Four Tips to Make Your Tires Last Longer for Daily Use

Whether you lease or own a vehicle, we all know the costly expense associated with replacing a vehicle’s tires. While no tire (even top brands) will last forever, there are different ways to extend the life of your vehicle’s tires. By following a regular tire maintenance routine, you can not only save money but also keep your passengers and other drivers safe on the road. We’ve compiled a list of the four top tips for prolonging the life of your tires.

Tip #1: Check Tire Pressure Frequently

We recommend that you take the time to check your tire pressure weekly. Simply unscrew the cap on your tire’s air intake and hold a tire pressure gauge, allowing the air to flow out of the tire and into the gauge. When doing this routine check, it’s important to make sure that all tires are evenly inflated.

Make sure to consult your vehicle’s owner’s manual for the recommended pressure. Depending on where you look for the recommended pressure (car manufacturer or tire manufacturer) it’s important to know that lower pressure improves drive performance while higher pressure will extend the tire’s life. At the end of the day, always avoid over-inflating your tires, as this can cause extensive tread wear and reduces its life.

Tip #2: Physically Examine Tires

While this tip doesn’t need to occur weekly, it is recommended to visually inspect your tires for any cuts, holes or extensive damage. Roads are full of debris, some of which can be extremely sharp like glass. While a piece of glass in your tire might not cause a flat tire right away, it can cause a slow leak. You can avoid this by repairing any cuts and holes that you find. For bigger damage, it’s a good idea to replace the entire tire.

Tip #3: Rotate Tires Every 6,000 Miles

Whether you rotate your tires every 6,000 miles or every time you visit a mechanic for an oil change, this tip is key for prolonging the life of your tires. Why? Keeping tires rotated will promote even tread wear. Keep in mind that each tire will wear unevenly, and tires in the front will wear differently than those in the back. Regular and proper tire rotation allows the tires to serve in all front and rear positions, which helps with even wear so that you don’t need to replace them as often.

Tip #4: Tires Should Be Properly Aligned

Best kept to the professionals, mechanics will use specialty equipment to balance and align tires to make sure that they remain perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other. If you notice poor vehicle handling or consistent pulling to the right or left, it’s time to get your tires aligned. It’s also a good idea to check tire alignment if you hit a pothole or curb at a high-speed.

There you have it, some of the top ways you can help prolong the life of your vehicle’s tires.

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