Driving Habits That Can Kill Your Tires

If you want to make your tires last a lot longer, you need to change your driving habits to ensure you don’t kill your tires.

Your tires are the only item on your car that touches the road. They are consumable, which means you have to replace them periodically. To ensure your tires last longer, you need to be aware of some things you might do that causes you to wear down your tires much faster than you would if you didn’t do them. Let’s look at what you’re doing wrong and then add some things you need to do to make your tires last longer.

You Don’t Need to be First

Just because you’ve pulled up to a stop light doesn’t mean you have to take off when the light turns green. There isn’t any award waiting for you to take off at a fast rate from the light. What is waiting for you is worn out tires that need replacing much sooner than if you simply took it a little easier. Back down the desire to take off and just ease away from the line next time, you’re not in a race.

Driving at Top Speeds Kills Your Tires

One of the most important driving habits that you need to change to save your tires is to avoid driving at top speeds. It can be thrilling to drive fast, but it will wear down your tires. If you want to spend time on the accelerator going fast, know the tradeoff, which is worn down tires. Your tires have a speed rating on the side of them. Don’t exceed this speed and your tires will last much longer.

Avoid Road Debris and Driving Fast Over it

We want roads that are smooth, free of debris, and without potholes, but the world doesn’t allow that. The best you can do is avoid racing over these items, especially potholes. When you see road debris, slow down and drive carefully. The best thing to di is avoid these items in the road, but when you can’t you need to go slowly. This is especially true when it comes to potholes, which can tear up your tires and your wheels.

There’s Another Chance at that Turn, Don’t Take Them Too Quickly

If you nearly miss your turn and you’re a couple of lanes away from the turn it can be dangerous to try and make the turn. When you turn too quickly, you also tear up your tires. This is one of the most essential driving habits when you want to save your tires. Turning too quickly wears down your tires and creates a dangerous situation. You’ll end up leaving rubber on the road when you race around the corners.

How Much Stuff Are You Hauling Around?

The maximum weight your tires can handle is printed on the side of each tire. If you exceed this weight, your tires won’t explode, but you will damage them. While you can probably get away with exceeding the maximum tire weight once in a while, you won’t get away with it long term. If you need to haul heavy loads regularly, find tires that can handle the load and take on the work you’re faced with every day. That way, you’re not replacing tires too often.

Stopping Too Quickly Will Eat Up Your Tires

One of the worst driving habits you can have for your tires is stopping too quickly. That jerking feeling you have when you stop eats up your tires and your brakes. You’re better off leaving more room with vehicles in front of you and stopping slowly when you come to a light or a stop sign. Sudden stops will damage your tires and cause you to spend more money than you should replacing tires more often than you should.

When Did You Last Check Your Tire Air Pressure?

The air pressure in your tires is an important part of driving. Your tires perform extremely well when they are properly inflated. You need to take a few minutes each month to check your tires and make sure the right air pressure is in them. Temperatures also impact the pressure in your tires, which means you should check them more often in winter and summer. If you don’t check your tires to ensure proper air pressure, you’ll wear them out more quickly which means you spend more on tires than you need to.

Tires Need to be Rotated, When Did You Have Yours Moved?

Rotating your tires makes them last longer, but who has the time? One of the worst driving habits for the tires you have on your car is forgetting to rotate them. Your owner’s manual offers a maintenance schedule which includes when you need to rotate your tires. Doing this regularly means that your tires will last a lot longer and the tread will wear evenly.

Alignments Matter, Make Sure Your Tires are Straight

Your tires need to roll straight and even when they are properly aligned. When your car pulls to one side of the other, the wheels need to be aligned. If you put this off, your tires will wear down unevenly and you’ll have to replace one or more of them more often. Twice a year you should have your wheels aligned and enjoy driving with your wheels pointed the right way. This little bit of maintenance will save you money down the road.

When Changing Tires, the Wheels Should be Balanced

Those little weights attached to the wheel help keep your vehicle balanced so your car can drive straight. To get the most out of your tires, you should ensure your wheels are balanced when you replace the tires. This is a normal part of the process when a mechanic replaces your tires. If you replace your tires on your own, take the wheels to a tire shop to have the wheels balanced before you put them on your car. This will help ensure your tires last a long time.