Increasing the life of your tires is not only a matter of maintenance. Even though your tires will eventually wear out and require replacement no matter how you drive, there are some driving habits you should avoid that accelerate tire wear. Not only will these improve your driving skills and road safety, but they will also expand the lifespan of your tires.
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Ignoring the Signs: We’ve all seen that pesky light on the dash, telling you your tires are low, but it shows up at all of the worst times. So, instead of showing up late for work, many motorists choose to ignore the light. However, properly inflating your tires is vital if you want to prolong their life.
Tires that are overinflated or underinflated cause additional damage to your tires through improper contact with the road. For example, if you have an underinflated tire, then more of your tire will come into contact with the road, possibly even the tire walls. The friction between the tire and road increases exponentially, which makes the tires wear out and overheat faster than usual.
In order to avoid this problem, make sure to check your tire pressure at regular intervals. You can check every time you refuel or at least twice a month. It can be easy to forget to check your tire pressure until it becomes a problem, but it is a quick check that can certainly help in the long run. Additionally, make sure to follow the recommended tire pressure for your tires. If you are uncertain what your tire’s appropriate pressure should be, then you can contact your Bountiful auto repair to assist you.
Reckless Driving: While driving can be fun, some practices will wear out your tires if you are not too careful. Some of these practices include harsh braking or hard cornering. Driving around corners too fast will lead to wearing out the edges of your front tires. And except in emergencies, you should take corners and brake smoothly to increase your tires’ lifespan. The more rubber you leave on the road, the less tread you have left.
Driving at High Speeds: Driving at high speeds or above your tire’s maximum speed will make your tires heat up, which results in increased wear and tear on your tires. In addition, it will cause increased harm to your vehicle’s transmission, suspension, engine, and brakes. If you have a need for speed, keep in mind that it will also speed up the wear on your tires.
Driving on Rough Surfaces: If you enjoy off-road driving, then you should be aware that driving at high speeds over unpaved, muddy, and rocky roads will negatively affect your tires and cause increased wear. Depending on where you live, these types of roads may be unavoidable, and as such, you can lessen these issues by driving slowly and carefully over these surfaces, avoiding road debris and obstacles as best as possible.
Transporting Heavy Loads: All tires carry a maximum weight rating. When you exceed the maximum weight, you weaken your tires by increasing the strain both inside and outside your tires. If you frequently find yourself carrying heavier loads than your tires are qualified for, then you may want to consider upgrading your tires appropriately so that your vehicle can tackle the weight safely.
Dry Steering: Dry steering means turning the wheel while your vehicle is stopped. While it may seem like a harmless practice, it puts serious pressure on the tires and grinds them against the pavement, causing more wear than usual. Dry steering is an easy mistake to make, but if you are more mindful while driving, you can remind yourself that whether you’re pulling out of a tight parking space or stuck in traffic, that you should avoid turning the steering wheel if your vehicle is not in motion.
Procrastinating Maintenance: Tires in different positions on the car wear at different rates. Getting your wheels rotated regularly changes their location, allowing them to wear out more evenly. For instance, the front tires support direction control and steering, and they take on more wear and tear than the back tires. Tire rotations make it so that each tire gets to take on a similar amount of stress, therefore wearing out more evenly and lasting a longer time.
When you get your tires rotated, you should have the wheel alignment check out as well. Not only do aligned wheels help improve steering, drivability, and fuel efficiency, but misaligned wheels may promote premature wear. Getting your tires aligned will assist your tires in lasting longer. Have more questions? Get your tires running optimally at any of our shops.
In general, taking care of your vehicle will go a long way towards reducing wear and stress on your tires. If you take care of all your car’s components, then they will perform correctly and minimize stress on your tires. While tire wear is perfectly normal, adopting a regular maintenance schedule and good driving habits will ensure that your tires run optimally and safely. For help establishing these good habits, visit any of our tire shops in Sandy, Riverton, and other locations along the Wasatch Front.
We often do maintenance in hopes of increasing the lifespan of your tires. But that alone is not enough. You need to improve your driving since some habits might accelerate tire wear more than you think. Knowing which ones and avoiding them as much as you can do wonders in extending your tire’s lifespan. Read about that in this infographic.
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