Even the best of us don't always drive as we should. Not only is it about safety, but also about the impact on our tires. In fact, don't take your tires for granted. A little attention goes a long way to extending their life, keeping you safe, and even reducing your carbon footprint. Here are some tips for improved tire performance:
1. Avoid fast starts and sudden stops. This could extend the life of your tires and reduce gas usage by as much as 33%.
2. Keep your tires properly inflated based on the manufacturer’s recommendations. Underinflation will have impact on how your vehicle handles, the life of your tires and gas consumption. Check your tires at least monthly and when you are planning a trip of over 250 miles.
3. Don’t overload your car and tires. Overloading can cause steering instability, accelerate tire wear or sudden failure and puncture. Your manufacturer’s manual will document the maximum passenger and cargo load. In addition, excess weight can reduce gas mileage by 1-2% for every 100 lbs.
4. Rotate tires about every 6,000 miles. This will help balance the wear and tear on the tires – extending their life.
5. Replace tires when the tread is 1/16th of an inch or less or when the tread wear is extremely uneven. To keep the tires properly balanced and aligned, replace either the two front or rear tires at the same time or replace all four tires. Replace tires in matched pairs – same brand, construction, size and type. Avoid big differences in tread wear.
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