Have you checked your car tires lately? If not, it’s probably time to take a look at your car tires and make sure they are still in good shape. Ideally, we should all be checking our tires very routinely and we have some tips for you on how to take care of your tires & keep your tire maintenance simple. Try to make it a habit to start looking at your car tires every time you put gas in your vehicle. Even better, make it a point to take a closer look and inspect all of your tires at least once per month. Rancho Cal Insurance Services understands that tire maintenance is important to keep you safe on the road, and we want to help you. Have you heard of the Penny Test or Quarter Test? It’s a simple test for your tire maintenance and we’ll explain it below. We’ve put together a list of of items to help you with your tire maintenance.
Tire Maintenance Tips
- Tire Maintenance Tip #1: Check for Worn Tires:
- Penny Test: Hold the penny vertically & place it in the tread grooves with Lincoln’s head pointing down. If you can see all of Lincoln’s head, you need new tires.
- Quarter Test: Hold the quarter vertically & place it in the tread grooves with Washington’s head pointing down. If the tread doesn’t touch Washington’s head, you need new tires.
- Tire Maintenance Tip #2: Check for Flat Tires: A flat tire doesn’t always mean you need a new tire, which is great news. Depending on what caused the flat, and if there is any damage to the tire, it may be a simple fix. Many of the tire stores will fix your flat tire for free.
- Tire Maintenance Tip #3: Check the Tire Air Pressure: This is so important for the life expectancy of your tire. Under inflated or over inflated tires can cause wear damage to your tire tread. Be sure to check you have adequate tire pressure routinely. All you need to check the tire pressure is a tire pressure gauge, which you should keep in your vehicle. Your ideal tire pressure for your tires can be found listed on the inside of your car door or in your owners manual.
- Tire Maintenance Tip #4: Have Your Tires Rotated: This is the simplest way to extend the life of your tire. It’s generally recommended to have the tires rotated every 3000-5000 miles, or twice a year.
- Tire Maintenance Tip #5: Check Tire Balance & Alignment: Keeping the tires balanced and your vehicle in alignment are crucial tire maintenance items that you should be aware of. Always have your tires balanced if you have new tires put on, or you have a flat repair. The vehicle alignment should be done if you notice the car is pulling to one side or the other while you drive, or if an unusual tread wear pattern has appeared on your tires which may signal that your car is out of alignment.
Tire maintenance is a crucial step in keeping safe on the road. Grab a penny or quarter today and check your tire tread, it really is as easy as it sounds. Rancho Cal Insurance Services is here to help you with your home insurance, auto insurance and business insurance. Conveniently located in Murrieta, we have been helping our friends and neighbors in Temecula, Murrieta, Winchester, Menifee, and all over California for many years with their auto insurance, home insurance, and business insurance and we would love to help you too.
