Top 4 frequent mistakes on summer tire maintenance
More than just your pool requires summer maintenance. Your tires do too. Here are 4 common errors that can be easily avoided, thus prolonging the life of your tires (and saving money, of course!)
1. DRIVING WITH OVER-WORN TIRES
Depending on where you live the minimum treadlife required for a tire should be higher than 2/32, tire manufacturers strongly suggest changing tires when they reach 4/32 as a safety precaution. Needless to say, overly worn tires considerably reduce your handling and increase the risks of a flat tire.
2. Improper air pressure
Most new cars now come with tire pressure monitor sensors (most commonly known as TPMS) to help people notice a pressure variation (which can be up or down), therefore you should be particularly aware if this warning light comes on. Otherwise, a pressure gauge will become a valuable addition to your car's trunk or glove box. Proper pressure: better fuel mileage, and lessens the risk of a blowout!
3. Failing to rotate tires or align your car
Tire rotation is recommended every 6,000 to 10,000km, depending on the car, to ensure consistent tread wear and to prevent your an axle’s tires from being more severely degraded than the others, for example. Regarding alignment, it is recommended every 2 years or as needed if a deviation of the steering wheel is noticeable.
4. Driving on winter tires in the summer
As mentioned in our article, driving winter tires in the summer may seem clever, but not so smart as to endanger your safety. In fact, the winter tires' composition is significantly different than our summer tires because they need to withstand much different road handling and braking ability in the cold weather.
Keep these tips in mind next time you get behind the wheel! Have a great summer season!