Want to make your tires last longer? Here’s how.

They’re the wheels that keep us going - quite literally. Without long lasting tires, you wouldn't be able to easily get to work or school in a timely and efficient manner. In this week’s Zappy’s blog, we want to provide you tips and tricks you can use to ensure your tires last long and you get your money’s worth. However, we will also educate you on when it does become time to look into purchasing a new set to ensure the safety of you, your passengers, and the drivers on the roads driving alongside you.

Slow Down!

When you drive over the speed limit, you are exceeding high velocities that can really do damage to your tires. If you take this into consideration and slowly reduce your speed you can extend the lifespan of your tires. Inspect Your Tires Frequently What do we mean by that? Well, we suggest simply walking around the exterior of your car each time you get gas to make sure there aren’t any obvious and noticeable defects with your tires and that your tread is at a safe level for driving.

Wait….What Is Tread?

We’re glad you asked! The tread of a tire or track refers to the rubber on its circumference that makes contact with the road or the ground. As tires are used, the tread is worn off, limiting its effectiveness in providing traction.

Have Your Tires Rotated Every 5,000 Miles?

In a recent article from LessChwab.com they mentioned and stressed how important it is to rotate your tires on a regular basis. “In most cars, only one or two wheels “drive” the car at a time. That can cause uneven tire wear. For example, on front-wheel drive vehicles, front tires wear faster. On rear-wheel drive vehicles, it’s the back tires. Even all-wheel drive vehicles can see uneven wear, as most shift the drive from one wheel to another. A technician rotates your tires by moving them to different wheel positions on the vehicle. That gives tires on drive wheels a rest and evens out wear. Rotation makes tires last longer. Do it every 5,000 miles.”

When Does It Become Time To Replace?

There is a really good rule of thumb that anyone can use to help determine if it is indeed that time. According to our friends at FirestoneCompleteAutoCare.com, “Place a penny head first into several tread grooves across the tire. If you always see the top of Lincoln's head, your treads are shallow and worn. If this is the case, your tires need to be replaced. If part of Lincoln's head is always covered by the tread, you have more than 2/32 of an inch of tread depth remaining.” It’s as simple as that! As always, we recommend that you seek specific automotive maintenance advice from your local and trusted shop or technician.