Tires can be a pricy investment for your car, and as such it helps to make sure that they last as long as the manufacturer recommends. Viking Automotive has some tips that can help you to do just that. The trick is to keep up with some other services that might have felt more optional to you in the past.
Start with a Wheel Alignment
Why are wheel alignments so important? Well, it’s easy for your wheels to get misaligned, even just from normal driving. When that happens, the wheels aren’t making contact face on with the road as they should. That leads to uneven tread wear and it can also lead to problems with your suspension and other systems. By starting with a wheel alignment, you’re giving new tires a fighting chance out of the gate.
Make Sure the Tires Are Balanced
There are similar arguments for tire balancing. Your car’s wheels aren’t perfectly round and neither are brand new tires. As a result, there are parts of the wheel that are heavier and that means that the tires and wheels make contact with the road unevenly. That’s a recipe for chewing the tread right off your tires and it’s completely avoidable with regular balancing.
Rotate Tires on a Regular Basis
A good benchmark for tire rotation is to get it done when you get your car’s oil changed. For most car owners, that’s anywhere from around 3,000 to 10,000 miles, depending on your oil and other variables. If your car is already in for one service, it’s no big deal to add something as simple as tire rotation onto the list and it will extend the life of your car’s tires.
Check the Air Pressure in Your Tires Regularly
Under- and over-inflation each cause problems for your car’s tires. If your car has a TPMS system, you get some information about air pressure, but it’s important to have your own data, too. By manually checking the air pressure in your tires, you’re able to track that information. And if you’re adding air more frequently to your tires, that’s something else that lets you know there’s a problem with your car’s tires.
Want some help making sure that your tires have a long and healthy life? Give us a call at Viking Automotive in Houston, TX. We can help you to put together a plan for taking the best care possible of your car’s tires.
