Do you know how to extend the life of a vehicle’s tires? Here are seven tips to prolong the life of this essential component for good driving and road safety.
The only point of contact between the vehicle and the road, the tire is a fundamental element of a vehicle. In addition to its good condition being essential for driving safety, making the right choice also has an impact on behavior and comfort.
One of the most expensive operations in a car is the replacement of tires and the invoice value is quite high for owners of the latest models, equipped with large rims (greater than 18 inches) and low profile tires.
Therefore, owners should try to treat tires correctly to increase their useful life and reduce total costs of use because if they last longer in good condition it is not necessary to replace a set of two or four tires as often.
With all due courtesy to Goodyear, an expert in this field, here are seven tips to increase the longevity of your tyres. In addition to economic savings, it also contributes to the preservation of the environment because fewer natural resources are consumed and less waste is generated.
1. Tire pressure
The first of these seven pieces of advice, often overlooked, is to periodically check your tire pressure. Goodyear recommends checking at least once a month, and always before traveling with a full charge.
Over time, they lose pressure and if the latter is insufficient, the tires can deteriorate.
Although many newer vehicles are already equipped with electronic tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS), this must be manually controlled with a pressure gauge.
The tire pressure values can be found in the vehicle manual, as well as the information regarding the load level and speed, which are also written on the sidewall of the tyre.
2. Bearing band
It is also advisable to visually check the tread of the tires. This should be done periodically and just like pressure, it ensures that the tires are in the best condition.
The owner must observe the ribs between the bands, as well as the center of the outer edges, to check for obvious signs of wear or any object that may have become encrusted.
3. Rotate the tires
As a general rule, tires mounted on the front axle wear differently than those on the rear axle. By changing their position, from front to back and vice versa, it is possible to optimize the life of the tires. Goodyear warns that this may not be true for all vehicles, but it is a way to increase their longevity.
Although the rotation periods vary, it is recommended to make this change more frequently if you drive frequently at high speed, or if you carry out long journeys with a full load, it is recommended to make more regular rotations.
If uneven wear of the tire tread is detected, this could also be an indicator of the need for rotation.
4. Balance and alignment
If uneven tire wear is observed, this could indicate more serious wheel alignment or tire balance problems. In this situation, a steering alignment is recommended.
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To identify the alignment or not of the steering, the driver must check if the vehicle deviates to either side or if the steering wheel is not centered or vibrates when driving in a straight line.
If this happens, the owner must take the vehicle to a specialized workshop to align the steering and/or balance the tires. If uneven wear is not addressed, the life of the tire itself is drastically reduced.
5. Longer lasting tires
The most suitable tires and manufactured with the most modern technology can have a longer life. Newer generations of tires can ensure longer service life, lowering costs.
6. Driving habits
Adopting good driving practices is also one of the seven pieces of advice we leave here, as it helps to reduce the need to buy new tires so often.
A smooth and careful driving style, avoiding road imperfections, will benefit the life of the tires and ensure that they offer the best performance. On the other hand, sudden acceleration and braking, or aggressive driving over sound tracks and potholes, will also damage the tires.
7. Recycling and reuse
More than three million tons of end-of-life tires are collected annually to be recycled or reused. Therefore, when it is expected that the tires fitted with new ones will be replaced, it must be ensured that the old ones are disposed of responsibly, so that they can be given the opportunity of a second life, and contribute to the circular economy.
