Importance of Regular Tire Maintenance

As mentioned above, your safety depends on your tires having good tread. Tires are designed with treads to keep the tire in contact with the road, even in bad weather conditions. In addition to the center tire tread, tires have channels that go out toward the sidewalls of the tires to whisk water, mud, and snow away from the tire's road surface to keep the tire touching the road. Over time, the tire tread can wear down and put the car's traction in jeopardy. This is inevitable, of course. But tires can last between 50,000 and 75,000 miles, depending on driving habits and maintenance. Maintaining your tires is a surefire way to extend the life of your tires. 

Having good tread depth on your tires helps maintain traction on the road. And when your vehicle has better traction, the engine doesn't have to work as hard. This is because to keep the wheels moving, your engine needs to send torque to the wheels. When your tires have good tread, it takes less torque to maintain a grip on the road. However, having low tire tread forces your engine to work harder to produce the necessary power to maintain a good grip. The harder your engine has to work, the more fuel it burns. 

As we've mentioned, routine tire maintenance is the best way to keep your tires in good health, keep you safe, and boost your fuel economy. The most important service is a tire rotation. Simply having your tires rotated at every oil change will extend the life of your tires and enhance their traction on the road. Tire rotations are the process of switching the front tires to the rear and the rear tires to the front. Rotations are important because the weight of the vehicle's heaviest components, the engine, and transmission, is placed on the front axle. This wears down the front tires faster than the rear. However, when you rotate your tires around every 5,000 miles, the wear on the tires is slowed down and kept even. Another important tire service is a wheel alignment, this protects the outer channels of your tires from premature wear by adjusting the angle of the tires to make sure they are pointing straight down the road. Lastly, the tire pressure has an effect on your tread wear, as over or underinflated tires can cause the tires to wear faster. 

Of course, no matter how well you maintain your tires, they will end up needing to be replaced at some point. Of course, the service team here at Prestige Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram will gladly monitor your tire's tread and alert you when they are due to be replaced. However, you can check your tire tread simply by using a penny. Take the penny and turn it so that Lincoln's head is pointing down into the tread. If you can see at least half of Lincoln's head, your tires are still in good shape. If only the top of his head is covered, you should get your tires replaced soon. And, if you can see all of Lincoln's head, it's time to replace your tires as soon as possible.

Here at the service center at Prestige Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, your safety is important to us, so we're proud to offer all of the necessary services to keep your tires in great condition. Our technicians are certified and have years of experience and will gladly help maintain your tires and inform you of their condition. If your tires are due to be replaced, we stock a variety of tires to fit your driving needs and your budget. Schedule your next service appointment with us right here on our website. We look forward to serving you!