All You Need to Know About Wheel and Tire Safety |
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Dan Hinchee
22 September 2015
Your entire car performance depends on how well the four wheels handle the road. Many people often focus on engine maintenance and forget all about the wheels that the car rides on.
Wheel and tire performance is very important for your safety when driving. The following are some important factors to keep in mind:
Check your tire pressure
Depending on how often you drive your car, you may need to check your tire pressure at least once a week. Getting the right tire pressure prolongs the lifespan of the tires, enhances safety and makes your vehicle more economical in fuel usage. Your tire lifespan may reduce by up to 75% even when you are operating at 80% tire pressure.
You can tell there is a pressure problem when the tires start wearing out faster on the outer edges. Tire blowouts often occur when the tire is under inflated since there is not enough air to hold up the weight of the vehicle. The sidewalls of the tires end up getting flexing beyond their limit and blow out. If you are driving at a high speed, you could easily cause a bad accident. Make sure you inflate the tires according to the tire rating.
Replace your tires
Replacing all four tires may be costly but it is not expensive as what you may lose in case of an accident. Bald tires should be used on racetracks only. When your tire treads are worn out and you cannot retread them, you need to replace them. The treads enable the tires to grip on to the road surface, which is necessary for breaking and making turns. Worn out tires are also illegal and you can get a fine for riding on tires with a low tread depth. You can buy a tread wear indicator and check the tread depth yourself. Make sure to check all the tires in every main grove and at least two different points along the grove.
Use the right tire for the right weather
You cannot use the same tires for summer during winter. Tires come with a variety of ratings. There are some which are all weather and there are specially designed winter rated tires. If you experience heavy winters in your areas with a lot of snow, you should get rated tires for your own safety.
Clean your wheels
You need to clean the wheels when you are washing the car. Avoid washing car wheels when they are still hot as this could cause rapid contraction and weaken the wheel. A lot of mud, grime and dirt often end up covering the wheel and this could affect the way the breaks work. Get some mild soap and water to loosen the grime and dirt and wash off the wheel when it is cool. You can wax or polish the wheel after washing for the finishing. Make sure you get the right rims for your tire so you do not damage the edges of the tire.