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Top Five Tips For Springtime Tire Maintenance
Here are five important tire maintenance tips for making sure your tires are ready for this seasonal transition: 1. Swap out winter tires for all-season radials. In the spring, you need to remove snow tires. Because they are made with softer rubber compounds and deeper tread patterns, winter tires can be noisier than all-season tires and will wear down more quickly in warm weather. 2. Check tire pressure once a month and before any long trips. According to a 2008 survey from the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA), 85 percent of American drivers do not properly check tire inflation pressure. Under-inflated tires increase driving risks, waste fuel and cause faster tire wear. During winter, all-season radials may lose between two and five pounds of pressure, so air them up before you hit the road (or too many potholes). 3. Check tire alignment and balance. Wet roads – especially as rain mixes with dirt and oil – can lead to skids. Make sure you have the alignment and balance of your tires checked regularly. This helps ensure that your vehicle is ready to make faster, safer stops in the spring – or any season. 4. Check the tire tread. Don’t rely on the old penny test, which refers to placing a penny into the groove of a tire and checking to see how much of Lincoln’s head is visible. In Ohio, tires that are down to 2/32-inch tread (top of Lincoln’s head) must be replaced immediately, as your chance of hydroplaning in the rain at highway speeds increases significantly. Switch to the quarter test. If you can see the top of Washington’s head at 4/32-inch, it’s time to start shopping for new tires. 5. Rotate your tires, per your vehicle’s owner manual. This may help correct irregular tire wear that occurred during the winter. If you’re not sure how often to rotate your tires, every 5,000 miles is a good rule of thumb. Don’t forget to slow down when driving on wet roads because stopping distance is about four times longer than on dry roads. You can also read up on some tire maintenance tips, or visit the RMA’s tire safety section of their website. Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com Tire Source is an Ohio full service auto care center. We feature Goodyear, Dunlop, Kelly-Springfield, Republic and Cooper tires as well as all areas of automotive repair and maintenance. Contact Tire Source for our auto and tire services. www.yourtiresource.com. |
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