- April 25, 2015
- By Kevin Smith
- In Engine, Transmission
- 5
- 2 325
When you think of car maintenance you probably think about the engine, transmission, and interior. But you can’t forget about the Tires! How much attention have you paid to your Tires lately? Tires require regular inspection and maintenance in order to ensure a long lifespan. That makes sense because your Tires have a direct influence on the smoothness of the ride, gas mileage and the overall durability of your car. If you’re new to Tire upkeep, don’t worry! We’ve put together a list of Tire maintenance tips that’ll ensure your Tires keep spinning the way they were intended to.
1. Rotate Your Tires
In front-wheel drive vehicles, there is more power and pressure applied to the front two Tires. This increased amount of pressure will weigh down on these Tires and cause the tread to wear quicker than the back Tires.
If you get your Tires rotated, this lightens up the amount of power and pressure applied to only two Tires. In simple terms, rotating your Tires keeps tread levels about the same on each Tire. This prevents frequent replacement of the two front Tires.
2. Prioritize the Pressure
Your Tires require a certain amount of pressure in them to keep up with the movement of the car.
If your Tires are under-pressurized then your car will have to work harder to make the Tire rotate. This is why Tire pressure should be regularly monitored to get the maximum amount of gas mileage.
It would be a shame to put gas in your car only for it to last half as long as it usually does. To avoid this, give your Tires a quick check before you drive.
From time to time, push on the Tire to see if it gives and is deflating. It’s also handy to keep a Tire gauge in your glove compartment to check the pressure.
You can check the pressure by unscrewing the Tire cap and placing the gauge over the Tire valve. Depending on your make and model, your Tires should have a certain amount of pressure.
This amount of pressure (PSI) can be found in your car manual or on the inside of your driver door.
3. Talk About the Tread
The tread of your Tires are the grooves in the Tire. These help your Tire grab onto the road with control.
If Tires have low tread, they become a safety hazard to you and the drivers around you. Tires with low tread won’t be able to grip the road in the way they were designed to, giving you less control over your vehicle. Tires without optimal tread will need to be replaced as soon as possible.
4. The Axel Advantage
All cars, no matter front-wheeled or all wheeled, has an axel.
This axel is connected to the brakes, steering and Tire rotation. In a nutshell, if altered or askew, your car won’t perform in its proper ways. The axel keeps all of your car balanced and proportioned so that it can drive.
If you find yourself in a position where you only need two new Tires, always put them on the rear Tires.
In the event that you lose traction in the rear, your car will spin. To avoid this make sure that your nicest Tires are in the back to prevent the danger of spinning.
5. The Annual Appointment
When you get your Tires rotated, the mechanic should offer to also align your Tires.
But how do you know if you need an alignment?
When you drive your car, do you notice the wheel drifting to one side or the other? This could be a tell-tale sign of unalignment along your Tires. Unalignment often leads to unnecessary wear-and-tear on one side of the car’s Tires.
This could cause you to have to buy Tires earlier than you anticipated. But before you jump to conclusions, check if your Tires are underinflated. This could also cause the car to drift to one side or the other.
If your Tires are properly inflated, it might be time to get your Tires aligned. When you get your next Tire rotation, make sure your Tires will be aligned as well.
6. Mix & Match
If one of your Tires has blown and you need a quick fix, you might be tempted to put the first Tire on your car that rolls your way.
Don’t!
Putting a Tire on your car that is uneven in tread and wear can put extra stress and strain on your other three Tires.
So when changing a Tire, looking for a new Tire replacement or putting a spare in your car, make sure that is the same type of Tire with similar tread and wear.
7. Follow These Tire Maintenance Tips
If you follow these tips, your Tire’s lives will be long and sustainable. Keep a close on your Tires and they’ll keep on rolling.
The car, truck or SUV you drive on a daily basis is comprised of multiple mechanical systems that must all work together seamlessly to function correctly.
Arguably one of the most important systems is the suspension, which assists in the safe, efficient, and good handling of your vehicle. Depending on the type of vehicle you own, the mechanical suspension can be assisted with advanced computer systems that tune the suspension for optimal performance.
Nevertheless, while many automotive enthusiasts place an emphasis on installing power adders to increase their engine’s output, without improvements to the suspension system those performance enhancements will be money wasted. Beyond this fact, there are 5 reasons why a car’s handling is important.
Let’s take a look at why you should pay close attention to your suspension system and replace suspension and steering components as recommended by your vehicle’s manufacturer.
1. Sturdy Suspension Makes Driving Fun
Driving down the road in a stable and easy to handle vehicle is simply fun. Whether you own a performance sports car or an SUV, when the suspension on the vehicle is correctly adjusted, and parts are in good working order, your car will turn on a dime.
However, over time and often due to hitting curbs or potholes, the vehicle suspension can fall out of alignment and decrease ride comfort.
When this occurs, it can cause premature tire wear, cause the vehicle to pull to one side or the other, and might indicate a suspension component failure.
2. Improves Vehicle Safety
While a strong and sturdy suspension is great for driving excitement, it’s just as critical for vehicle safety. As we indicated above, your vehicle is made up of multiple independent systems including the powertrain (engine and transmission) and suspension systems (which includes the steering wheel and system).
When the vehicle handling is strong and sturdy, the car is easy to navigate — especially during emergency driving situations.
Having all components that impact the vehicle handling replaced before they wear out is critical for ride quality and vehicle safety.
3. Your Car will Drive Faster
Unless you drive every day on a drag strip, eventually you’ll need to turn.
The vehicle’s suspension and handling characteristics are responsible for this action. When your suspension is adjusted correctly, and all moving parts are in good condition, the vehicle will steer easier, negotiate cornering speed easier, and simply drive faster down the road — but we don’t recommend driving faster than the posted speed limit.
4.Tires Last Longer
While excessive speed and aggressive driving can also lead to premature tire wear, in most cases, worn out suspension components are the leading source of excessive wear on tires.
There are multiple suspension settings that impact tire wear including the camber, caster, and toe in and toe out. When the suspension is not adjusted correctly, tires will not sit flat on the ground. When this happens, excessive heat is built-up on areas that contact the ground more than others.
To avoid this problem, make sure to have the vehicle suspension alignment checked at least once per year — or anytime you strike potholes or curbs.
5. It Saves you Money
While most of us assume replacing parts as recommended by the manufacturer leads to more money spent, in truth, it can save you a tremendous amount of money. Let’s say you’re driving down the street when a front strut breaks and causes the front hub and wheel to fall off the vehicle.
This happens more often than you’d think.
In most cases, when vehicle suspension components break, it will cause other suspension parts to break at the same time. This can lead to an accident if the vehicle is in motion.
Automobile handling is accomplished through the efficient operation of your vehicle’s suspension, tires, and steering components. If these parts are not replaced before they break, accidents can and often will occur.
Regardless of what type of car, truck, or SUV you own, make sure to be proactive about replacing parts that assist in the safe operation of your handling system..
The exhaust system on your vehicle is probably more significant than you would think.
Besides reducing the noise created by your engine, the exhaust system directs harmful gases away from the cabin, helps cool down the engine, and most importantly, cleans the air before exiting the tailpipe.
Identifying exhaust issues early on will keep you safe and keep your wallet full.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that is present in exhaust fumes. Inhaling carbon monoxide, even in small doses, can be very harmful to your health. It can cause headaches and dizziness, and in extreme cases can lead to unconsciousness.
Obviously, if this is the case, then you should take the car in to get inspected and repaired as soon as possible.
Step 1: Listen for odd sounds.
The muffler is full of baffles and if these break or fail, the sound of the engine won’t be dampened quite as much.
Any rattling or thumping is not normal either. Some vehicles have baffles that can open and close to make the car louder or quieter. Over time the linkages that hold the door can break or become loose causing a rattling noise.
Rattling sounds can come from a few places. As catalytic converters start to age, the interior will begin to degrade and all the small pieces will rattle around as you drive. This same thing can happen with the baffles inside the muffler.
A heavier thump typically indicates the mounting may be loose or damaged. The exhaust system is held up with metal and rubber brackets. Over time the rubber gets brittle and falls apart.
Identifying this early is very important because it can mean the difference between replacing a small piece of rubber or a whole piece of exhaust. If the mount fails, the exhaust pipes can fall or rattle around and dent while you are driving.
Step 2: Use your nose.
While carbon monoxide is odourless, the other gases coming out of the tailpipe aren’t.
If you notice any exhaust smell in the cabin, there is probably a leak somewhere. As mentioned, the carbon monoxide in the exhaust fumes can be very harmful.
Step 3: Look for signs while driving the car. There are a few things you can look for while driving the vehicle.
Loss of performance and reduced gas mileage are common with blocked off exhausts. If the engine has to work harder pushing the exhaust out of the cylinder, it has less power to give to the wheels.
A blocked off exhaust can also cause the car to run hotter than normal. Exhaust gas is very hot as it leaves the cylinder and any blockage will restrict the airflow, keeping the heat closer to the engine.