Tire Care 101

April 01, 2010, By Jeff Waddle 0 comments

A set of tires can set you back several hundred bucks by the time you get out the door, so it’s a good idea to take care of them. Besides, anyone who has had to change a flat on a busy road knows the importance of keeping your tires road worthy.

There are several things you can do to get the most out of your tire investment. Here’s a rundown of the most important things to keep in mind.

Keep Them Properly Inflated

Check your tire pressure—measured in psi or pounds per square inch—at least monthly. Forget about the psi numbers you see on the sidewalls of your tires, and use the vehicle manufacturer’s inflation recommendations instead. They typically are found on a decal inside the glove compartment, driver’s door frame or trunk lid.

Invest in a good digital tire gauge and make sure to check the pressure when your tires are cold—at least a couple of hours after driving. Otherwise, you risk getting a false reading because air expands when it gets hot.

While you’re checking tire pressure, visually inspect your tires to make sure you didn’t pick up a nail or some other road hazard—that habit could spare you the ordeal of changing a flat on the road.

It’s not unusual for tires to lose a pound or two of pressure in a month. Also, keep a watchful eye on tire pressure in winter months because air naturally contracts in cold weather, causing tires to lose pressure even more quickly.

Chronically over- or under-inflated tires will cause uneven tread wear and make them useless well before their time. Over-inflated tires tend to show uneven wear in the center of the tread while under-inflated tires wear on the outside or shoulder, so look out for signs of uneven tread wear.

Not only will proper inflation extend tire life, it can save you at the pump. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that properly inflated tires can boost gas mileage by over 3%.

Keep Them Balanced

Vibration on the steering wheel that tends to dissipate when you reach 70 mph or above is a telltale sign of one or more tires being out of balance. Go back to where you purchased them and explain the symptoms—a lot of tire dealers offer free lifetime balancing as part of their care package.

Tires wearing to the left and right of the tread’s center suggest out-of-balance tires.

Rotate Them Regularly

Tires need to be rotated regularly to keep them wearing in an even pattern. Like balancing, free lifetime tire rotation is offered by many tire dealers so take advantage of it.

Also, most tire warranties require rotation at certain mileage intervals, like every 5,000 or 7,500 miles. If not, a good rule of thumb is to rotate tires at least every 10,000 miles.

Watch for Misalignment

A good test for possible front-end alignment problems is to briefly take your hands off the steering wheel when you reach legal speed on the highway. If your vehicle pulls to the right or left, your front end likely needs alignment. It’s more of a problem with rear-wheel drive cars.

Front ends that are out of alignment can cut tire life by thousands of miles, causing tires to wear severely on the outside or inside of the tread.

Jeff Waddle is a featured contributor to ManoftheHouse.com.