Your car tires are the part of your vehicle that receives the most wear and tear since they are in constant contact with the road. This means that tires will wear down over time, which can significantly affect the operation of your vehicle.
Understanding the warning signs associated with tires that are near the end of their life span can help you change them when necessary. This will help you avoid suddenly suffering from a flat tire and being stranded on the side of the road.
1. Extreme Wear
Tires that have been on your vehicle for a prolonged period will experience excessive wear, which makes them much more fragile. You can tell how worn your tires are by inspecting the tread on the tire.
There are two main methods for determining the wear of your tires. Newer tires will have wear bars installed in the tread, which are little risers of rubber that run perpendicular to the tread of your tire: once the tread becomes level with this bar, your tires should be replaced.
Alternatively, you can use a depth gauge (available at most automotive parts stores) to measure the depth of your tread, or you can simply insert a penny into your tire's treads. If Lincoln's head is visible while sitting in the read, your tires are extremely worn and need to be replaced.
2. Vibrations
If you notice that your vehicle is shaking or vibrating while driving, regardless of the speed that you are traveling at, your tires may be to blame. This can be caused by inadequate or excessive air pressure levels in your tires, or an issue with alignment.
These are minor mechanical issues that can be rectified easily, but they can also cause undue wear by focusing the stress on a specific section of your tires, wearing them out much quicker. If your vehicle is shaking while you drive, have a mechanic look at your suspension and tires to determine the damage and the right fix.
3. Air Pressure Leaks
If you find yourself filling your tires up with air relatively often - which can be as little as once or twice a month - your tires need replacement. Leaking air is caused by damage to the tire itself, usually in the sidewall if they are not particularly worn down.
This damage might be a pinhole leak that is extremely slow and impossible to spot with the naked eye, but you should be able to determine if there is a leak by either visually inspecting the shape of your tire or measuring the air pressure using a gauge.
Further, you'll want to make sure that your tires are inflated to the proper PSI rating that is written on their sidewall: under or overinflating your tires can significantly reduce their life span by increasing the amount of stress that they experience.
4. Physical Cracking and Bulging
In addition to these points, damage to the sidewall of your tire is another early warning sign that it is time to replace your tires. Physical damage to your tires can take a variety of forms: the most common are small cracks which can develop over time.
Though these cracks may initially be superficial, they can quickly result in a burst or deflated tire if allowed to progress. More serious than cracks are bulges, which represent a weak spot on the sidewall of your tire. Bulges are much more likely to blow out and can be caused either by wear or over inflation of your tires.
For any questions about your car's tires, or any other automotive need that you may have, feel free to contact us at Dualtone Muffler Brake & Alignment. Our team of experienced auto mechanics will be more than happy to work with you to get you back on the road again.
