Your Tires and Tire Care at Hiley Mazda

Regularly ensuring that your tires are in good shape keeps you from spending extra money and time to replace them. The more you check on your tires and keep them healthy, the longer they will last. Proper tire maintenance also helps you control your vehicle more easily, which keeps you safe on the road. Read these tips to learn more about how to properly take care of your tires.

Ways to Measure the Tread Depth of Your Tire

A tire’s tread depth is the measurement from the top of the tire’s rubber to the bottom of its groove. Having the proper amount of tread depth makes it easier for you to control your vehicle, especially when driving in weather conditions like rain, ice, or snow.

The grooves in your tires capture the water on the road and remove it from the tires. This decreases the chances of your car slipping and causing you to hydroplane, so it’s crucial to regularly check the depth of your tires. Here are a few simple ways you can check their tread depth:

Reading the tread wear indicator bar

Look at your tires and find the bars at the base of the grooves on the tire—these are your indicator bars, and they’re embedded between your tread ribs. The bars are raised to 2/32nds of an inch, which is below your tread bars when your tire has high tread levels. If you notice the tread block and bars are level with each other, this means that your tire has low tread and needs to be replaced.

Using a Tread Depth Gauge

Another simple way to check the tread is by using a tread depth gauge. You can purchase these online or at an auto parts store. Find the area around your tire’s tread that looks the most worn. Stick the gauge in that spot in the middle of the tire’s tread blocks. Continue pushing the gauge down into the tire until a bar pops out of the tire gauge.

This bar tells you what the tread depth of the tire is. Carefully remove the gauge and read the number on the bar. Note the amount on the gauge and repeat this process at least two more times on different areas of your tire to confirm that the amount on the gauge is accurate.

Testing it with a Coin

You can easily see how worn your tire’s tread is with either a quarter or a penny. Take the coin and place it between the tire’s grooves with the respective president’s head pointed down. If you’re using a quarter and can see the top of George Washington’s head, your tread is too low. You should immediately have your tires replaced to avoid losing control while driving.

Don’t have a quarter? You can complete this same test using a penny. Place it between the tires’ grooves with the head pointed down, and look for Abraham Lincoln’s head. If you’re still able to see his head, your tread is low and you should replace the tires.

Checking Your Tire Pressure

It’s important to check the tire pressure on your vehicle to ensure the tires have enough air in them to function properly. If there’s not enough air inside, tires can lose their form and rub on the highway as you drive, causing them to easily fall apart.

A car’s PSI (pounds per square inch) is the amount of air you’re recommended to put in your tires based on the make and model of your car. To find this number, review your car’s manual or check the inside of the door on the driver’s side. This should tell you how much air you should have in your tires. The front tires may have different air level requirements than the back tires. Try to check your tire pressure at least once a week to ensure they have enough air inside.

To check your tire pressure, purchase a pressure gauge at an auto store or online. Remove the valve cap of the tire you want to check, and put your gauge on the stem of the valve and press hard. Once you hear a hissing sound appear and disappear, you’ll see a reading pop up on your gauge. This is the tire’s current PSI. Repeat this with all four wheels, writing the numbers down as you go so that you can refill them to the recommended PSI.

Tire Rotations

If you’ve checked your tires’ air pressure and tread depth gauge and are still experiencing issues with your car, like shaking or pulling to one side, you may need to rotate your tires. By taking your car to professional mechanics, they can check your tires to decide if they need to be rotated. The mechanics will then rotate your tires according to the intervals your vehicle’s manufacturer requires. Rotating your tires when needed can keep the tread high and extend the life of the tires by spreading the wear more evenly.

Types of Tires for Different Cars

The type of tires you need depends on the car you drive and the road conditions you’re traveling in. Here are some common types of tires and why they may be the best option for you:

• Year-long tires: If you constantly drive in changing weather patterns, all-season tires are a great option. They use a symmetrical tread pattern to keep you stable on wet roads. These tires are the most effective on sedans, minivans, and CUVs.
• Sports tires: These tires have tread patterns that help trucks and SUVs handle a variety of weather types throughout the year. They also have sipes, which are small slots molded into the surface on the tire that enhance your truck’s overall traction.
• Winter tires: If you regularly drive in areas with snow or ice, winter tires are an effective way to keep you safe. These specialty tires have deep grooves and heavy siping to keep snow from building up on your tires as you drive. This makes it easier to maintain control during rough winter weather.

Getting Your Tires Checked at Hiley Mazda

Taking care of your tires is a crucial step to ensure your safety and extend the life of your tires. Visit the service center at Hiley Mazda of Fort Worth, and our team of qualified service technicians can check and rotate your tires, if needed, to keep you safe and comfortable on the road.

If you service or repair is an expensive one, we offer auto repair financing through DigniFi.