Is It Time to Replace Your Tires? Here’s What You Should Know!

Is It Time to Replace Your Tires? Here’s What You Should Know!

It’s easy to forget about the tires on your car since they typically just do their job without drawing attention to themselves. However, you shouldn’t overlook them entirely. Tires are one of the most critical elements of your car since they are the part that actually makes contact with the road. Worn or damaged tires become unreliable and likely to fail during a drive or cause you to lose control at high speeds.

You need to replace your tires periodically, to ensure proper highway safety here in Westchester County. When should this be done? Let’s take a look.

What You Need to Know About Tire Replacement

1. Tread Depth

More than anything else, the most important aspect of tire maintenance to keep in mind is tread depth. The treads on your car are what keep you stable on the road, by providing more surface area making contact than you’d get with a smooth wheel. This greatly improves control and stability – but only as long as the treads are deep enough to maintain that large contact area.

As the tires wear down, the tread goes away, ultimately reducing the contact area. So, the biggest reason to replace your tires is if the tread is too worn to be safe.

How can you tell?

Many modern tires include safety features to alert you when the tread is too shallow. Some include red markings embedded in the rubber which only show when too much tread has been worn away. Others include metallic elements within the rubber that begin making a screeching sound when they come into contact with the road.

However, if your tires lack these features, there’s a simple test: the penny test.

All you have to do is take a penny, then insert it head-first into your tire’s tread. If the tread is deep enough to cover any part of Lincoln’s head, it’s still deep enough to be safe. However, if the tread only touches Lincoln’s hair, it’s too shallow and you need tire replacement in Briarcliff Manor.

2. Mileage and wear

Another important factor to keep in mind is the tire’s recommended mileage. Every tire has a recommended number of miles it can be drivenand exceeding that limit will typically lead to problems. Besides tread wear, there are other areas of the tire that can wear out as well, such as the sidewalls.

So, if you’re near the maximum mileage for your tires, it’s a good idea to look into tire replacement before actual problems develop.

Keep in mind, your tires will also be affected by heat, speed, and usage. Tires are only rated up to certain speeds because increased speed creates more heat, and tires have to be protected against excess heat. Running too fast/hot will drastically reduce their lifespan, and heavy braking will also wear them down more quickly.

3. Other signs that tires need replacing

Numerous other issues can come up which suggest it’s time to replace your tires. In most cases, these cannot be repaired, or repairs can only be considered stopgap temporary fixes until you can get to the shop.

• Vibrations. As tires wear down, they’ll start to become uneven – not quite round. This causes them to spin unevenly, causing noticeable vibrations in the vehicle, or through the steering column. However, vibrations might also be due to problems with your shocks and struts, so get those checked too.
• Punctures. Modern tires have a variety of anti-puncture technologies that can help prevent blowouts – but a tire that has been punctured is going to be compromised. Even if it’s holding air, it should be replaced sooner rather than later, since it will be more prone to damage.
• Bulges. Bulges in the car’s sidewall are another sign the tire is wearing out, and they’re particularly common if your tire has hit something from the side, such as a hard curb check. Do not drive on bulging tires longer than you have to – they are much more prone to blowout!
• Seasonal changes. Some tires are all-season, but summer- or winter-only tires are common. These aren’t just recommendations! Summer tires will become brittle in the winter cold, and winter tires will melt in the summer heat. Be aware of this if you have seasonal tires on your car, or you’ll have a bad time once the weather changes.
• Hydroplaning. Modern tires and treads are designed to maintain traction, even on rain-slick roads. However, as the tire breaks down, water traction is typically the first to fail – leading to hydroplaning as you skid across the watery surface. If you ever feel yourself losing control on wet roads, you need tire replacement in Briarcliff Manor ASAP.

 Get Shocks & Strut Services Near You

Fred’s Auto Repair provides top-quality tire replacements and auto maintenance in Briarcliff Manor and Shrub Oak, as well as repairing other critical systems such as your shocks and struts. Never drive on compromised tires! Visit Fred’s Auto instead for a wide selection of affordable new tires.