Five Important Tire Care And Safety Tips

Almost everyone has heard the phrase, "where the rubber meets the road." Tires are the thing that connects vehicles to the road. Not only do tire problems impact a car's ride, handling, and comfort, but they affect the safety of everyone in the car.

Here are five important tire care and safety tips to help keep drivers and passengers safe. They are remembered easily with the acronym "PART" -- pressure, alignment, rotation, and tread.

Pressure

Check tire pressure on a regular basis. All tires lose air over time. Use a simple pencil gauge or a digital gauge to measure air pressure -- at twice a month, and always before long road trips.

Inflation pressure data is usually found in the owner's manual, or on a sticker inside the driver's door. If the car is hot, allow it to sit for a while before checking the air pressure. Cold tire pressure checks give the most accurate readings.

Under-inflation is a tire's worst enemy. It causes irregular wear and unwarranted tire stress, which can lead to loss of control and serious accidents. Address under-inflation as soon as possible by airing the tires to the proper pressure.

Alignment

Sometimes cars pull to one side of the road or shake while driving. Hitting a curb, pothole, or other object can throw the front end out of alignment, damaging the tires.

Even if there is no pull or shake, uneven tread wear can indicate alignment issues. Have a dealer check the alignment from time to time, to ensure better handling and prevent uneven tread wear.

Rotation

Regular rotation extends tire life and encourages even, uniform wear. Most service technicians recommend tire rotation every 5,000 to 7,000 miles. The owner's manual has specific recommendations for a particular make and model.

Sometimes a car develops a shimmy, felt as a steering wheel vibration. This occurs when a tire has lost a balance weight. Take the car to a dealer. Re-balancing the tire is relatively easy and inexpensive.

Tread

Tire inspections should include checking for tread depth as well as wear. Hard wear and weak tread reduce a tire's ability to grip the road during adverse weather conditions.

While visually inspecting tires, look for areas that are high, low, or curiously smooth. Check for obvious damage, as well. Use a penny to check the tread. If all of President Lincoln's head is visible, it is time to buy new tires.

Purchases

When purchasing tires, it is best to replace the entire set at one time. At the very least, buy two -- an axle pair for either the front or rear wheels. Regular rotation will ensure that all tires experience the same rate of wear.

Always buy the appropriate tires for the job, such as winter snow tires or maximum performance summer tires. Depending on location, most drivers can get away with general-purpose, all-season tires.

When buying and inspecting tires, do not overlook the spare. Discovering a flat spare tire when you need it the most is a disappointing experience, to say the least. Drivers who carry air compressors and tire flat repair kits should check them periodically, too.

New tires can be expensive, but tire maintenance is relatively cheap. And it is vitally important to driver and passenger safety. Other safety features, like stability and traction control or antilock brakes, will not work properly without a good set of tires. Taking care of a car's tires will help them take care of the occupants.

Vincent works in the research and development area for zAutos.com. For more about zAutos see:
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By Vincent M Johnston