Preserving tire life is essential for safety, performance, and getting the most value from your investment. By following simple maintenance and driving habits, you can significantly extend the lifespan of your tires.
To effectively preserve your tire life, focus on these key practices:
- Maintain Correct Tire Pressure: Ensure your tires are filled to the pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer, not just the maximum pressure listed on the tire sidewall. Correct inflation prevents uneven wear and reduces the risk of blowouts.
- Check Wheel Alignment: Watch that alignment regularly. Improper wheel alignment can cause tires to wear unevenly and prematurely, often seen as wear on only one edge of the tire.
- Perform Regular Tire Rotation and Wheel Balancing: Balance your wheels & rotate your tires according to your vehicle's maintenance schedule. Rotation helps ensure wear is distributed evenly across all four tires, while balancing prevents vibrations that can lead to uneven wear.
- Drive Carefully and Smoothly: Avoid aggressive driving behaviors. Don't skid or peel out as harsh acceleration, braking, and sharp turns cause excessive friction and rapid tread wear.
- Inspect and Avoid Hazards:
- Avoid driving with a flat tire. Driving on a flat or severely underinflated tire can cause irreparable internal damage.
- Avoid potholes. Hitting potholes can damage the tire sidewall, wheel, and affect alignment.
- Be careful parking. Avoid scraping your tire sidewalls against curbs, as this can weaken the tire structure.
- Avoid gravel roads or drive slowly when on them. Gravel can cause cuts, punctures, and accelerate wear compared to paved surfaces.
Implementing these habits helps ensure your tires wear evenly and last longer, contributing to a safer and more efficient driving experience.
