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TIRES - STAYING SAFE ON THE ROAD
by Ray Granders
http://www.danatires.com
We really don't give too much thought to the tires on our
cars, we just get in and go. Tire maintenance is very
important though, even keeping the proper amount of air in
them will give you better gas mileage, so you need to keep
an eye on the air pressure in them. They will loose about
one to two pounds of air a month, less in the winter than
in the summer. Keeping the air pressure at the recommended
lbs allows your car to handle better too.
We recommend you check the pressure in your tires once a
month, to include the spare tire in the trunk. Just
remember that altitude and temperature both play a role in
how the air pressure holds up so when there are sudden or
extreme changes, the tires should be checked more often.
To check the air pressure, simply use a tire gauge, which
is pressed into the uncapped valve on the tire. A stick
like part of the gauge will pop out, showing you the number
of the current pressure. On the side of your tire, you
will see numbers before or after PSI, which is Pounds per
Square Inch. The gauge and the tire pressure should match.
In other words, if your tire holds 32 pounds of pressure,
when you test the tire with the gauge, it should read 32.
Another important aspect of car tires is the alignment.
Chances are you have hit a pothole or two while driving.
Each time, you put the car at risk of going out of
alignment, even a small amount. However, enough potholes
or curbs would make a difference in how the car handles.
Therefore, about every 18,000 miles, the alignment of the
car should be checked, which is about the same time you put
on new tires. Of course, if you notice that one tire or
one side of the car has tires that are wearing down quicker
than the other tires this could indicate a problem with
alignment.
Slow leaks can occur in tires at anytime. They can pick
up an unknown nail and then come out making the tire's
air leak out slowly. Or you may find a bubble on the side-
wall of a tire, if you see this take it to your tire shop
immediately because this can become a serious problem. A
weak tire leak may be fixed by a can of fix a flat at your
local auto parts dealer. If not, the you will need to have
it checked out. Tires put on wrong at the shop can cause a
vibration within your car when you get to a certain speed.
If this occurs, take your car back immediately and have
them fix and balance your tires properly.
Having your tires rotated after every 5 to 8 thousand
miles. Like most things, one tire may wear differently from
the other but by getting your tires rotated, this will make
your tires wear more evenly. With the price of replacing all
four tires at once today, you will want to get the most
mileage you can from your tires. By taking care of your
tires, keeping the appropriate amount of air pressure,
checking for nails or bubbles, and uneven wearing, and
rotating your tires when needed, you should be able to get
a fair amount of miles on your new set of tires.
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