How to Improve the Lifespan of Your Car Tires

Your tires experience a massive amount of wear throughout the year, as they are exposed to varying weather conditions and the constant pressure of your vehicle’s weight. This means that tires have a limited lifespan, and will eventually wear down so far so as to hamper the performance of your vehicle or even go completely flat. Fortunately, there are a number of things that you can do to make sure that your tires stay in good working condition for as long as possible.

Maintain Optimal Tire Pressure

The air pressure in your tires plays a huge role in their overall performance and durability. You’ll want to make sure that your tire pressure is at an optimal level – which is most commonly printed right on the sidewall of your tire itself. Having air pressure that is below that level can increase the amount of your tire’s tread that is in contact with the road, increasing the amount of friction that your tires experience and the rate at which they wear out. On the other hand, an air pressure that is too high can greatly increase the risk of a leak developing or a complete blowout while driving.

Reduce Weight

Another simple thing that can be done to reduce the amount of stress that your tires are placed under is to reduce the amount of weight that your vehicle is carrying. Heavy loads and attachments like roof or bike racks will increase the amount of pressure that your tires are placed under, which can make structural issues and leaks more likely to occur and increase the rate of wear.

Tire Rotations

An important part of maintaining your tires and ensuring that they all wear down at roughly equal rates is to have them rotated on a regular basis. Rotating consists of switching your front and back tires with one another. This is done because the front tires will experience more friction through regular use as they turn, and moving the tires around ensures that your entire set of tires will wear out at the same time.

Alignment

Finally, the last thing that you should have done regularly to make sure that your tires are not wearing down too quickly is having the alignment of your vehicle checked. Misaligned tires can cause your vehicle to veer to one side and cause excessive vibrations in your steering wheel, and can also cause the edges of your tires to wear away rapidly unless corrected.