How to Extend the Lifespan of Your Tires

Whether you’ve just purchased a new car or a new set of tires for your vehicle, one thing you should be thinking about is how to extend the lifespan of your tires. Unlike other parts of your vehicle, your tires’ wear and tear level is entirely up to you, how you care for them, and how you drive. Using cautious driving habits and taking time to care for your tires regularly has been proven to extend your tires. Here are some tips to help you extend the life span of your tires.

Check Your Tire Pressure

“Honda CR-V” used with permission via Flickr by labnol

Maintaining the correct tire pressure is key to extending the life of your tires. Over the course of one month, your tires can lose about 1 pound per square inch (psi) of tire pressure. The climate also affects tire pressure, with winter months lowering and summer months increasing the PSI. Tire professionals recommend checking your tire pressure at least once per month. Make it a habit by either checking the pressure on the same day of the month or when you fill your tank. Checking the pressure is a quick, easy way to extend the life span of your tires.

Manufacturers set PSI rates for tires, so check your owner’s manual to determine the correct PSI for your vehicle. Tire inflation affects traction and overall vehicle performance. Having the correct tire pressure isn’t only crucial to the life span of your tires, but it’s also related to fuel efficiency and fewer accidents. Studies show that properly inflated tires improve your fuel efficiency by up to 3.3%, and one out of 11 accidents included tire issues. Your tires should be neither too flat nor overinflated, as both can cause problems.

If you notice uneven wear, bulges, or other abnormalities in the wear of your tires, reach out to us at the Ike Honda Service Department. Our service technicians can inspect your tires to help keep you safe on the road.

Rotate Your Tires

Tires wear differently depending on their placement on your vehicle. Wear rate is determined by many factors, including whether you bump the curb while parking, make more right turns than left, and whether your vehicle is front-wheel, rear-wheel, or all-wheel drive. Tire rotation helps alleviate the subtle differences in wear rate. You can rotate your tires left to right, back to front, and diagonally to extend the life span of your tires. It’s recommended that you rotate your tires or have an expert rotate them every 5,000 miles to extend your tires’ life span.

Balance Your Tires

Along with the wear rate of your tires, they may also get slightly off balance without you noticing a huge difference. Every tire has a spot that tends to be just a little bit heavier, which can cause a vibration while cruising down the road that can lead to uneven tire wear. Tires are balanced using a particular machine and small weights. When you have your tires rotated, it’s a good idea also to have them balanced. Balancing your tires is a quick, easy process for tire experts to perform when paired with rotation.

Align Your Tires

Your tires can be bumped out of alignment from hitting a pothole, brushing the curb, or hitting a barrier in the parking lot. You may notice your steering wheel shaking or your vehicle pulling or drifting to the left or right. These are signs of an alignment problem. Your tires also may not be misaligned enough to cause this shaking or drift. Therefore, it’s important to have your tires aligned twice a year. Tire alignment not only affects the wear rate but also affects your fuel efficiency.

Just like tire pressure, the manufacturer sets specifications for the alignment of your tires, so be sure to check the owner’s manual prior to alignment. If you feel misalignment symptoms, get your vehicle to the experts immediately for an alignment; don’t wait until the six months is up from the last one. A severely misaligned vehicle can cause a lot of damage to your tire life.

Good Driving Habits

Another factor that affects your tire wear rate is your driving habits. Whether you’re a driver who likes to press on the gas or stomp on the brake, both of these in excess can lead to increased tire wear. Avoid aggressive driving to increase the life span of your tires. Slowly accelerate up to speed and reduce your speed before hitting the brakes as much as you can to become a smoother driver. Smooth driving habits save you wear on your tires and increase your fuel efficiency, saving you money in the long run.

Use the Right Tire for the Job

While you may think that the tire’s job is to rotate to move your car forward or backward, not every tire serves the same purpose beyond that. There are tires designed for the racetrack, the highway, and off-road adventures. Tire types include all-season, touring, performance, summer, and track and competition for passenger vehicles. SUVs and trucks offer highway, all-terrain, mud-terrain, all-purpose or trail, ribbed, and sport truck options. In addition, there are also winter and temporary spare tire options.

Knowing the type of tire your vehicle has and using them as they are intended will help to extend the life span of your tires. Taking a road trip in your off-road vehicle using mud-terrain tires will cause excessive tire wear and may even cause damage to your tires. The type of tires should possess the durability needed for the specific driving conditions and environment.

Trust the Experts

The experts at Ike Honda are here to help you get the maximum life span out of your tires by offering tire rotations, balancing, and alignment services. If you need new tires, we can also mount and balance them to get you back on the road. Schedule your service appointment by calling 888-418-6991 or scheduling your service online. Ike Honda’s highly qualified professionals are available Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. for all your tire needs.