Maintenance Tips for Summer Tires

by | Aug 14, 2020

So much is riding on your tires, it’s important to keep them in good shape. We often worry about driving in the winter on storm-category tires that keep us safe on ice and snow but summer tires need our attention too. We recommend inspecting your tires routinely through any season and change them when they become unsafe. It’s a good habit to check your tires for wear at least once a month or before leaving on a road trip.
Checking Tread: Insert the figurehead of a quarter into the tire tread an if it’s covered by depth, your tires are legal and safe. Good tire tread means they can grip the road for braking and steering. Low tread reduces tire traction, causing your wheels to slip when accelerating or driving on wet roads.
Checking Tire Pressure: Your tires will lose pressure every month and can fluctuate with changes in temperature. Check your tire pressure before you’ve driven on them. Insert a tire pressure gauge into the valve stem after referring to your vehicle owner’s manual for the correct usage instructions. Compare your gauge readings to the psi number found on the sticker inside the driver’s door and don’t forget to check the spare tire pressure. Low air pressure can cause tire damage and driving on overinflated tires may cause a tire blowout, risking loss of vehicle control.

Tire Work – Mounting and Balancing

Wheel alignments (your vehicle’s suspension) keep your tires sitting at correct angles to reduce tread wear, give you better gas mileage and smoother steering. Signs that your tires are out of alignment include uneven tire wear, shaky steering or your car pulling to one side. Hitting a pothole or regularly driving on rough roads can also affect your wheel alignment.
Tire balancing corrects uneven distribution of weight in the wheels. Imbalanced tires can vibrate excessively, leading to suspension damage and tire wear. During a tire balancing service, our technicians mount your tires onto a tire balancing machine to measure the imbalance and determine the correct maintenance procedures to correct a problem if there is one. Often wheel alignments and balancing are performed during the same vehicle maintenance appointment. The most significant benefit from our wheel alignment and tire balancing service is the extended lifespan and improved performance of your tires. Regular tire maintenance is less expensive than replacing your tires.
Give us a call to save money over time and get the best mileage and wear out of your summer tires. AutoPro Alignment & Maintenance and T & H AutoPro in Kamloops are committed to saving you money on car repairs so we will recommend maintenance services to help your vehicle (and tires) last as long as possible.

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