A car or pickup truck’s owner will have plenty of repair and maintenance upkeep to keep track of, and this even includes mundane hardware such as the car’s wheels, rims, and tires. Not to be taken for granted, car tires and rims are really what a car drive well, and damaged or worn out products should be replaced at once. What is more, car tires may be replaced with different models with particular conditions in mind, such as rugged off-road tires for leisurely driving or tires with excellent grip designed for winter conditions. When a car’s owner is looking for tire stores or tire shops, they may look online if they don’t already know a place, and call them to see if they offer off-road tires or winter models in particular. These off-road tires may come in a variety of brands, and car enthusiasts and stunt drivers in particular may have need for off-road tires. What about regular tire and rim maintenance needs?
Taking Good Care of Tires
Any car will have a set of four tires, and a responsible car owner will keep track of when they have new tires fitted on or note when the tires are rotated. Even the best brand name tires will wear out or get damaged over time, and old tires are a real problem to drive on. What might go wrong? Older tires will start to slowly but constantly deflate, even if they are not punctured, and refilling them only delays this problem a bit. These partially deflated tires greatly reduce the car’s fuel efficiency (which no one will like), and these tires may even make the car’s performance erratic and unsafe. A number of traffic incidents take place each year because of partially deflated tires like these. What is more, old tires may have their grips worn out, and these slippery tires may be a real hazard as a result. This may be especially true in icy, snowy or rainy conditions.
Tires may also deflate or even explode when they suffer massive trauma. For example, a car’s driver may run over sharp and hard objects by accident, such as broken glass or scrap metal, and puncture their tires. Some car owners are able to fit on a spare tire, while others may have to call a tow truck to haul them to a tire shop. There is also the possibility of vandalism, when a person slashes a tire to let out all the air and ruin it.
Fortunately, since many Americans drive cars, there are just as many tire shops to visit for new tires. A car owner may get regular tires rated for a road (such as for commuting), or they may look for off-road tires or winter-designed tires for hazardous driving conditions. During winter, when roads have ice and snow on them, a car owner may opt to have rugged tires with excellent grip installed. At any rate, new tires are tough and will not deflate like old ones will. How often should this be done, though? A general rule is to have tires rotated every 3,000 to 6,000 miles of driving, or have tire rotation done alongside oil changes for the car. Meanwhile, it may be a good idea to have tires aligned and balanced every 5,000 to 6,000 miles of driving, and doing this may maximize each tire’s lifespan and performance.
What to Know About Rims
A car’s tires alone do not make it go. The car’s wheels will also have rims, often made of aluminum, fitted on them to create their shape. The rims also hold the tires. Car rims are relatively soft metal, and a car’s owner should look out for an unexpected dents, scratches, or other damage on the rims or hubcaps. If damage is spotted, the rims may be removed or repaired, and dents in the rims or hubcaps can be pounded out. And if the rims or hubcaps get dirty, such as from splashed mud, that dirt can be washed right off. However, steel wool should not be used to scour off grime, since steel wool may scratch up the aluminum’s surface. Car enthusiasts, meanwhile, may install stylish new rims, or rims geared for street racing on their cars.