3 tips for extending the life of your tires
Have you put on your winter tires yet? It’s a question you may hear a lot as the December 1st deadline for installing them creeps up. However, the experienced mechanics at Certified Auto Repair like to ask our customers a second question: are you taking proper care of your tires? To ensure that you get the most out of yours, you need to take care of them. Here are three tips for extending your tires’ lifespan.
1. Check the air pressure
If tires are under- or over-inflated, they can wear prematurely and weaken your car’s handling. Use a tire pressure gauge to test the air pressure in your tires on a monthly basis (ideally in the morning). Make sure to refer to the recommended tire pressure given by the manufacturer and not the maximum pressure indicated on the tire itself. You can find this information on a sticker located either in the door jamb, glove box, truck lid or in the owner’s manual.
2. Measure tire depth
Every two or three months, take a few minutes to inspect your tire for wear using a tire tread depth gauge. This inexpensive and easy-to-use tool allows you to precisely measure tire tread. If the depth of the grooves isn’t the same at the center and the sides of the tire (at 2 cm from the edge), this could indicate a problem with air pressure or tire alignment. To prevent more serious wear, don’t wait to adjust the pressure in your tires or make an appointment at your local garage.
3. Rotate your tires
Do you turn your mattress periodically to ensure that it doesn’t wear unevenly and become uncomfortable? The same principle applies to your tires. To extend their lifespan, swap the back ones with the front ones every 6,000 to 10,000 km. Depending on whether your car has front-, back-, or four-wheel drive, specific rotation methods are recommended (for example, “X-pattern” tire rotations, where the front left tire changes places with the back right tire and the front right tire changes places with the back left tire).
To stay safe on the roads this winter, make sure your tires are of high quality and that they’re correctly aligned and inflated. To get the most out of your tires and your car, make an appointment at an Certified Auto Repair near you!