Whether you have been driving for decades or just passed your first license test, every driver ought to know about the importance of regularly replacing their tires. While proper rotation schedules can greatly extend the life of your tires, all tires need to be replaced eventually, and failing to do so could endanger you and your car. Fortunately, there are many relatively simple ways to know if you might need to head to your local tire service in Basalt, CO for some new tires. Here are the five most common and easy-to-detect signs that your car might need new tires:
- Bulging and cracks: Cracks and gouges are fairly obvious signs that your tires are not in great shape, and that you should at the very least have them looked at. Another sign, bulging, is equally as grave. When your tires start to deflate, they can start to bulge out a bit at the sides. When this occurs, it means that, at best, you will need to re-inflate and patch up your tires—although at this point, replacing them is probably the smartest move.
- Pressure: Did you know that your tires will lose about one pound per square inch (PSI) of pressure every month? This is natural, so losing a little bit of pressure and needing to occasionally pump your tires back up is nothing to worry about. But if your tires are loosing pressure at a much faster rate than one PSI per month, take that as a sign that something is up.
- The penny test: The penny test, which drivers use to check their tire tread, might be considered old fashioned by some, but it has stuck around for a reason: it’s pretty darn accurate, and very simple. To do the penny test, stick a penny into your tire’s tread line, with Lincoln’s head facing outward. If you can see the top of his head, then your tire’s tread line needs to be looked at, and the tire probably needs to be replaced.
- Temperature: The temperature at which you store your car can greatly affect your tire pressure and condition. During periods of extreme cold, your tire pressure will drop, but that is an easy enough problem to fix. The real danger is extreme heat, which will cause a tire with already low pressure to wear out very quickly on the road. If you have a summer road trip coming up, make sure your tires are in good enough shape to tackle it.
- Vibration: These days, there is no reason why your car shouldn’t give you a nice, smooth ride. If you notice vibration under your seats, that could be a sign that your tire pressure or tread is uneven, which means it might be time to replace one, a pair or the whole set.
Remember that when replacing tires, it is smartest to do it in pairs, or to replace the whole set at once. If you are looking for excellent tire sales and tire service in Basalt, CO, then come visit the team at Basalt Quick Lube, Tire & Alignment today.