Knowing the health of your tires isn’t as daunting as you may think. Usually, determining when it’s time to do a tire replacement simply takes a quick look with a discriminating eye. But that being said, you have to know what you’re looking for. Here are some tips on how to accurately assess your tires.
When to Replace Your Tires
Tire Wear: All tires will experience wear at some point. How each tire wears can signal an issue with your tire pressure or alignment. Your tire tread should be wearing evenly over the whole tire instead of just on the inside or outside. Wear happens regardless of how good or bad of a driver you are, but it can be accelerated if you neglect proper care.
Tire Age: This happens when tire components, including the rubber, change over time, due to environmental impacts, storage conditions, as well as the amount of usage the tire gets when driven, or how long the tire has been sitting with no use at all. So how do you know how old a tire is? Each tire is marked with the week and year it was made. Experts say you should replace passenger and truck/SUV tires between six and 10 years old.
Why Replace Your Tires?
Taking good care of your vehicle and preventing costly mistakes aren’t the only reasons to change out your tires regularly. Tires also happen to be a vital part of your vehicle’s safety.
Worn or old tires can lead to these problems:
- Compromised road grip because of worn-down tread
- Blowouts that cause you to crash or leave you stranded
- Difficulty braking and stopping effectively
On top of that, uneven wheel alignment and balance issues will lead to irregular tire wear, causing expensive problems for your car.
Factors That Cause Damage to Tires
Many factors lead to necessary tire replacement, including:
- Tire design by the manufacturer (some are built to last 70,000 miles while others are only built to last 40,000)
- Neglect of basic tire maintenance (checking the air pressure, rotating tires, checking for visible wear, etc.)
- Failure to use the right tires for uses and terrains.
- Potholes, curbs, obstacles, sharp objects, and speed bumps
- Climate conditions (extreme hot or cold can speed up wear and tear)
- Excessive braking
- Driving at high speeds for long periods of time
You should always be aware of your driving habits, environment, and tire condition to make sure you replace your tires when necessary.
Signs Tires Need to Be Replaced
- Tread wear
- Bubbles and bulges
- Vibration
- Sidewall cuts or cracks
- Embedded nails or stones
- Visible damage
- Damaged valve caps
Contact I&I Tires
Not sure if your tires should be replaced? We can help you with that decision. Contact us in Smyrna or Atlanta today to make an appointment or get a free quote.