Wednesday, June 17, 2015

5 Tire Maintenance Tips

In this article we'll discuss five simple steps that can lead to longer tire life and better safety when you're on the road. Whether you're just driving around town or going across country these tips could help save your life or someone elses.

Step 1 - Inspect your tires. While you may not always notice damage to your tires right away they can get damaged slowly over time. For example, rocks, glass, and other debris in the road may cut or wear down your tires at an accelerated rate. Sometimes these cuts may not be deep enough to puncture the tire right away, but additional wear and tear could result in a flat. In the event you do get a flat hopefully you have what’s called a donut aka. a temporary spare tire and can get to a Town Fair Tire location nearest you for our flat repair service.

Step 2 - Check your air pressure regularly. While modern cars have an automated sensor for checking tire pressure most older cars do not. You may have heard of this sensor by another shorter name called TPMS. This abbreviation stands for Tire Pressure Monitoring System. If you are wondering where to find the proper tire pressure you can typically check one of a few places. The most common places to find the (OE) or original equipment inflation pressure is on the driver’s side door jam, gas cap, or glove compartment.

Step 3 - Read your tire’s recommended load capacity. Make sure not to exceed the load capacity advised by the tire’s load index. If you exceed this weight limit your tires can overheat and burst. This is especially important to pay attention to during the summer months as you might be doing home improvement projects and loading your vehicle with lumber, concrete, etc. can quickly add to the weight of your vehicle.

Step 4 - Follow the speed limit signs. While driving fast might seem fun from time to time* it’s not only more likely that you could create a serious accident, but you can actually damage your tires or create heat build-up in your tires. At high speeds your tires can be damaged more easily and you can also lose air pressure very quickly. Ultimately, this could lead to a tire blow out and of course at high speeds could result in injury to you or someone else.

Step 5 - Don’t be afraid to use your spare tire. If you have a popped tire or otherwise damaged tire it’s best to replace it immediately. Toss on your temporary spare tire (also known as a donut) and get to a tire repair shop near you and have a new tire placed on the vehicle.

In conclusion, be sure to take good care of your tires this summer by following the above tips. By doing so, you'll not only improve the safety, but you could save some money too by avoiding blow outs. Finally, if you discover that you're in need for one or more new tires we hope you'll consider your local Town Fair Tire dealer.

* Town Fair Tire does not recommend nor endorse driving over the speed limit.

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