Looking after your car’s tires is vital, but do you know how to do it properly? If you don’t, make use of the tips below.
Check for External Damage
The simplest thing you can do to look after your tires is to give them a visual check about once a week. This will help you pick up on cuts, bulges and cracks that might appear in the tire’s tread or sidewall. All these problems can lead to other issues that could cause serious damage to your tires. Doing these checks could prevent you from having to change the tire at the side of the road when something goes wrong with your tires. It’s still a good idea to keep a spare tire in the car though.
Check the Tire Pressure
To find the recommended tire pressure for your car, you’ll need to check the handbook. The recommended pressure varies depending on the car, so dig out that handbook and check it. Once you know how high the pressure needs to be, you should top up your tires. Having tires that are below the correct level will make it more likely that the car will crash or swerve. It can be incredibly dangerous, so make sure you buy an air pump and top up the tires regularly. Alternatively, you could use the air pressure pump at your local garage forecourt.
Measure the Tread Depth
Most tires start with about 8mm of tread. This is a good amount of tread, but once you start driving the car, that tread will be worn down over time. This is fine, but once it gets worn down to a certain level, you’ll need to think about getting the tires replaced. You can buy a gauge that will measure the tread depth of the tires. And when it reaches 3mm or less, it’s probably time to take the tires off and replace them with new ones. If you don’t replace them, the tires will skid more, and their performance will drop.
Wheel Alignment is Vital
When you’re driving on the road, it can be pretty difficult to tell whether your wheels and axles are aligned correctly. But it is important to make sure that the wheel alignment is correct. When the alignment is incorrect, it can alter the handling of the car, making it more difficult to drive. This can then make crashes more likely, so it’s important to make sure that the wheels are aligned correctly. If you notice that the handling has changed, or you keep hitting the curb, take it to a garage. Visit www.milestoneliberty.com/ to find out about wheel alignment services.
Remember the Dust Caps
The caps on top of the tire’s valves are called the dust caps. It’s best to use metal dust caps because they’re the most sturdy, and they’re good at keeping things out. This is the main function of the dust caps. The reason they’re there is to keep dust and debris out of the valves of the tires. The metal ones will act as a secondary seal, and they prevent air from escaping as well. If yours get damaged, or you haven’t changed them for years, it might be a good idea to put new ones on.
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