How To Check The Health Of Your Tires 

Unarguably, tires happen to be one of the most vital components of your vehicle. Just how essential they are, can be judged from the various functions they perform, namely supporting the overall vehicle load, conveying grip and braking forces to the ground surface, acting as shock absorbers and stabilizing the direction of journey.

Checking the overall health of your car tires is an important step in your vehicle care. 

A worn-out tire presents adversely affects your driving as a whole and compromising on braking, accelerating and general handling.

Tire Health Signs & Alerts: Time For Health Check

Healthy tires in a vehicle mean maximum road safety while driving; fully functional tires would take you places in perfect shape and mood. 

If anything can ensure a safe, relaxing drive, it is none other than regular tire checkups, at least visually. 

Once you detect some anomaly or an abnormal appearance, go for a professional inspection to initiate corrective measures at your earliest.

Jagged Tread Wear

Irregular tire wear is a good indicator of your vehicle’s overall condition. This condition usually arises out of imperfect wheel alignment, improper inflation, damaged tires or issues with the suspension. 

Excessively High Tread Depth

Vehicle safety standards permit a maximum tread depth of 1/16th of an inch due to conventional wear and tear – anything beyond this value signals a full tire replacement.

Poor Condition Of Sidewalls

Watch out for cuts, cracks, sharp nicks, blisters or bulges on the sidewalls. Any of these are a clear indication of potential weak, vulnerable spots that could translate into tire failure.

Undue Vehicle Vibration

If you notice abnormally high vibration while driving your vehicle, look out for wheel misalignment or an unbalanced state due to their deformed condition. 

Going For Tire Scrutiny: Time For Your Tire Health-check

As long as your car tires are functioning at an optimum level, you can guarantee yourself a safe ride. Responding well in time to any of the aforementioned signs and alerts would surely set peace of mind for you, your passengers and other people on the road. 

Maintaining Proper Tire Air Pressure

On this, 95 out of 100 visual inspections of the tires would be deceptive. 

For precise tire pressure analysis, even experts rely on tire pressure gauge for assuring proper inflation. Tire pressure needs to be checked at regular intervals, at least once every month. 

Do be mindful of checking the tire pressure of all four tires plus the spare one prior to driving out on an extended excursion. The ideal tire air pressure value is always indicated on your vehicle’s tire information placard, certification label or your owner’s manual. 

Check Out For The “Dry-rot” State

Excessive cracks or fissures in the sidewalls are referred to as “dry-rot”. This condition usually occurs in moderately old tires where vehicles are often parked in high temperatures under the scorching sun. Besides, the sidewalls may depict unusual wear, protrusions or depressions. 

Be Watchful About Tire Layers Visibility

As your automobile tires turn old due to routine use or damage, they may begin to rupture with different layers coming apart. Unwanted bumps or projections often ensue which makes driving and control difficult. 

Go For The Penny Test To Stand Confirmed 

The penny test is designed to let you realize your tire’s tread-wear extent. 

When you insert it within the tread, the visible head means that you should consider tire replacement. Additionally, formation of hard rubber bars on old, worn-out tires should prompt you to change your tires.

Watch Out For Items Lodged Within The Tire

Inspection of tires for pointed nails, thumb tacks, pebbles or broken glass should be turned into a routine habit. 

These minor objects usually go unnoticed, resulting in slashes, cuts and punctures that produce major tire damage at a later stage. 

Examine Incorrect Suspension Alignment

A misaligned vehicle suspension is deadly for your tire’s wear condition. 

An excessively worn-out tire poses a grave threat to car and human safety. Depending on the driving conditions, your vehicle should undergo periodic all-wheel alignment to extend the service life of the entire tires set. 

Going For Tire Rotation Is Highly Recommended

A uniform wear and tear in all four tires is what automobile experts indicate as a normal phenomenon. You should do this rotational activity once every 8,000 km driven or a year, whichever comes first. This exercise lets you put your automobile tires to full, optimal usage with minimal wear. 

Check For Under-inflation

We saved the most common occurrence for the last; under-inflation or low tire pressure is perhaps one of the most traditional discrepancies that can happen. 

It often catches you unaware – even when your car is stationary. Likewise, simple and cheaply-priced tire pressure gauges have been developed for you to actually measure the tire pressure for avoiding over or under-inflation. 

Another fact is that seasonal temperature alterations may also cause the tire pressure to drop. Anyone behind the steering knows it well that even a slight pressure drop may hamper proper vehicle handling and decrease fuel economy. 

Your tires’ service life is shortened, demanding what can be termed as premature replacement.

Endnote

Maintenance of tire health is of paramount importance; if you desire your car to run at top gear smoothly, you’d need to get familiar with some of basic tire issues and their instant remedies. 

Without tires with fairly good performance, you may drive your automobile but without that flare and fervor. On the cleanliness side, spick and span wheels and tires lend a fresher look to your automobile – something you can be proud of.