Like your Mazda flywheel, your tires need to be changed immediately once it is worn and damaged so as not to cause any untoward accidents for your vehicle. But buying news tires can be confusing, especially if you haven t done it before, and what with the myriad of tire choices out there.
But there are several things you can do to buy the best tires as well as take care of them for their longer life. When buying the right tires, you must know the right size, type, and tread.
Your owner s manual states the appropriate size and type of tires for your vehicle. The right tire size is important because an undersized tire on your car can overheat or overload the tire, while an over sized tire can cause too much friction among the parts of the car. The tire type, of course, depends on the type of car you have.
As to the tread, "mud and snow" tires (with the m+s symbol) are all season tires that have the capacity to provide good traction in snow, slush, rain, and mud. "Snow" tires should be used in areas suffering from heavy or frequent snowfall. For normal driving conditions, standard highway treads should be used. So it is better to ask your dealer as to the tread your tires need.
You also need to know the quality grade of your tire. Your new tires must meet Federal safety standards. All new vehicle tires, temporary-use spares and tires for off-road use have three ratings on a paper label and found on the tire sidewall. This case exempts snow tires. The tread wear traction and the temperature resistance are implied by these ratings. The tire grading system is neither a safety rating nor a guarantee that a tire will last for a prescribed number of miles or perform a certain way. It is established to help buyers make relative comparisons among tires. In simpler terms, it gives tire buyers additional information to combine with other considerations, such as price, brand loyalty, and dealer recommendations.
Tire quality grades are one of the considerations in looking for the best tires. These are set by the manufacturers after performing tests designed by the government. As a result, all tire dealers are required to provide buyers with a leaflet that explains these grades and shows the grades of the tires they sell.
Tire quality grades include tear wear, traction, and temperature resistance. A Consumer Guide to Uniform Tire Quality Grading is available for free from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This guide has the lists of grades of all tires and will help you compare various brands.
When you buy tires, they should be registered so that you can be reached if something wrong on the safety is detected. In some cases, the dealer will register the tires for you. But if the dealer does not, ask them for a tire registration form to send back to the manufacturer. If in case a notification letter is given to you, see your dealer for inspection or free replacement of the tire.
Say you now have your new tires. The next thing to do is maintain it to avoid costly repairs and replacements.
It is important to maintain the proper air pressure in the tires. For routine driving, check tire pressure every week as well as before taking long travels. But be sure to let the tires cool down before measuring the pressure.
Another important thing is keeping your tires at the manufacturer s recommended inflation pressure to ensure longer lifetime as well as fuel economy. This information can be found on either of this three: you owner s manual, label in the glove box, or near the door latch on the driver s side. On the side of your tire, you will find the maximum inflation pressure.
See to it that there is ample tread on the tire to operate safely and that the tires are wearing normally. Also make sure that all grooves are visible and deep enough. When checking the tires, also look for even wear. Your tires need replacement when there are tread wear warning bars across the tire.
Remember that bald tires are unsafe. If some parts are wearing faster than the others, consult a mechanic to immediately resolve the problem that might lead to future damages.
Also, see to it that you have no imbalanced or misaligned wheels, worn shock absorbers, or other possible problems. If in case you see or hear something unusual, immediately bring your tires to the repair shop to avoid further inconveniences.
Avoiding jack rabbit" starts and stops and fast tire screeching turns would also help prevent further damages.
And lastly, but certainly an important thing: never overload your car because it is designed to operate safely only up to their load limits.
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