All about Tires
Tire safety is incredibly important and should be a priority in maintaining your safety on the road. Your tires are the only thing between your vehicle and the ground. Tires aid in carrying your vehicle, braking, traction, and direction. Without them, you would not be getting too far.
Ways you can ensure tire safety at home:
Proper Air Pressure
One way to ensure tire safety is to be aware that each of your vehicles’ tires have the correct air pressure. It is common to hear that your tires should have a psi of anywhere from 32-35 psi, but your vehicles’ manufacturer has a recommended psi for your car. You will find this information in your owner’s manual or inside you driver side door on the door placard. The Placard has other useful information about your tire size as well. Maintaining proper tire pressure will increase the longevity of your tires as improper tire pressure my cause rapid or irregular wear leading to premature tire replacement.
Check Tread Wear
Another way to provide peace of mind regarding tire safety is to check your tire’s tread wear. Tread stabilizes your vehicle in wet conditions (which are not uncommon here in Florida) and aids in traction. Without tread on your tires, you are likely to lose control on slick roads. Tires have tread indicators or wear bars, and when the tread is worn down to the level of those indicators, it is time to replace your tires. This provides a visual indicator of when your tires are ready to be replaced. A common way to check the tread on your tires is the penny test.
The Penny Test
The penny test is a simple test you can perform at home to determine if your tires are in need of being replaced. Take a penny and hold it with the Lincoln head upside down. Place it on the tread indicator, ensuring it’s not sitting in the groove. If Lincoln’s entire head is visible, it is time to replace your tires. This means your tires tread is worn down at or below 1/16th of an inch. If part of Lincoln’s head remains covered, your tires likely have tread left and are good to remain in use.
If you think your tires need to be replaced or serviced, come by Transmission Doctor and Auto Care in Alachua, FL. We are a complete tire shop and are able to service most tires same day. Come by or call us today. As always, we are here to help.
