Why aren’t my tires wearing evenly?
The most commonly overlooked safety feature on any vehicle is, undoubtedly, its tires. Tires are your car’s only point of contact with the ground. They control how well you can accelerate, steer and, most importantly, come to a stop. And drivers frequently forget that the performance of their tires are a large contributing factor to their fuel economy.
Maintaining even tread wear on your tires can help improve your car’s overall performance, handling, gas mileage, as well as the safety of your vehicle. We’ve selected a few common issues that can cause your tread to wear unevenly, like the tire shown, and what those might mean for your vehicle:
Poor Alignment
One of the most common causes of uneven tire wear is poor alignment of the vehicle’s wheels. An alignment consists of checking the car’s suspension components and ensuring the camber, toe, and caster are in line with your vehicle’s manufacturer’s specifications. Any deviation in these specifications can cause premature or uneven tread wear, so you should have an alignment performed annually or whenever you rotate your tires.
Over or Under Inflating Tires
Most people know that under-inflating your tires can devastate your fuel economy while overinflating them can negatively impact your vehicle’s handling abilities. What you might not know is that either of these irregularities will also cause your tires to wear unevenly. Overinflation will cause the middle of the tire to wear excessively, while under-inflation can cause the outsides of the tread to wear more than the center.
At V&F
At V&F Auto we offer:
- Tire Sales
- Tire Installations
- Tire Rotation
- Tire Balancing
- Tire Replacement
- Wheel Alignment
- Tire Air Pressure Checks
- Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Repair & Service
Our expert mechanics can help you choose the right tire type for your price point, driving habits, and driving conditions, along with an appropriate tire service schedule. Call us at (413)314-2280 or schedule an appointment online.