The Summer Road Trip Tire Inspection Guide

Summer is the perfect time to hit the open road and enjoy a road trip with friends and family. Whether you’re planning a weeklong journey or just a weekend trip, it’s important to have your car in top shape before you head out. A vehicle that’s in good repair will be safer and drive more efficiently.

The condition of your tires is one of the most important aspects of your car’s health. Proper tire maintenance in Athens County, OH can help keep you from getting in an accident or losing gas mileage. Use this checklist to get your tires ready for your next summer road trip.

Before You Hit the Road

Most of these inspections can be done yourself, but it’s always a good idea to visit an auto repair shop before a big road trip to make sure your tires are in good working order:

• Tire pressure: Tire pressure is often overlooked by drivers on road trips. Even a slightly deflated tire can cause you to lose fuel efficiency. Even worse, tires with too little pressure are at risk of blowouts due to the friction caused by the low pressure. Before your trip, make sure you know how to check your tire pressure and the pressure rating of your tires. This way you can check them while on the road to make sure they’re still in good shape.
• Tire tread: Similar to tire pressure, the tread on your tires is important to the overall safety of your vehicle. Tires that have too little tread are much more likely to skid on the road’s surface. When you drive on tires with low tread in wet weather, you increase your chances of hydroplaning. Check the depth of your tire tread using a penny. Simply put the penny upside down into the groove of your tire. If you can see the top of Lincoln’s head, you’ll need new tires.
• Check your spare: Inspecting your spare tire before a trip is just as much a part of tire maintenance in Athens County, OH as inspecting your driving tires. It may even be more important. If you end up with a flat while on the road, the last thing you want is to find out that your spare tire is in poor condition. Check your spare tire before leaving for your trip and make sure you know how to use it and the included tools to change your tire.
• Alignment: Proper alignment makes your car easier to drive and helps your tires to wear more evenly. If you’ve noticed that your vehicle pulls to one side of the road or vibrates when you’re driving over a certain speed, you may need to have your wheels aligned. Proper alignment keeps your tires from wearing down unevenly. Tires that wear evenly over time will last longer than tires that are out of alignment. Visit your local tire shop to have your wheels aligned before you take to the road for your trip.

Making Sure You’re Road Trip Ready

Make your road trip less stressful by having your tires properly maintained before you go. Visit Dana’s Tire Center for your tire maintenance in Athens County, OH today!

Categorised in: Tires

This post was written by Writer