There is no hard and fast rule for determining when your tires will wear out. Tires wear at different rates depending on the tire, the vehicle, and, yes, your driving style. The high-performance tires on your sports car may wear out faster than the tires on the family van. And even though there’s not much a driver can do to avoid obvious damages such as nails or shards of glass, there are other factors to take into consideration that can protect your tires against the most common types of tire damage and extend the overall life of your wheels and tires. Here are seven typical ways that your tires may become damaged and how you can avoid them.
1. Overinflating Your Tires: If your tires are filled up with too much air, then the tires’ center might bulge out to a larger extent, which will cause the center of the tread to come into higher contact with the road. Therefore, the center will take on more wear and tear from the road, increasing your tire damage and possibly risking the safety of you and your passengers.
2. Underinflating Your Tires: On the flip side, if your tires are underinflated, then the tread will bear down irregularly, and the tires will experience shoulder wear. As the middle of the tire sags towards the inside, its sidewalls might suffer increased damage as the sidewalls come into contact with the road. Increased shoulder wear on your tires may also occur if there is an improper set up in the vehicle’s steering, alignment, or suspension, or if there is a small accident or run-in with a pothole.
Remember that your tires become underinflated over time, even if there is no other damage. Most modern vehicles will let you know if you need to add air to your tires through the tire pressure monitoring system, but if not, be sure to fill your tires as needed before they become so underinflated that it becomes a problem.
If you keep the tire pressure suitably adjusted, the contact with the road should be spread over the tread of the tire evenly, and your tires will be more resilient and last longer. If your tires experience uneven wear and tear for an extended period of time, they will need to be replaced.
3. Sidewall Damage: Your tires’ sidewalls are thin and are more vulnerable than the tread. It is the air inside the tire, not the sidewalls, that offer the strength to bear the weight of the vehicle. This means that a gash or cut in the sidewall is more likely to lead to a flat tire. But if you maintain the appropriate amount of tire pressure, then it will optimize the resilience of your tire sidewalls.
4. Damage From Road Debris: The most typical source of surprise tire damage is road debris including, screws, nails, pieces of glass, and other types of random trash. It is not always possible to completely avoid these objects, as they are often too small to be noticeable while driving. Your best option is to make your tires as resilient as possible is to make sure that your tires are inflated correctly.
5. Curb Damage: Wheels are often damaged through reckless parking. For instance, if you get too close to the curb when parallel parking, you may find gashes to the wheel itself as well as scuffs and cuts to the sidewall. In some cases, getting too close to the curb can cause a blowout. The best way to avoid this type of wheel damage is to be particularly careful when you park and utilize your camera and park assist if your vehicle has them.
6. Irregular Tire Rotations: Getting regular tire rotations is a good way to help your tires avoid damage. Usually, the distribution of weight in your car isn’t balanced, to the point that each tire will be under different amounts of pressure. When you get them rotated, you can ensure that your tires can share the weight more evenly, which will lengthen the lifespan of your tires and keep them from experiencing premature issues.
7. Improper Wheel Alignment: Not only do misaligned wheels affect vehicle stability and control, but they also cause premature tire damage by wearing them down unevenly. If you’re having trouble steering or if your vehicle is pulling to one side, then be sure to take your vehicle to have your vehicle’s alignment checked and fixed.
You need your tires to have the requisite tread to be able to ride through whatever precipitation and debris come their way while maintaining contact with the road surface as is possible. Regularly check the wear condition and tread depth on your tires to find out if they need maintenance or replacement.
When your tires reach 2/32” tread depth, make sure to get them replaced. Although tire wear is unavoidable, if you drive carefully and make sure that your tires are regularly pressure-tested and rotated, then you will get the most value and longevity out of your tires. Get regular inspections, rotations, and replacements from a trusted technician. Looking for additional information on your tires in Sugar House? Visit your Utah tire shop today.
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