Tire Care Guide: How to Make Tires Last Longer

Did you know that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that just 31% of single vehicle crashes were not related to tires? It’s not so simple to know exactly when to replace your tires, as they don’t have expiration dates like food does. Instead, each tire will have a treadwear rating that helps you figure out what the lifetime of your tire may be. On average, this may be around 4 to 6 years, depending on your driving style, or 15,000 to 18,000 miles per year (depending on your driving style, the type of tire and road conditions). 

But, of course, how long tires last depends on a lot of factors. Sure, the treadwear rating contributes, but taking good care of your tires plays a major part in extending the life of your tires. This article is your tire care guide. We’ll outline how you can take better care of the tires and some secret tricks of the trade to make your tires last longer. 

Check Tire Pressure

Tire pressure not only ensures that your tires have an optimal lifespan, but driving on tires that are underinflated by more than 25% are three times more likely to be involved in a crash related to tire problems (NHTSA). The pressure of your tire, measured in pounds-per-square-inch (PSI,) is the pressure of air within your tire. 

Each tire will have a recommended PSI for optimal treadwear and operation. Too low and the tire may not be able to maintain traction while on the road. You may notice that your car also has poor handling. It also puts more weight on the inner and outer shoulder of your tire, as the inner part of your tire doesn’t have the pressure to bear the weight of your vehicle. Tires should be properly inflated to maximize their potential usage, and also for better driving and handling.

We recommend keeping a pressure gauge in your glove compartment and checking your tire pressure every month (or more often when the seasons are changing). We have a guide on how to check the pressure of your tire. 

How often should you put air in your tires? As needed. At a minimum, check tire pressure at every oil change. 

Put Nitrogen in Tires?

Directly related to tire pressure, we are often asked about filling tires with nitrogen. When buying a car from a dealer, or servicing at certain mechanics, they may offer to fill your tires with nitrogen instead of regular air for a little extra charge. So what does this do? 

Regular air has a lot of different gasses in it. Sure, there’s nitrogen and oxygen, but there’s also other impurities and even water vapor. These other gasses can have a small impact on your tire’s performance over time. Most directly, related to air loss. According to Consumer Reports, nitrogen loses air a little slower than normal air, but their tests found little difference in air pressure loss when comparing "regular air" to nitrogen-filled tires.

Why put nitrogen in tires? Some people believe that high-performance cars and their tires lose air pressure faster, especially when temperatures change.  

Are there benefits of nitrogen in tires? The answer is debatable. Do you really need it? Probably not. Does it hurt anything? No, but it could make you a few dollars poorer.

Check for Valve Stem Leaking Air

As you regularly check and fill up your tire, take the time to inspect the stem of the tire valve. The stem is connected to the valve where you fill up your tire with air. Usually, this has a cap on it and a valve with a pin so that air won’t escape unless the pin is pressed in.

Always have a cap on your tire valve to prevent water and dirt from getting inside and corroding or damaging the tire valve. Additionally, look for cracks or tears around the stem of the valve. As your tires get older, the rubber may dry out and become more susceptible to this sort of damage. The tire valve is a common spot for tire damage, so pay close attention to this area when regularly inspecting your tires. 

How to fix a tire valve stem leak? This 3-minute YouTube video shows you how easy it is to repair a leaky tire valve; however, you might want to take it to your auto pro to replace. 

Check Tire Tread Depth

When inspecting your tire, you may be wondering how you can spot a tire that has treads that are too old or getting unsafe to drive on. Your tire’s tread is the part that makes direct contact with the road. You can learn more about tire treads and what they do in our separate article about this topic. 

Many modern tires have tire wear indicators built into the grooves. If the outer tread of your tire is flush with the tread indicator, it’s a sign that you need to replace your tires. You can also stick a penny in the tire groove head-first. If you can see the top of Abraham Lincoln’s head, it means it’s time to replace your tires. 

Rotate Tires and Wheels

As you drive your car, your vehicle’s weight tends to be distributed on the same parts of your tire over time. This will wear down specific sections of your tire more than others, leading to a specific, single point of failure. 

To prevent this, rotate your tires around the same time that you get your oil changed. When you rotate your tires, you change each tire’s position relative to its original position, so a new part of that tire will wear down. How you rotate your tires will depend on whether your vehicle is front-wheel or rear-wheel drive, as well as the type of tires you have. Check out the article we linked above to learn more about tire and wheel rotation!

Do Regular Tire Alignment and Balancing

When you install your tires for the first time, your mechanic will almost always align and balance your tires for you. You may have even noticed this line item on your receipt. But does it relate to tire care? 

Yes! As covered in our article on tire alignment and balancing, there are almost always slight imperfections during a tire’s manufacturing that cause it to be slightly heavier in certain spots when mounted on your car. This won’t be a big deal right away, but over time it can cause an uneven distribution of weight on your tire, making it wear out faster than it normally would. 

Wheel alignment is related to the suspension and steering of your car. While it’s fixed by adjusting the tilt of your wheels and suspension of your car, it still relates to how your tires wear down. The next time you take your car into the mechanic, or get your oil changed, check to see if they’ll align and balance your tires. 

Clean Your Tires

This tip is lower on our list because it probably won’t have as much of an impact on your tire’s performance or life. There’s a big difference between some small rocks or debris in your tire and something like a nail that punctures your tire. However, something might get in your tire that corrodes or damages your tire over time, rather than right away. 

If you go to a self car wash, take the time to use the pressure washer to clear out the debris from your tires. Several drive-through car washes will also have options for tire cleaning. 

If you want to clean your tires with a cleaning product or chemicals, make sure that you’ve let your car rest for a bit, as you don’t want to expose the hot rubber of your car to chemicals. 

Better Driving Habits

Your tires are tough, but they aren’t invincible. Potholes, skipping the curb, hitting debris, breaking hard, and driving on gravel can all damage your tires or wear them down faster. If you’ve got all-season tires that are strictly meant for on-road use, you need to be extra careful with how you treat them. Having serious damage to your tire can incur a big sudden cost!

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Photo 423122 | Valve Stem | Jason Smith | Dreamstime.com

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