Saturday, June 3, 2017

6 Things You Need To Know About Your Tires

DURAND, Mich., –– At Graff Durand, our main priority if your safety out on the road, and we would like to take this time to educate you on perhaps the most important component of your vehicle outside of the engine, your tires! A vehicle's tires do a lot more than people realize and can effect its performance in major ways. So read on to learn 6 things you need to know about your tires!

6 Things You Need To Know About Your Tires

What is the main cause of tire damage?

You might think it would be getting punctured by a rock or something sharp out on the road, but most of the time, it's improper inflation. Driving on deflated tires can cause a number of issues, but keeping them properly inflated will improve your fuel economy, keep your handling at top performance, and extend the life of your tires in general. Now, your tires will naturally deflate over time, but regularly checking their pressure and adding more air when they need it will help keep them in good condition. Think your tires are full? According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, only 19% of drivers properly inflate their tires. So next time you're out by your vehicle, check its tires to make sure!

How much air do my tires need? 

Typically, the suggested air level is between 30-35 PSI. If you don't know how much air your tires need though, you can find the recommended PSI in your owner’s manual or on a sticker in your driver’s side door. We recommend using a tire gauge to check the PSI or you can always bring your vehicle into our service center to have checked. We'd be happy to check it for you!

How often do my tires need to be replaced?

There is not an exact time frame for when you need to replace your tires, like an oil change. It is completely dependent on how worn out the tires are. Bald tires, meaning when the tread of the tire has been significantly reduced, or abnormal bulges and uneven tread wear are all signs that it's time for a new set of tires.

How do I check my tire's tread?

If you're unsure how to tell if your tires are bald and the tread is worn past the acceptable limit, try using the "Penny Test".
  • Place a penny in the lowest tire tread grooves with the head of Lincoln pointing downward or upside down.
  • Move the penny along the groove.
  • If at any point in your tire’s tread Lincoln’s head isn’t covered by the tread, it means your tread is extremely worn and your tires aren’t equipped well enough to grip the road properly.
Otherwise, you can always bring your vehicle in to our Service Department, and one of our friendly technicians can check for you.

Why do I need to get my wheels aligned?

Bad road conditions like potholes, driving on dirt roads, and even just regular driving wear can negatively affect your vehicle’s tire alignment. Normally, you tires should remain perpendicular to the road and parallel to each other, but bumpy road conditions will slowly knock them out of alignment. If they are out of alignment, it will greatly reduce your fuel efficiency and begin to develop uneven tread wear on your tires which reduces handling and tire life overall. At Graff Durand, we offer free wheel alignments when you download our coupon off our website. While you're getting your wheels realigned at our service department, you should get them rotated as well!

6 Things You Need To Know About Your Tires

How do I know what kind of tires to choose?

That's where we come in! Our experienced team of technicians can give you a list of possible choices and inform you on each type and find the ones that meet your need and budget. You can also ask for the same brand that you had before as well. If you’re replacing just one or two tires, you should match the new tires as close as possible to the other tires you already have for the best handling and even tread wear. You can also use our Tire Finder online to figure out what type of tires are recommended for you vehicle!

So if your tires look bald, have uneven wear, or are constantly deflating, it may be time to consider getting a new set. Remember, a new set of tires can improve your vehicle's fuel efficiency and handling. If you have any other questions after reading through these 6 things you need to know about your tires, feel free to give our friendly staff a call! They'll help answer any automotive or tire related questions you may have!

Located at 9009 East Lansing Road in Durand, MI 48429, Hank Graff Chevrolet Durand wants to revolutionize your car buying experience. We’ll bring all the transparency and customer satisfaction you need while making the buying experience fun! If you have any questions be sure to contact us at (989) 288-2657 or head over to our website at www.GraffChevyDurand.com! We are proud to serve Durand and the surrounding communities of Owosso, Flint, Genesee Charter Township, Swartz Creek, and Corunna.

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1 comment:

  1. Great tips!
    Finding repairable cars and donor cars to get parts is easier and faster if you search in a website that offers salvage cars for sale at auctions open to the public.

    You will find cars of every make and model, from insurance companies, financial institutions, auto dealers and for sale by particular owners, with damage from flood, collisions, repossessions, hail, donations and more, some easy to repair and others excellent to start a new restoration project.
    Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete