Are your tires going bald? Are you slipping and skidding on the roads? Is your vehicle pulling hard to one side or another?
New Tires
It may be time to replace your tires. This is a good idea as we head in to the winter season where the streets become wet and icy. You want to have good traction and that starts with healthy tires.
Tire Tread Inspection
The first step is to check out the tire treads on all four of your tires. You can look at the tread depth. Using is a penny is an easy trick. Put it in the deepest part of the tread with Abe's head facing down. If there is any space between the top of his head and the edge of the tread, you will want to get your tires replaced as soon as possible. This is a sign they are dangerously low.
Wheel Alignment
You can also look at the consistency of the tread wear on each tire. Even if you have been keeping up with regular tire rotations, the treads could be wearing out unevenly. You may see thinner sections along the edges of certain tires, or a number of other inconsistencies in the tread wear. Uneven tread wear is generally a sign that your wheels are out of alignment. It's a good idea to get your wheel alignment checked and adjusted, as well.
Other Services
Uneven tire tread can also be a side effect of brake, wheel bearing or suspension system problems. Before you just go ahead and replace the tires, you may want to have everything inspected. That way, you will get better performance and more life out of your new tires once they are installed. Then, of course, you should always keep up with tire rotations every 5,000-6,000 miles to keep the tread wear as even as possible across all four tires.
If you are in the Northern Delaware area and want to schedule a tire replacement, wheel alignment check or brake/suspension inspection before the worst of the winter weather hits, call Fox Run Auto at (302) 597-9205 or schedule your service appointment online.