What to Look for in Tire Safety This Fall

One of the best things you can do for your safety as the roads start to get slick this fall and winter is to make sure your tires are up to the task of driving in the weather that’s coming your way. Proper tire maintenance will not only keep you safer when you’re out on the road, but it will also improve the quality of your ride and your fuel efficiency.

Here are just a few steps you should take with the assistance of a tire shop in Lubbock, TX to keep your tires safe in all road conditions this fall:

• Check your tire pressure regularly: One of the simplest steps you can take to maintain your tires is make sure you keep them at the proper pressure. Many crashes on the road caused by tire issues are a result of underinflation. Just because you have underinflated tires doesn’t mean you have a leak, either—pressure loss naturally occurs with the changing of the temperature. You can assume 1 or 2 psi of pressure loss for every 10-degree drop in temperature. Check your tire pressure at least once a month, especially if your vehicle doesn’t have a feature that tells you when you have low tire pressure. Keep your tire pressure as close as possible to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
• Check for signs of wear: All tires will wear down over time with regular use, meaning they’ll lose their tread. However, you should look for unusual wear as well, including damage to the sidewall or unusual wear patterns. These issues could be indicative of underlying problems, such as alignment or suspension issues, or at least a sign of underinflation.
• Rotate your tires: Tires should be rotated every 6,000 miles or so. This helps them keep an even tread, and will allow them to stay in service for longer. This is especially true if you have a front-wheel drive vehicle rather than a four-wheel drive vehicle, as the front tires will wear down faster because they’re doing more of the work when it comes to steering and braking. By rotating your tires, you can make sure they’re all getting the same workout.
• Prevent overheating: Overheating in tires can occur for a variety of reasons. The more aggressive your driving practices, the more likely your tires are to overheat. Driving on coarse surfaces or at high speeds also increases temperatures, as does driving on particularly hot days. Try to keep your speeds lower and avoid driving aggressively. Give yourself plenty of distance to bring your vehicle to a stop. These steps will help you to avoid overheating.
• Avoid overloading: Never overload your tires—check the maximum load range on the sidewall of the tire and never exceed that number. Otherwise, you risk doing some significant damage to your tires.

For more information about the various steps you can take this fall to make sure your tires are ready to go for the changing seasons, contact M & M Tire & Service Center or visit our tire shop in Lubbock, TX today.

Categorised in: Tire Shop

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