All About Oil

How To Practice Good Tyre Care

What are 4 things you count on to keep your whole family safe every single day? For those of you that guessed tires, bravo! With all the time your loved ones spend in a car, you need those tyres to be in tip-top shape. And proper tyre care is your ticket to ride - safely. In these 3 easy steps, The Expert tells you how to keep your tire care simple and effective.

Step 1 - Keep Your Tyres Balanced

Balancing your tyres is crucial to making sure they spin correctly. (We all know that it's no fun to ride around on shaky wheels!) Have your mechanic balance the tyres by attaching small weights to the wheel rim. These weights will equalize any distortion in the construction of your tyres or their rims. If you notice a vibration in your tyres, you may want to rebalance your wheels. At the very least, bring your car to your favorite mechanic to see if that's the way to go.

Step 2 - Make Sure Your Wheels Are Properly Aligned

Alignment is the key word in making sure everything in you car is in check and running smoothly. It keeps your tyres running together and in sync with your vehicle. There are 2 kinds of alignment: regular and 4-wheel. If your vehicle has independent suspension, you need to have all 4 wheels aligned. It is usually a good idea to do this with front-wheel drive vehicles. Alignment is crucial to your car's tyre life and relatively painless to keep working correctly. Unless you're driving your car through the Appalachian Mountains (or seriously bumpy back roads), you should only need to have your tyres aligned twice a year. Whenever the tread is wearing unevenly or you're driving unevenly - no matter how straight you are going - it may be a sign to have the alignment checked out.

Step 3 - Take the Time to Rotate Those Tyres

This step needs to be done a little more frequently than the other 2 to keep your tyres in their best shape for as long as possible. The good news is that it is as simple as having your mechanic switch your tyres' positions. Most tyre companies will tell you to rotate all 4 tyres approximately every 6000 miles. For the less fastidious tire owner, the Expert recommends that you do so at least every 10,000 miles, especially for front-wheel drive vehicles. Also, keep in mind that there are different types of tyre rotation possible. Your owner's manual should recommend the preferred method for your vehicle, which you can then share with your mechanic.