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Replacing damaged tires is not cheap, but with proper maintenance you can actually increase the life of your tires. Getting a flat tire will driving on the highway can be dangerous, and its always best to replace your tires before it gets to this point. Sometimes, it’s due to objects on the road and bad luck. However, we should still do what we can to make our tires last longer.
Buy the best tires you can afford.
Tires are not all created equal, and you will want to buy the best ones possible. However, if all you can afford are the Walmart Douglas tires then go for it. Having new tires is always better than having bad tires. Especially if you can afford an entire set of 4. Ideally, you would purchase at least a set of 2 for the front.
Some tires will actually increase the performance of your vehicle, giving you the traction for a better take-off and acceleration. Some tires are great all around the board and some are just for winter. Some tires help reduce road noise so much it’ll make you feel like you’re driving a new car. Ask someone at the tire shop and/or do some research into the pros and cons of tires available for your vehicle.
Get your tires rotated every 6 months.
Getting your tires rotated every 6 months will prevent you from having to buy new tires for a while. This is a proven and guaranteed way to make your tires last longer. When rotating your tires, make sure to check for uneven wear. Depending on the type of uneven wear you may have suspension or alignment issues. Uneven tire wear is usually from the car being out of alignment but it can be something else. Check all the suspension components while you’re working on the car.
Make sure your wheels are balanced properly.
If the wheels aren’t balanced properly then you will most definitely feel it. When accelerating past 40 is usually when most people notice the vibrations from imbalanced wheels. Imbalanced wheels will also cause uneven tire tread wear so make sure the shop you go to has a dynamic balancer machine.
Static vs Dynamic Balancing
Tires are not hard to change, and everyone is capable of changing their own tires. However, there are risks involved. First, you have to be careful not to scratch your rim. Second, you have to make sure the wheel is balanced properly. If not, you will notice vibrations after reaching a certain speed.
A static “bubble” balancing machine can be purchased for mechanic and home DIY folks to balance their own wheels. The static balancing machine is easy to operate and can work in a lot of situations.
However a dynamic balancing machine can get the most accurate balance of all and prevent vibrations at all speeds.
Recommended bubble balancer: Goplus Portable Bubble Wheel Balancer
Make sure all your TPMS sensors are programmed and working properly.
This can save you from a major problem on the road. The ability to know when your tire is getting low on air is super helpful and can save you money. Often, these tire pressure monitor sensors (TPMS) go out and we get the light stuck on our dashboard. This isn’t that annoying, but the problem is you won’t know when there’s actually a problem with one of your tires until its too late.
If you’ve been ignoring that light, then hopefully you’ve been paying attention to your tire pressures. Otherwise you’re just gambling with your safety.
90% of tire shops will be able to replace and program 4 new TPMS sensors on your car. Get them replaced the next time you’re in the tire shop. It’s cheap insurance!
Conclusion
Rotate your tires every 6 months. Check air pressure often, especially if your TPMS sensors aren’t working. Buy the best tires you can afford, they’re not all equal. You can change tires at home, as well as balance them using a static bubble balancer. Dynamic balancing is better than static but if you like to do things on your own and can’t afford a dynamic balance machine then go for it. Static balances are often okay up to 70mph. If you won’t be driving at high speeds then static balancing is going to be okay for you. In the end, just make sure to take care of your vehicle and remember that maintaining your tires properly by rotating wheels will save you money in the long run.
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