Tires are more important to the safety of your car than most people realize. Without properly functioning tires, you take longer to stop, don’t have the grip you need to stay safe, and can end up in a roadside emergency. While shopping for new tires probably isn’t as fun as say, shopping for a new TV, it’s a necessary and important part of vehicle ownership. If you aren’t sure about your tires, we here at Lindsay Tire Automotive & Accessories have a few tips to help you determine when your tires need to be replaced.
First, keep a mental (or physical) tally of how long you’ve had your tires and the mileage. This will give you a general timeframe of when you need to start considering new tires. If you’re not sure about mileage or timing, a mechanic can give you some ballpark numbers to watch out for.
Next, use the penny trick! When tire treads are worn, the grip your tires have on the road is substantially less. If you place a penny, Lincoln-head down, into the tread of your tire, you have an instant handy tire tread gauge. If the tread covers the top of Lincoln’s head and eyes, you are good to go. If you can see the top of Lincoln’s head, you need some new tires.
Additionally, look at your tires regularly! It takes just a few seconds to do a visual inspection of your tires before you get in the car. Look for cracks, bulges, blisters or punctures. Are the tires wearing evenly? What about the tread? Just keeping an eye on these things can send off some red flags when you need to change your tires.
For more tire tips, come see us at Lindsay Tire today!