Keeping up with your car’s tire service is one of many ways to maintain the safety of your vehicle–everything from tire rotation to balancing and including watching for wear and tear.
Tire Rotation
Every vehicle comes with recommendations listed in the vehicle manual for when to rotate, balance, and replace tires. It is important to familiarize yourself with the specifications and recommendations of the vehicle you drive; however one prevailing guideline is to have your tires rotated every time you have the oil changed, which should be every three thousand miles. This may however be more frequent than is needed. Some prefer to rotate every other oil change, but this may exceed the recommendations for the model of tire on your car. Refer to your car manual to verify the optimal mileage for your rotation schedule.
Balancing Tires
Balancing your tires can be done in conjunction with each tire rotation or ever other tire rotation. Balancing is what ensures the most even wear of tires, extending the life of the tires. If you feel your car pulling to one side or the other, or if it feels a bit wobbly this could indicate the need for balancing. Again check your vehicle manual for exact specifications for the make and model of your car.
Tire Replacement
The natural wear and tear of vehicle tires is unavoidable. Eventually you will need to replace your tires. Ideally you would replace them all at the same time, but they can be replaced in pairs to save money. Replacing just one can cause misbalancing and lead to increased wear and tear. When determining if it is time to replace tires the best indicator is worn down tread. Most tires are manufactured with “tread wear bars.” These appear in between the grooves of the tire tread, and once the tread is worn down to be on level with these raised bars it is time to replace the tires.
Visit Havoline xpress lube at 725 Hwy 66 South in Kernersville for your next tire service. We are worth the drive from Greensboro, Winston Salem and High Point.