Tire Maintenance Checklist
At V&F, we know that a good set of tires is critical for optimizing your car’s performance–and keeping you safe on the road. But keeping up maintenance between services can be a hassle.
We put together a comprehensive guide with everything you need to keep tabs on to make sure your tires stay in tip-top shape. Here is your complete tire maintenance checklist:
Tread Depth
The legal minimum tread depth is 1.6 millimeters or 2/23 of an inch. To check your tread depth, grab a penny, turn it upside down, and slide it between the tread grooves in various spots around each tire. If you cannot see the top of Abraham Lincoln’s head, your tire treads are deep enough; if you can see the top of Lincoln’s head, it’s time to replace your wheels. When your tread depth becomes too low, it will be harder to make short stops, which could cause an accident or send you hydroplaning.
Tire Service: Rotation & Balancing
Rotation and balancing help to even out tread wear, which preserves handling, traction, and performance as your tires age. Our suggestion is to have your wheels rotated and balanced every time you get an oil change and once in between, or at least every 4,000 to 6,000 miles.
Air Pressure
Air pressure is often overlooked but it’s very important. Tire pressure needs to be inspected and adjusted on a weekly basis as changes in temperature can cause the pressure to fluctuate. When it starts to get cold, the loss in pressure is often enough to affect stopping distance and gas mileage.
At V&F
Driving with poor tires can be extremely dangerous–for you and for the drivers around you. At V&F Auto Inc. in Agawam, MA, we understand proper tire repair and maintenance is vital to your safety. Call us at (413)314-2280 or schedule an appointment online.