5 Steps for Proper Tire Maintenance

Winter weather usually means it’s time to change the tires. Caring for them throughout the winter is just as important as having them in the first place. Proper tire maintenance can mean the difference between safe travels all winter and the possibility of having an accident due to poor tire care. Here are five steps to properly maintain your winter tires this season:

1. Keep tires rotated and inflated

   Checking your tire pressure is equally important and should be done at least once per month during the cold winter season. For every 10 degrees the temperature drops, tires lose about 1 pound per square inch (or psi) of air pressure. Deflated tires reduce fuel mileage, can wear your tires out, offer less traction, and can lead to irreversible damage.

2. Keep tires balanced

   The cold can have a disastrously harmful effect on your tires, going so far as causing them to crack in some instances if unbalanced. That’s why it’s always better to buy brand new winter tires, as opposed to used ones. The rubber is in better condition and will last longer.

3. Remembering to keep tire valve caps on

   Failure to keep tire valves on can result in moisture inside the valve freezing and allowing air to leak. You’ll end up replacing your brand new winter tires before you’ve even properly broken them in and tires are expensive enough as it is.

4. Keep tires aligned

   There are three different adjustments for tire alignments: caster, camber, and toe alignment. Maintaining your tires means knowing that the toe and camber settings are the most important to the wear of your tires. The camber setting is your tires’ vertical tilt. Winter tires have to be set to the proper camber settings to keep their tread and to ensure the wear is even. Check your truck’s preferred manufacturer’s setting to find out your truck’s ideal camber setting.

5. Have your tires serviced

   Taking your truck in to get serviced on a regular basis can only lengthen the life of your tires, and helps to ensure that your air pressure and alignment settings are stable enough for the remaining winter months.

Caring for your tires is essential if you want them to do the job they were meant to do properly. That’s why it’s important to take care of your tires throughout the winter; it’s not enough to just get snow tires. Maintaining your tires properly will be extremely beneficial to you financially once the weather starts to change.

Looking to learn more about automotive care and/or a career in trucking? Georgia Driving Academy would love to help. Check out our programs page to learn about our offerings!