The weather is gorgeous and you’re getting ready for a long drive to the lake. Can your tires handle another trip? What’s the right kind of tire for your vehicle?
What’s in a tire?
Tires are a vulcanized rubber compound interlaid with steel mesh belts for structure and durability. There are thousands of different types of tires to cover every vehicle whether you’re speeding down highways or zooming around a track. Some tires have a smooth tread for gripping on asphalt, while others have deep knobby treads for crawling through dirt and mud.
What are signs I need new tires?
We all know that tires can pop and lose air from a puncture, but did you know they can fail from the inside? When a steel belt comes loose within a tire or if a tire is run low on air for too long, it’ll start to sag and cause a thumping sound when rolling. If the tire is sagged enough it can shake the steering wheel or make the vehicle pull to one side. Sagging tires take more energy to rotate, so your gas mileage will go down too.
Just like the milk in your fridge, tires can expire too! The rubber eventually gets hard and cracked, which weakens the tire itself. All tires should be replaced by the time they’re 6 years old, regardless of how many miles are on them.
When should I have my tires inspected?
We recommend having your tires inspected every year, and we can do tire inspections at the same time as an oil change. With our lifts we can see every inch of the tire to make sure you don’t have any punctures, uneven wear, or sagging.
Picking out the right tire can be a headache, and picking the wrong ones means you’re stuck with a potentially loud or slow ride for a long time. We can research the best tires for your vehicle based on the usage, size, and season, and we get great rates directly from manufacturers to save you money.
Call or email to book an appointment to get your tires inspected and serviced at SRD Auto Repair. It’ll be a smooth ride with fresh rubber and you’ll have the peace of mind that any safety issues are found before a tire fails.