One of the main reasons why traffic accidents happen is due to some form of tire failure in the vehicle. These are often preventable with proper car care. Whenever you send your car to a professional mechanic, one of the things they need to check is your tires.
Old and worn-out tires are hazards that would endanger not only you and your passengers but other drivers as well. To make the most out of your tires, they must be inspected and maintained. Here are a few things that mechanics check when conducting tire inspection and maintenance.
Tire Pressure
Some car owners often neglect to check the tire pressure. To them, as long as they look inflated, they’re still good to go. However, just because the tires do not look flat doesn’t mean they’re still safe. While it’s a good idea to inspect the tire, it’s best to have a mechanic check the tire pressure for a few reasons:
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Having overinflated tires decreases the amount of tread that touches the ground. Lesser contact patch on the road means lesser stability and traction. Plus, if you keep driving with overinflated tires, there’s a bigger possibility that a blowout can happen.
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On the other hand, if your tires are underinflated, it can wear them out faster because the wheels are compensating for the additional stress the tire is experiencing due to lack of pressure. This can cause the tires to overheat and wear out the treads.
You may not know it, but having properly inflated tires has a few benefits to your vehicle. For one thing, it helps you save money because it can improve your gas mileage. It can also increase the durability and performance of your tires, stabilizing the tire structure and making your car grip better.
Tread Depth and Condition
Along with checking the tire pressure, your mechanic will also inspect the quality of your treads. Having insufficient tire tread makes your car grip less on the road. Hydroplaning can occur if you’re driving on tires with insufficient tread while it’s raining. It is a driving condition where your car’s tires lose contact with the surface.
A lack of tire tread can also cause braking troubles. Since your treads give your car traction, they’re important for your braking system. If your tire treads are worn, your car cannot instantly brake, negatively impacting your braking time and wearing out your brakes faster.
The minimum legal tread depth of a tire is 2/32 of an inch. If the depth is lower than the limit, it’s considered dangerously worn. Mechanics and tire technicians often recommend drivers to replace their tires between 3/32 and 4/32 of an inch.
Tire Alignment
Tire alignment should be part of inspection and maintenance to help your tires perform better and make them last longer. Alignment refers to an adjustment to the suspension of your car. Your mechanic will inspect all components and elements in your car’s steering system.
There are a couple of ways your mechanic determines if a tire alignment is in order. If there’s uneven tread wear on your tires or if your steering wheel is off-center, there may be a need to do a tire alignment. Feeling some vibration while driving can also be a sign that realignment is needed. Your mechanic may suggest that you have your tires aligned every 12,000 miles.
Tire Rotation and Balancing
Even if your car is properly aligned, you still have to rotate your wheels to have even wear. Rotation is simply changing the position of your front and rear tires from time to time. Your front and rear tires perform different steering and braking functions and handle different loads. Because of these differences, they may develop wear patterns that may differ from each tire.
Meanwhile, tire balancing is the process of equally distributing the weight of the tire and wheel assembly to give you a smoother ride at high speeds. This is done to promote even wear and a longer lifespan for your tires. Your mechanic places your wheels on a machine and spins the tire to detect any imbalances.
Safety on the road is the number one concern for any driver and car owner. Keeping your tires in good condition helps you avoid traffic accidents.
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