Since 2010 we have noticed a steady rise in tire
prices, and with the Holiday season right around the corner, as well as the
ruthless winter seasons that hit the east coast (enjoy your sunshine west
coasters, we are just jealous), extending the life of your tires is more
important than ever to those who are looking to save money and stay safe.
Taking care of your tires does not have to be
difficult. And with simplicity in mind, we bring you our top 5 tire-care tips
to make them last longer and perform better:
1.
Make sure your tires are properly inflated
Many experts will tell you that often times most
instances of damaged or flat tire reports come from lack of air.
Make sure you get into the habit of looking at your
tires, whether it’s once a week, every morning, or every time you go get gas at
the pump. If you spot bulging sidewalls during a visual inspection, this could
indicate low tire pressure. You should also check the tire pressure once a
month with a quality digital or pencil type pressure gauge. Luckily for you,
many vehicles today are equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS),
which uses a warning light on the dash to notify you when a tire is low.
One word of advice we can offer is to make sure to fill
up your tires according to manufacturer-
recommended tire pressure settings, and
to always monitor your tire pressure when driving in snow, rain and sleet,
since correct pressure is essential to good handling and traction.
Lastly, by keeping your tires inflated to the proper
pressure, you can improve your gas mileage by up to 3.3 percent, so also saves
you money at the pump.
2.
Rotate and balance tires every other oil change
Many experts today recommend that you rotate and
balance your tires during every other oil change. Lucky for you, most tire
shops offer this service free-of-charge if the tires were purchased from them. Normally
the front tires tend wear faster than the rear, so rotating your tires will
help increase their lifespan. Also, keeping the tires balanced reduces
vibration, which increases tire and component wear.
3.
Keep your tires clean and covered up
You would be surprised how damaging the environment
can be for your tires. Purchasing a good tire protectant will help prevent your
tires from suffering from ozone damage in the summer and will make sure your
tires make it through the harsh weather conditions of the winter time, thus
greatly improving your tires lifespan.
Whenever your vehicle is stored for long periods of
time (classic car owners pay attention), make sure to cover your tires and
remove the vehicle's weight or load to help prevent sidewall cracks from
forming.
4.
Avoid road hazards and potholes
Driving too fast, not keeping a safe distance from
the vehicle ahead of you, and driving on rough or damaged roads can lead to
tire damage from road hazards. Drive your car like road warrior. Crushing
through anything in your path on your way from point A to point B? Well you
might be surprised to find out that even hitting a pothole at 20 MPH can cause
significant damage to the tire sidewall, which is non-repairable.
Now if you can’t avoid hitting a pothole, it is
always safer to go through it than to swerve at the last minute, however if you
are able to slow down before driving over a pothole, try to do so, as rolling
over a pothole can cause less damage to your tires than driving over it at a
higher speed.
Also keep in mind that properly inflated tires are
less likely to sustain significant damage from potholes and other road hazards.
5.
Routinely check your tires’ tread wear
A tire wearing on the outside edge only can be a
sign that the wheels are not properly aligned, which can greatly reduce the
life of your tires.
Be sure to routinely inspect your tires for uneven
tread wear. Wheel alignment can be checked by simply looking at the wear
pattern on tires or by a trained technician with the use of an alignment rack.
Always make sure the tires have plenty of tread (4/32” of an inch minimum) so
you don’t lose traction.
An easy way to check your tread depth is to do the
old penny trick (which you can find here: http://lanceratjerrysmitsubishi.blogspot.com/2012/11/new-driver-top-5-things-to-know-about.html).
As silly as it sounds, the penny trick is a very easy way to stay on top of
your tires tread wear.
At Jerry’s we offer tires for life on all of our
vehicles. This means that Tires that are originally purchased on your Jerry’s
New or Manufacturer Certified Pre-Owned vehicle will be replaced once they are
worn due to normal wear and tear. On top of that Jerry’s also offers nitrogen
air fills for your tires free of cost!
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blog updates.
For more information on all of our available vehicles,
products and services visit us athttp://jerrysitsaboutyou.com
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