These habits will clearly damage your tires
With time, car tires wear out and need replacement. Regular maintenance can prolong the life of tires and maximize road safety. Changing the way that you drive can also make a lot of difference in the way your tires wear. Some driving habits can accelerate tire wear and reduce their lifespan. Here are the eight driving practices you must avoid to prevent damage to your tires:
Slamming into Curbs and Potholes
Potholes, debris, driveway dips, curbs, and other hazards can cause serious damage to the tires. If you hit a pothole hard enough, it can cause the tires to become punctured, lose alignment, and sometimes, the damage could be irreparable. While it is important to avoid hitting potholes and other obstacles, sudden swerving can be dangerous. If changing lanes is not safe, simply slow down to minimize the impact.
Under or over inflation
It is absolutely essential to keep the tires inflated to the right level. An under-inflated tire tends to wear out its tread on the sides and an over-inflated tire wears out its tread in the middle quickly. Under-inflated tires also crack with time. When tires are properly inflated, they wear down evenly and hence, perform well. It also improves fuel economy and prolongs the lifespan of the tires. You also get better traction and the overall driving experience is more comfortable.
Not doing a proper tire rotation
It is important to rotate your car tires every few months to ensure that they wear evenly. It is equally important to not let the tires sit idle for a long time because unused tires will deteriorate and begin to crack. It will eventually damage the tire to a point where it becomes unusable.
Sudden and unnecessary braking
Hitting the brakes hard or more frequently than necessary can cause the tire threads to get worn out. Sudden braking attempts to lock the tires before they come to a complete stop, causing them to slide along the pavement till they lose momentum. It decreases the overall traction and reduces the lifespan of the tires.
Driving at top speeds
Driving at very high speeds-above your tire’s maximum speed can cause your tires to heat up and result in premature wear. It also causes damage to the vehicle’s suspension, engine, transmission and brakes.
Dry steering-playing with tires while parked
Some people have the habit of playing with the steering wheel while the car is parked. While it may seem like a harmless, inadvertent action, it can cause damage to the tires. Dry steering makes the tires swivel left and right, and this puts pressure on the treads. Doing it frequently and repeatedly can cause the tires to develop bald spots and wear out.
Using bad shock absorbers
Bad shock absorbers can lead to uneven tire wear in the form or scalloping or cupping. Cupping means that certain spots of the tire have excessive wear. A failing shock absorber will cause the tire to bounce and it will hit the road at different points. This causes uneven patches on the tire we see in scalloping/cupping.
Overloading the vehicle
Overloading your vehicle can cause serious damage to your tires and even lead to blowouts. Check your vehicle owner’s manual to find out the car’s gross vehicular weight rating to make sure you are not overloading your vehicle.
While bad driving habits can be hard to break, making some conscious efforts to take good care of your vehicle can save a lot of money. Visit our repair shop to have your vehicle inspected for any signs of premature wear. Our auto experts can pinpoint the cause and fix the problem.