How to Know When to Replace Car Tires

Tires are arguably the most vital parts of any vehicle and they require constant care to ensure safety quality of your driving experience. Many people make the mistake of changing their car tires only when they are evidently damaged, however, there are several other circumstances when tires need to be replaced that many aren’t informed about. Doing so will not only improve the longevity of your tires, but it can actually save you unnecessary expenditures in the long run.

Wear and Tear

The most common instance of replacing tires is when there is apparent physical damage, such as a puncture from a sharp object. Punctures or objects stuck in the tread should be inspected by a mechanic to determine if they cut the tire deep enough to cause irreparable damage. In this case, there is no other option but to replace the faulty tire completely. Believe it or not, this could be the case with your flat tire as well. If you notice frequent loss of air pressure, then this is a sign that it’s better to replace it.

Worn out tires can be just as threatful to roadtime safety as much as an external puncture. The tires need to be replaced when the tread is worn out, which is most commonly determined when the tire is about 5/32′′ worn. At this point, the tread of your tires is about half worn from the original tread and requires changing. Make sure to watch out for uneven wear in your tires which often occurs due to poor alignment. Getting your tires aligned will avoid excessive and uneven treading of your tires and save you the hassle of getting them changes more often.

Seasonal Tire Changes

One of the biggest mistakes people make is not changing tires correctly according to the seasons. Whether you don’t find the time to change them or purposely keep tires on for longer than its intended season, this could harm both your pocket and the lifespan of the tires. The most common mistake with seasonal tire changes happens when drivers keep their winter tires on throughout the summer months. Winter tires are meant for rough weather conditions and icy roads and when driven during summer months they can easily bend and wear out much faster. This is why it’s crucial to drive with tires that are dedicated for each season and switch them out accordingly. If you live in the Greater Toronto Area and can’t find free time in your busy schedule to switch out your tires, opt for mobile tire change services in Toronto that will come straight to you.

Aging

Believe it or not, car tires age as well. It’s recommended to change your tires every 5 years on average. The aging of the tires may be sped up depending on driving habits and improper tire maintenance. In the case that you don’t notice any visible punctures, air pressure related issues, or weariness, the maximum age of your tires should be 10 years. Even if they are spare tires or haven’t been driven with, mechanics recommend that it’s best to switch them out for fresh ones.

Partial Replacements

There are, of course, cases when you don’t need to replace all four tires of your car. It’s more common that the front tires become worn out much quicker than rear tires. This happens when the car tires are rotated frequently, causing uneven wear. In this case, it’s best to change out the front tires to brand new ones more frequently and use the older ones on the rear if they aren’t completely worn out. You can also opt for tire rotation instead to get relatively even wear across all four tires.