Your vehicle's tires may not be as complicated as the engine or battery, but they still are one of the most important parts within your car, since they are in constant contact with the road. This means that any deterioration of your tires can have a hugely negative effect on the performance of your vehicle. One of the most important tire maintenance tasks that you need to complete is tire rotation, which helps to ensure even wearing down of all four of your tires over time. Understanding some of the warning signs that you may be overdue for a tire rotation can help you complete this important maintenance task before tire-related issues begin to appear.
Uneven Wear
Obviously, the most common sign that you need to rotate your tires is if you notice that the wear across all four of your tires is not in the same place. This is because the weight of your vehicle does not always sit evenly across all of the tires, due to different driving conditions and different distributions of weight within your vehicle. This can cause some tires to wear out faster than the rest, increasing the risk of a blow out or flat: rotating your tires can help ensure even wear across all four tires, extending all of their lifespans and reducing your repair and replacement costs.
Loss of Air Pressure
For tires that have not been rotated in a longer period of time, uneven wear can actually lead to leaks to develop in some tires over the others (or all of them at once, for extreme instances of wear). This can cause your tires to constantly lose air pressure. If you find yourself having to refill one or more of your tires with air (at a rate of more than once every few months), you likely have a leak in your tires. While rotation of your tires may not fix the current leaks, since you may have to replace your tires, you should make sure to rotate your next set to prevent this problem from happening again.
Vibrations
Finally, because of increased wear on your tires, your tires may have trouble properly gripping the road. This can lead to vibrations, either while driving at high speeds or while turning in a certain direction as your worn-out treads skid and skip over the pavement. Rotating your tires can ensure better grip with the road, and greater control over your vehicle while driving.
Contact a shop, like King George Truck & Tire Center, for more help.
A few years ago, I couldn't help but think about replacing my car. It always seemed like it was breaking, and it seemed to have severe problems running consistently. I decided that I couldn't handle the problems any more, so I decided to work hard to create a more solid vehicle by replacing some of the components. I started working with a friend who was great at auto repair work, and within a few months things were looking a lot better. I wanted to start a website all about creating a stronger, more reliable car. Check out this blog for great tips.