Flat tires are one of those seemingly inevitable things that happen to all of us at some point in our lives. While you can’t always anticipate one, you can follow some tips to help prevent it from happening. By knowing some basic tire tips, you can hit the road in your quality used car with peace of mind.
Keep your tires properly inflated
It’s important to keep your tires inflated at the right pressure. This information can be found in your owner’s manual. If your tires are too inflated, it can make for a bumpy ride because less of the tire actually touches the ground. Too much inflation can also increase your risk of a blowout. On the other hand, if your tires are consistently under-inflated, they can wear down faster and more unevenly.
Take a look at your spare tire
It’s a good idea to get into the habit of checking your spare tire occasionally to ensure it’s properly inflated and doesn’t have any obvious issues, like small cracks or signs of dry rot. Do this proactively — it’s important to check on your spare tire before you might need it!
Inspect your tires for uneven wear
Tire tread can wear down unevenly from city driving, frequent hard stops, or fast starts. Check your tires regularly to make sure they are in good condition and that they are wearing evenly.
Avoid hazards
If you can, try to avoid as many road hazards as often as possible. This may mean taking an alternate route to avoid a construction area, going around a pothole, or avoiding roads that are generally not well maintained. Though sometimes these hazards are unavoidable, it’s good to know that they can cause cracks and bulges in your tire, which increases your risk for a flat.
Get your tires rotated regularly
Rotating your tires is a great way to prolong the life of your tires and keep you safe on the road. Most car manufacturers recommend a tire rotation every 5,000 to 10,000 miles. This is also a good time to ask your mechanic to inspect your tread, check tire pressure, and look for any bulges or signs of trouble.
Don’t weigh your car down
Your car tires have a maximum amount of weight that they can carry to stay inflated and safe. This information can be found on your owner’s manual and it’s important to keep this weight in mind when you’re packing for a roadtrip with the family or loading down your car. If you do plan on moving a heavy load, you may want to increase your tire pressure to help support the weight of the car.
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