We have talked about how important tires are and about the difference between normal tires and snow tires. What about WHEN to replace your tires?
Tires are a normal wear item and are only designed to last a certain amount of time and miles. Because no road is perfectly smooth and we have to make turns, stop, and go, tires wear out.
When is it time for new tires? There are several reasons for needing new tires: age, wear, and damage.
Age can cause issues for tires, especially if they have spent their whole life outside in the sun. When tires age, they dry out, become less soft, and develop cracks in the rubber around the wheel or tread. While this may not immediately cause issues, a car or truck that doesn't get driven often can be extremely dangerous. It could separate or rupture without warning just sitting there or worse while driving down the road. Tires have date codes on them they will tell you when a tire was made. If your tire shows no signs of aging, it can still be unsafe.
Some tire manufacturers recommend replacing tires that are 6 to 10 years old, regardless of tread wear.
Wear is normally the number one reason for replacing tires. The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) recommends replacing all tires when the wear bars in the tread of your tires are flush with the tread. These wear bars are set to 2/32’s of an inch of tread depth. At Crabtree, we recommend 3/32 replacement, especially during the rainy season. As tread depth decreases, traction in wet conditions also decreases.
Damage to your tires can, unfortunately, happen at any time. Hitting a huge pothole, hitting a curb, or running over something on the road can all cause blowouts or flat tires. Other times, running a tire too low on air or too high can cause uneven tire wear or even damage the sidewall of the tire.
A blowout can’t be fixed and will require a new tire, but a flat might be able to be repaired. We have tire patches and the tools needed to seal small punctures in the tread of tires. But punctures in the side of a tire will not be fixable and require replacement.
So, now that you know what to look for, it’s recommended that you check your tires once a month. If Crabtree Automotive services your automobile, we will also check your tires every visit. Along with the rest of your car or truck! We can get tires for almost anything you drive, so stop in today to get your fresh set of tires.
At Crabtree Automotive, we work on all makes and models, even Diesels. From Honda to Audi and everything in between! So give us a call or schedule an appointment today with the link below.
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