Your Short Guide to Tire Care and Replacement
Tires are necessary for a vehicle to move, and tires in good condition should also be considered to be necessary. Tires that aren't in good shape can put you, your passengers, and others on the roadway at risk. Here is a short guide on tires:
How often should you be replacing your tires?
When it comes to how often you should replace your tires, there are really two main things to consider and that is their age and their wear.
Even if a car isn't driven regularly, age will matter when it comes to the condition of the tires because they will still be exposed to things like the heat, the cold, and the weight of the vehicle they are on. Tires should be replaced around every six years or so, no matter how much wear they have seen.
As a car is driven, the tires will undergo stress. They will be driven on bumpy roads, be parked in direct sunlight, and endure many other types of stress. A car that's always driven on harsh roads or put through other types of stress regularly may need to be replaced sooner than if the car spent more time parked in the cool garage and driven on roads in better condition.
What things can cause more stress and wear on tires?
In order to better judge how long you should be getting out of your tires, you should become more familiar with some of the many things that can contribute to their wear.
The sunlight shining on tires day after day can eventually cause them to become brittle and will cause them to need to be replaced. This is why there are tire covers for RVs that often sit in the same spot for months, with the tires constantly exposed to the sunlight.
Neglecting the tires by not taking them in for their routine rotating and alignment needs will also cause them to wear faster. As will not keeping the correct air pressure in them.
Rough roads, such as everything from gravel and dirt roads to rough roads that are in need of resurfacing, will also cause faster wear on the tires. This includes roads that have potholes and a lot of cracks in them. So, along with making for an uncomfortable ride, know that there are other good reasons for trying to find alternative roads to travel on that are in better shape.
Conclusion
When you know it's time to replace your tires, you don't want to procrastinate. It is dangerous to continue driving on tires you know are past their prime. Contact a local auto shop about a tire sale because you can often find some great deals.