Tires get the most wear and tear out of any part of a car. It’s also one of the more expensive items to replace. Rather than spending a fortune on replacing them, it’s much more cost-effective to maintain them and prolonging their longevity. These handy tips will help you extend the life of your tires as well as save you a lot of money in the long run.
Powder coat your wheel rims
When you drive your car, you aren’t just burning rubber. Your wheel rims see just as much action as your rubber tires. When exposed to outdoor elements and the potential damage from road debris like gravel and stone, your wheel rims can start flaking or get corroded and chipped. To protect it, you should invest in powder coating which creates a highly resistant, non-porous surface that shields the rim and allows it to withstand even the most treacherous outdoor environments. You can find reputable wheel powder coating services all over Utah.
Check your tire air pressure regularly
Maintaining the correct tire air pressure is one of the easiest ways to extend your tire’s life. Incorrect air pressure causes sluggish handling and it increases stopping distance and wear and tear which makes the risk of a blowout more likely. Your tire pressure changes every month, as well as during more extreme colder or warmer weather temperatures. This is why you should check your air tire pressure at least once a month.
Have your tires rotated every 5,000 miles
Most cars only use one or two wheels to “drive” the car at a time. This causes uneven tire wear, depending on the vehicle. Front-wheel drive vehicles put stress on front tires, while rear-wheel drive vehicles wear out their back tires faster. All-wheel drive vehicles experience this too since most models shift the drive from one wheel to the other. Having your tires rotated means that a technician will move the tires to different wheel positions on the vehicle which evens out wear. Make sure to have your tires rotated every 5,000 miles to maximize its life span.
Examine your alignment often
If you notice that your cat is actively pulling or drifting towards one side, it could be a sign that your car has an alignment problem. Alignment issues can reduce fuel efficiency and increase wear. Have your car taken in to have its alignment adjusted every six months or if you notice that something is wrong. You’ll be able to improve your gas mileage and to save yourself some expensive repair fees by doing this regularly.
Drive gently
Hard accelerating, cornering, or braking quickly can add a lot of unnecessary stress on your tires which increase tread wear. The best way to ensure that you aren’t shortening the longevity of your tires is by not driving too aggressively. You should also consider the weight of your vehicle. When you drive around a curve, your car’s weight acts as a lever by pushing on the sidewalls and sides of the tread. By adding more weight on a roof rack, you’ll be increasing leverage and wear. If you can, put as much cargo in your vehicle as possible to keep the center of gravity low.
Save yourself from costly repair fees by extending the life of your tires with proper care and maintenance.
