Tag: Tire Mtce Checks

Reading Worn-out Tire Treads

Reading Worn out Tire TreadsReading Worn out Tire Treads can be critical to your safety while driving your car. A worn-out tire can blow at any time, especially at high speeds. The tire will heat up causing the pressure to increase and pop goes the tire. A flat tire at high speeds can be quite dangerous and cause loss of control. If it leads to an accident, your life may be in danger. Take a look at all of your tires and take the appropriate action as needed before you have a catastrophic accident. Each check may cost some money but your tires will last longer and you just may avoid an accident.

Reading Worn out Tire Treads

Here are a few of the items that you should consider when reading worn-out tire treads.

Alignment – if your tire is wearing on one side or the other it usually means that your alignment is out and needs to be adjusted.

Overinflation – is indicated if the tire is wearing in the middle of the tire. Check your tires for over inflation especially during hot weather. High-speed travel also heats up your tires and can lead to over inflation.

Under Inflation – causes the tire to wear on both sides of the tire. Check your tires every week to ensure that they are not too low in cold weather. Tires lose pressure in cold weather.

Chopped or uneven wear – may indicate that your suspension needs to be adjusted or even have the shocks replaced. Poor shocks will allow the car to bounce and also the tire.

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Tire Maintenance and what You Should Know

Tire MaintenanceTire Maintenance is a quite often discussed topic and you may  have heard your local automotive technician talk  about its importance. There are a number of aspects that many people should consider when it comes to maintenance of their car and maintenance of their tires. Safety and engine performance as well as economy are some fo the first things that come to mind. Without good tires on your car, not only are you sacrificing :

  • Safety of your car and occupants
  • Probably getting poor gas mileage, which costs you money
  • Doing damage to shocks and the support systems of your car
  • Accelerating the wearing out of your tires and initiating possible blowouts on the road.
  • Increasing the potential for an accident when your tire blows out at high speed.

Tire Maintenance

There are a number of variables to keep an eye on. If you use a to do list, add these items to your list to check on a regular basis and make some decisions about what you need to do relative to your tire maintenance.

Car tire Aging: Whether you use the car or you don’t, car tires age, primary indications of car tire aging would be cracking on the side walls, on the treads or fading of the treads, sometimes accompanied by tire wall distortion. Old or aged tires must be checked by a tire expert before use to ascertain it’s suitability for road usage.

Not only can your tires be dangerous because of age if you keep them a long time on your car due to the low mileage you drive every year, your tires might have been old before you bought them. Always ask the mechanic how old the tires are before they are installed new. There is an indicator on the side wall that will tell you when the tire was made. Anything over seven years should not be installed on your car.

Mileage

Depending on the quality of the tire, they can be good for 20 thousand miles all the way up to 100 thousand miles. You should keep track of how many miles are on your tires and how well the tread on your car is doing. If it gets low, change the tires, if you reach the recommended miles, change your tires.

Your tires wear out depending on the number of miles driven, the type of the surface. Of course sometimes even the kind of driving you do. Poor maintenance such as failure to rotate. Poor inflation, off balance and poor alignment can accelerate the wearing out of a tire. Tire Maintenance means checking your tires on a regular basis.

Inflation Pressure

Tires are the only point of contact between the vehicle and the road surface, hence inflation pressure of your tire happens to play a vital role in safety driving characteristics, mileage and also fuel consumption.

Car manufacturers have tested your recommended tires for your car for gas mileage, handling and many more factors to arrive at the optimum pressure for your tires. Following this guideline will maximize the value you get out of these tires and also the safety of your car. This is the most basic of tire maintenance steps you can take.

Misalignment: Tires when not positioned properly, or if not aligned properly, can cause uneven wear. This can occur on either side of the tire shoulder or both the sides. It can have have a slightly torn and faded look. Check periodically or at least once a month for wheel alignment, wheel balancing issues. Examining the tread patterns on your tires. Any abnormal wear is an indicator of a problem which should be addressed.

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Critical Tire Maintenance

Critical Tire MaintenanceCritical Tire Maintenance keeps Your Car Rolling Smoothly with no delays. It saves you thousands of dollars in gasoline costs over the life of your tires. Did you know that if Americans simply maintained the proper tire pressure in their tires, they would save over 4 billion dollars a year. This is significant not to mention the repairs needed on tires that fail prematurely and require replacement. It is also much safer for the driver and passengers to also have properly inflated tires.

Maintaining your tires is so important and we do not even think about it until it is too late.  Accidents are also caused due to under inflated tires which can cost more money and possibly cause death to your family. You could potentially be avoiding some or all of the following:

  • Uneven wear,
  • Poor performance
  • Lack of control of your car
  • Failure to respond in an emergency situation and
  • Possibly even a blowout.

Traffic Accident Stats

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, tire failures or blowouts are believed to contribute to over 400 deaths and 10,000 injuries in the United States every year.

We can quote all of the statistics we want, but most people feel that it will never happen to them or it is always the other guy. Why take the chance, why not protect your family?

Under-inflation is one of the leading causes of tire failure. This means putting too much air or not enough into the tires and both cases can cause stress and excessive heat to build up, which can lead to overheated tires which  may even result in a blowout or a car crash. Combine high speed with an under inflated tire and if you do not crash from a blown tire you probably will crash due to poor control of your car since the tires just cannot respond well enough.

Temperature Change – Tire Pressure

Changes in outdoor temperature can actually affect a car as well as the pressure in the tires.In cold weather air condenses and your tires lose pressure. In hot temperatures, air expands increasing the inflation of your tires. Both are lethal combinations and should be monitored closely. Snow birds who drive from the cold north during winter are particularly pron to this problem as they hit warmer climates.

The rate at which tires lose air is higher during the warm spring and summer months. A tire will lose approximately one or two pounds of pressure per month on a normal basis. During the warmer months, pressure loss is even greater.

Check your tire’s pressure every time you fill up your car’s fuel tank, especially if you go for several weeks between fill ups and at the least checked once every month as well as prior to leaving for a long road trip.

Gradually apply the break until you have regained control over the vehicle if you have a blow out while driving. Once you have brought the car under control, slowly guide your car to a safe area as far away from the road as possible. Never apply the brakes until you have control of the car.

Perform regular inspection of your tires:

  • Regular inspections of all four tires
  • Uneven tire wear
  • Missing balance weights
  • Checking the air pressure often.

With the proper maintenance, a potential problem can be diagnosed before it occurs and will help to ensure you and your family will arrive at your destination safely.

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Expensive Tire Repairs

Expensive Tire RepairsPurchasing a new set of tires for your car can be expensive. So it pays to take care of your tires and not have them prematurely wear down. Adding the cost of the tire replacement, balancing and even possible alignment of the car is expensive. These can be expensive tire repairs.  It can add anywhere from $500 to several thousand dollars to your car operating cost. Some low profile tires are very expensive. You should look after them as you would any other investment to avoid expensive tire repairs.

The best way to avoid expensive tire repairs is to take preventative steps that will keep your car and tires in the best condition possible.

Expensive Tire Repairs – Follow Regular Maintenance

The first thing to do is to follow the maintenance schedule as outlined in your owner’s manual, which among other things will tell you to make sure your tires are adequately inflated. Always be sure that your tires are properly inflated. This is especially important because tires with too little air, or too much, can result in excessive wear and may cause a blow out.

It is often recommended that tire pressure be checked during every visit to the gas pump. While this may seem like a lot, you won’t be sorry that you have kept your tires in the best shape possible. For reasons of both safety and the expense of new tires, this exercise is well worth it.

It also will recommend that you rotate the tires on a regular basis.  This will even out the wear and tear on your tires and avoid having to replace all four tires prematurely.

Listen to Your Car

If you notice unusual noises on your car, check with your owner’s manual for information. Quite often, noises are perfectly normal and there is no need for concern. Your owner’s manual will let you know whether or not a visit to the car repair shop is necessary. You can also consult with your service counter technician to determine if these noise are anything to worry about. They might even want to do a test drive to listen for themselves.

If you notice that there is a vibration on the steering wheel or to the car in general, your tires could be unbalanced and if left for too long a time may cause uneven wear on the tire. Don’t put this off, have them check the tires immediately. Sometimes a wheel balancing weight will fall off, particularly if you hit a curb or a bump in the road too hard.

When it comes time to have any work competed always get an estimate in writing. This includes rotating and balancing tires. A quality repair shop will be able to provide this information and should also be able to assure you that the repairs will not exceed 10% of a specific dollar amount as outlined in the estimate.

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Your Tires Condition counts

Your Tires Condition countsThe Automobile Club of Southern California has recently stated that as long as your vehicle has tires that are in good working condition, you would be able to have good fuel economy and extend the life of your vehicle as well. This is in accordance and with regards to the National Tire Safety Week which started just last April 23rd and would be continuing to the end of this week. The tire shown in this picture is definitely not in good working condition.  Your Tires Condition counts.

The front end needs to be aligned and maybe some tie rods replaced. This tire has severe wear and tear on the left hand side and the car probably pulls badly to the right as you are driving. Never mind about fuel economy, this driver needs to be concerned about the safety of his vehicle. He should be concerned about being able to stop quickly with out causing an accident.

Tires in Good Working Condition

So exactly what is “good working condition”? We have listed a few items that would be necessary for your tires to be considered in good working condition. They are as follows:

  • Proper tire pressure, not over and not under inflated
  • All four tires balanced properly
  • No cuts, tears or obvious damage to the tire
  • No premature wear and tear on one side of the tire or another
  • At least 1/8 of an inch of tread on the tires and this is considered low
  • Proper tires on the car, fitted for speed rating, size and width
  • Tire age is not more than 6 years

The National Tire Safety Week was launched so as to assist drivers in understanding the basic tire care. Aside from this, the fact remains that there is still that need for proper tire maintenance.

From research completed, the statistics have shown that around 85 percent of drivers do not actually check their vehicle’s tire pressure properly or even at all.

Engineer Steve Mazor who is the Auto Club’s principal automotive engineer states, “Not knowing the condition of your vehicle’s tires is equal to pouring money down the drain. Proper tire inflation is necessary to for safe driving and to reduce gas costs.”

Your Tires Condition counts – Under Inflated Tires

He continue-s, “Under inflated tires can cut fuel economy by up to two percent per pound of pressure below the recommended level. They can cause your tires to run hot and they can prematurely wear out as well.

After every fill up, motorists should walk around their vehicles and check tires for uneven or excessive tread wear and proper inflation. Drivers can refer to their vehicle’s doorjamb or glove box for original specifications or the manufacturer of the replacement tire for tire pressure.”

As per statistics that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has, nearly one out of every three vehicles on the roads and highways has a significant under inflated tire. Aside from this fact is that there are some 600 fatalities and around 33,000 injuries that happen every year. These are results of low tire pressure related crashes.

Make it a Habit

It is an easy habit to get into. Before you start the car every morning, take a quick walk around the car. Check the tire pressure by observation, and if a tire looks low, check it with a tire pressure gauge. Once a week use a gauge to check the actual pressure and top up if needed.

Never over inflate since the tire pressure will increase as you use the car at high speeds. After you have done this a few times, you will quickly be able to assess whether a tire is low or not.

Benefits of Tire Maintenance

Although we have focused on tire condition and checking the inflation of tires, there are two primary reasons to check your tires. One is to gain better gas mileage. Your car will get the best gas mileage if your tires are properly inflated and balanced.  In addition tires that are well maintained have less tendency to have a blow out. If this happens at high speeds, you might lose control of the car causing far more serious consequences.

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Tire Maintenance is Critical

Tire Maintenance is CriticalMaintaining your tires  could potentially help you avoid uneven wear and poor performance. Possibly even a blowout that could cause a serious accident. Your tires will last much longer if properly maintained. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Tire Maintenance is Critical. Tire failures or blowouts are believed to contribute to over 400 deaths and 10,000 injuries in the United States every year. All of these injuries could easily be avoided. Simply maintain your tires.

Tire Maintenance is Critical – Why Check your Tires

Even with those figures being made public, the surprising factor is that statistics have shown some drivers still fail to follow the basic tire maintenance guidelines that could help to prevent such occurrences. These simple maintenance procedures only take a few minutes each week. They could save your life as well as thousands of dollars in damages. One way to determine if your tires need maintenance is to always look at your tires every time you get into the car. A fast glance will tell you if the tire is under inflated and need more attention. Get into the habit of checking your tires each time you drive the car and you will not usually be caught by surprise.

In addition to overloading, under-inflation or over inflation is one of the leading causes of tire failure. Simply put, this means putting too much air or not enough into the tires. Either of these can cause stress and excessive heat to be generated by the tires further weakening the tires, which can lead to tire problems and may even result in a blowout or a car crash.

Change in Temperature can Affect Your Tires

Many do not realize how much the change in outdoor temperature can actually affect a car, but it can. In fact, it can even affect the rate at which tires lose air and this is especially true during the warm spring and summer months. During a normal month, tires will lose approximately one or two pounds of pressure. In the warmer months, that number is even greater.

During the winter time, air contracts and tires can also lose air. When there is a cold snap I have noticed my cars tires losing more than 5 pounds pressure in a week.

The best way to avoid any tire-related mishap is to check your tire’s pressure every time you fill up your car’s fuel tank. At the very least, tire pressure should be checked once every month and prior to leaving for a long road trip. If you can check your tires every week even better. You will quickly get to know just how good your tires are at retaining their air pressure.

Get the Professionals to Check Your Tires

If you are uncomfortable checking the tires yourself, simply stop by the local auto repair shop and ask for assistance.

If you do have a blowout while driving, it is critical that you not panic and slam on the brakes. This may be the first instinct, but it is a very bad move and can cause you to lose control. In doing so, you may end up causing your car to swerve into the ditch or worse into oncoming traffic and potentially put you at risk for a much more serious accident. Instead, take your foot off the gas immediately. The car will begin to slow down and then you can  gradually apply the break until you have regained control over the vehicle. At that time, slowly guide your car to a safe area as far away from the road as possible.

Tire Maintenance checks

The best way to avoid any type of tire failure is to take the appropriate steps to ensure they are in the best working condition possible. This would include

  • Regular inspections and
  • checking the air pressure often
  • Change your tires if the tread is low
  • Check the tread on your tires
  • Check for any bulges, nails etc
  • If your tire loses air regularly, have it inspected by a professional
  • Have the correct tires installed on your car
  • Always check your tires before a trip
  • Always do a walk around your vehicle before driving, checking the tires and any obstacles that may be around your vehicle

With the proper maintenance, a potential problem can be diagnosed before it occurs and will help to ensure you and your family will arrive at your destination safely. It only takes a minute or two to perform the tire check and it could save your life and that of your family.

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Check Your Tires regularly

Everyone usually takes their tires  for granted. Usually, your car’s tires are ignored as long as they are working fine and do not appear to need additional air in them. Check Your Tires regularly. In fact, many people do not even check their tires on a regular basis. Even though everyone knows that a properly inflated tire will deliver maximum gas mileage as well as being safer to drive .

Most people would not even know what their condition is until they experience a flat tire or a tire blow up. Some will not even notice the lack of control Check Your Tires regularlythat you have when a tire is slightly below normal tire pressure. Many newer high end cars now have tire pressure monitoring systems as standard equipment. These are excellent warning systems when tires are low on air pressure, yet not obvious to the naked eye.

Your car’s tires are one of the most and often times ignored parts of your vehicle. They are also  one of the most vital parts of your vehicle, even compared to your car’s other vital parts such as brakes and the engine. Tires provide stability at high speed. They provide traction in snow, ice and even water covered roads. They are designed for your car’s size and weight. Your tires are designed to deal with the majority of road conditions most drivers encounter. They do all of this as long as they are properly inflated.

Check Your Tires regularly – Tire Safety

With good tires and properly inflated tires, you can control your car better. But with tires that are already worn down, you might find driving to be more dangerous. This could lead you to accidents or collisions. For example bald tires in wet conditions will tend to hydroplane. Which means they will float on the water and lose all traction and control. You can skid off the road very quickly in these conditions. Bald tires on ice or snow are even worse! They will slip and slide on even the slightest amount of snow or ice.

Tires may seem to be insignificant to many drivers. But the designers and engineers of tires work to the best of their capacities and capabilities to create tires that help car drivers and owners be safe on the roads. In fact, did you know that there are tires that can be actually created as per your preferences as the driver. Some factors that you can have customized are tread design, the inner cord structure, the tire profile, rubber compounds to be used, load rating, and even the tread life. With these in mind, you now know why your car’s tires are very essential.

Check your tires regularly – Tires in Good condition

Keeping your tires in good condition would help to ensure that your car wheels are delivering optimum performance. And if you need to replace your car’s tires, automobile experts have suggestions. You should try, as much as possible, to replace these tires with the same kind of tires that were originally fitted to your vehicle. You can find the tire specifications in your car owner’s manual as well as on the side wall of the tire. The dealer or tire shop such as Canadian Tire in Canada or America’s tire in the US can also help. They will provide the correct tire size for your car.

Most people will use all season tires which are fine unless you get into heavy snow conditions. In which case proper snow tires are really required. Consumers will even purchase additional steel rims for their snow tires. They are easy to change in the fall and spring. Regardless of what kind of tire you have on your car, it is a good idea to get into the habit of checking the tire pressure. Check the pressure on a regular basis to ensure a safe smooth ride as well as optimum fuel economy.

Feel free to leave comments about check your  tires Regularly or any other subject related to tires.


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