Car Maintenance 101: 7 Factors Affecting Your Tyre Life

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Excessive treadwear is a problem that can plague us all, especially if you don’t know which factors increase it. Sometimes, doing one thing differently can fix the problem, and other times, it may be a combination of many things with lead to excessive wear. Ignoring these symptoms can cause you to waste more money on gas, maintenance, and in extreme cases, cause accidents. When looking for a reliable car products review resource then Grand Prix Times website is the perfect place for you. It features everything that you need to know when it comes to choosing the right car parts, accessories and car maintenance tools.

Here are seven factors that increase tread wear and how to fix them. 

Bad Driving Habits

Your driving habits should be the first place for evaluation, mainly because it doesn’t cost you anything to change. Making sharp turns at high speeds, flooring the gas pedal on every green light, and hard stops all drastically increase wear. Avoid performing burnouts as they will quickly eat away at your tyres. If you do any of these things, stop it immediately and drive more smoothly. Proper car care begins with the way you drive it, so be a smart, responsible driver if you want to reduce treadwear.

Driving Too Fast

This doesn’t solely pertain to jackrabbit starts or speeding. However, if you’re the type of driver who constantly drives well above the speed limit for long stretches of highway, you’ll want to read this. More importantly, do not drive faster than your rating suggests. 

If you’re in that much of a hurry, then do yourself a favour and leave home slightly earlier. You don’t have to drive very slow, but speeding is not only dangerous and illegal, and it can have you in need of a new set well before you should. 

Driving With Excessive Loads of Weight

It’s one thing to have a little bit of extra weight in your trunk even now and then. But if you always haul around so much weight that your bumper is near the ground, you’re grinding away your tread with each mile of driving. 

Your driving manual should inform you of what if the maximum limit for your vehicle, so it would be wise to say under that threshold. This will help the lengthen their life as well as the rest of your vehicle. The extra weight will degrade the life of the engine, suspension, and various other components, so do what you must to stay with the weight limits. 

Improper Pressure

A major factor which goes often gets overlooked by many drivers is air pressure. Not only will improper inflation increase tread wear, but it also hurts fuel economy. In other words, you’ll quickly wear them down while wasting gas. You can easily check online what the recommended pressure for your vehicle and it should also be listed in your owner’s manual. However, it’s not as simple as just putting the proper amount of air in them and leaving them alone. 

Air pressure naturally drops over time, and just a small decrease is enough to reduce tread life. Underinflation can also lead to a blowout due to the vehicle overheating the tire. The solution is to check your pressure at least once per week and be sure to check your spare tire as well. 

Failure to Inspect Them

Even if you’re on top of checking the pressure, it’s easy to overlook how vital it is to examine the appearance and feel of them. You should properly inspect them every month. Check for bulges, scrapes, cracks, punctures, cuts, irregular wear patterns, and overall damage. Identifying the problem quickly can be the difference in getting it repaired or need a replacement.

Improper Wheel Alignment

If your vehicle is out of alignment, excessive or irregular wear is inevitable. This can occur due to wore components elsewhere in your car. The way you drive can harm your alignment, and even the road itself can lead to misalignment. Driving over deep potholes, curbs, or speed bumps too quickly can cause your wheels to be out of alignment. You can visit a company that has a wheel balancer.

If any of the above has happened to you, have a trained technician examine your vehicle. Another common cause is improper inflation, all the more reason to regularly check your pressure. If you’re not sure about your alignment, ask yourself the following questions. 

Do you have an uneven tread wear pattern? While driving over smooth surfaces, do you experience a bumpy ride? Does the vehicle veer to one side or the other while driving straight? Do you struggle to keep the steering wheel straight, or does it shake? If you experience any of those symptoms, get a proper alignment immediately. Lastly, be sure to get an alignment after any maintenance is performed to your suspension or chassis. 

Lacking General Car Maintenance

As mentioned above, how well you take care of your entire vehicle has a huge impact on everything in it. Rotating them once every 10,000 miles is a good ballpark estimate for most vehicles, but check your owner’s manual to learn how often and which direction to rotate them. Your suspension components should be examined for signs of wear whenever you get an alignment. 15,000 miles is the recommended interval for checking your suspension and may be the proper time for you to get a new set.

Otherwise, they usually last 30,000 miles under usual driving conditions. Be sure to check how much tread you have left periodically. It’s much better to be visually aware of how much tread depth, rather than to wait until you think it’s time to change them.  Don’t forget to also have good auto insurance.

Conclusion

In closing, driving responsibly at the proper speed, with the optimal amount of weight will have a positive impact on tread wear. Regular inspections and preventative maintenance will not only save money but are easy ways to ensure you have a safe and efficient vehicle.

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