Besides making sure you have plenty of gas, ensuring your tires are safe is one of the most important things you can do for your car. To learn why properly maintaining your tires isn’t just a bunch of hot air, keep reading.
Check the Tire Pressure
In addition to those huge potholes that seem to be on every street, tires often lose pressure naturally. That’s why it’s important to check the tire pressure every month. And don’t just eyeball it; make sure to buy a tire gauge. Store it in your glove compartment box so you always have it handy.
The manufacturer’s recommended tire pressure, also known as PSI, can be found in your owner’s manual and usually your vehicle door edge. To get the most accurate reading, make sure to check all four tires before you begin driving.
Tire Size & Tread
When you need new tires, buy the tire size that the manufacturer recommends. This can be found in the owner’s manual. The tire tread provides the traction that prevents your car from slipping. Tires have indicators that when worn down are equal to the rest of the tire. That’s when you’ll know to replace your tires.
Balance, Alignment and Tire Rotation
Balance and alignment go hand in hand, and if you feel a little shaking or pulling, you should bring your vehicle in to a qualified technician. But don’t let it get to the point that. Get your tires rotated regularly. Most manufacturers require a tire rotation every 5,000 miles.
The bottom line is, if you’re unsure about how to best maintain your tires, just ask your local car dealer to check them regularly.
Belts & Preventative Maintenance
Regular maintenance, or as I call it, “Preventative Maintenance.” Most drivers on the road don’t really give much thought in regards to their car’s preventative maintenance. Sure, we check our windshield wiper fluid, maybe our brake fluid and some of even check oil from time to time. But, how many people check their belts? Right, those rubber things attached to your engine that perform some very important jobs in your engine’s operation.
How do you know where they are located, what they do, or when you may need to change them? You might not know the answers to those questions, but that’s ok. I found a pretty informative little video that may be useful.
Nothing is more frustrating than a breakdown. It's always inconvenient, stressful and almost always more expensive than you estimate. Do a quick evaluation of your belts after watching the video above. If you have any questions feel free to ask!
