Tire Safety and Maintenance

Tire Safety and Maintenance at Stanley Ford Gilmer

When you’re putting thousands of miles on your vehicle, it can be easy to forget to check the tread of your tires. This isn’t something you’ll want to neglect though, as if you find that you’ve whittled your tires down too far, you may even be subject to blowouts. When you want to make sure you’re driving safely around Gilmer, Tyler, or Longview, you’re going to want to visit Stanley Ford Gilmer, where our mechanics will make sure your tires can handle the road ahead.

Identifying the Issue

You won’t always be able to see exactly what’s wrong with your tires, however, there are some signs that things might not be quite right. For example, if you notice heavy wear on some of your tires but not the others, it might be time for a rotation. Not every tire is going to experience the same amount of friction when you’re on the road, which is why it’s important to stay up-to-date on your maintenance so that you can get the most mileage possible. You might also feel a pull to one side when you’re driving, or vibrations. When you feel like your tires may be in trouble, it’s best not to wait and schedule an immediate service, as a blowout can be incredibly dangerous on the road and may even cause you to crash your vehicle.

Addressing the Problem

While tire rotations are incredibly important to the lifespan of your wheels, you’re also going to want to pay attention to both your balancing and alignment. As you drive, bumps and rough terrain will eventually start to skew your alignment, which is why you’ll begin to feel that distinct pull. This can put a lot of stress on one or more of your tires, causing them to quickly deteriorate. Balancing is a similar issue, as without it, you’ll begin to hear those incredibly loud vibrations. By staying on top of these three services, you’re making sure that you can get the most out of your current set of tires, and it may even help you avoid needing a new set entirely. When you want to extend the life of your wheels, maintenance is the first step.

Keeping Track

After your service, you may be wondering how to know when your tread is finally past its due date. There are a few old tricks you can use that should give you a general estimate of how they’re doing. You’re going to want to take a quarter and insert it into the tread of your tire so that the head of Washington is facing upwards. If you can’t quite make out his head once you’ve inserted it, then you’re most likely fine to keep driving. If you can, however, it’s time to schedule a service. Once you bring your vehicle in, you’ll at least be able to get a more detailed reading of your tread so that you have a better idea of which tires need replacement. While this trick certainly isn’t an exact estimate, it can help you gauge where your tires are.