wait until your tires are on their death bed to replace. Back in my early married life, I drove my car around with the steel radials coming through the tire; yes, even on the highway.  

Tires are expensive and not particularly fun to buy; however, driving on your tires past their useful life puts you and your family in danger.

Most tires have a wear bar between the treads of the tire. If the tire tread depth is at or below this bar, it’s time for new tires. Another trick I learned is to use a penny to check tread wear. Turn the penny upside down so Abraham Lincoln’s head is between the tread. If you can see the top of Honest Abe’s head, then it’s time for new tires.

6. Don’t install mismatched tires. My wife recently bought one new tire for her all-wheel-drive car after a screw punctured the tire’s sidewall. After doing some research, I learned that having mismatched tires can negatively impact the handling of your car and cause unusual wear and tear on the rest of your tires, as well as other components of your car. Since her other tires needed to be replaced as well, I bought three more tires a week later.

I learned that the rule of thumb for buying tires is that you should always buy at least two and put them on the rear of the car no matter what type of car you own. While I was taught you should always put new tires on the front of the car, the benefit of putting the new tires on the rear is better handling under wet conditions. If there are poor tires on the rear of your car, it could cause a spin-out.

Do you have any tips or information on tires you’d like to share? I’d love to hear them; please share them in the box below or email me at krishnatyrestrader@gmail.com

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