EXPLORE THE “WHY” BEHIND TIRE MAINTENANCE
Tire rotation is the process of transferring the tires on a vehicle from one position to another. By routinely rotating your tires, you’ll prevent them from wearing down unevenly. This is important because tires that experience extreme levels of wear have a higher chance of having a blowout, especially while driving at high speeds. Let’s take a deeper look at why tires need rotating and realignment, along with the benefits you can enjoy when you keep up with your tire maintenance.
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WHY DO TIRES NEED TO BE ROTATED AND REALIGNED?
When you drive a car frequently, you’ll need to get the tires rotated and realigned regularly. This is because tires that don’t get rotated will wear down at different rates, causing the overly worn tires to lose their usefulness more rapidly. For example, if your car has front-wheel drive, your front tires do most of the hard work while driving, meaning they’ll wear down much faster than your rear tires if you don’t rotate them. Swapping the front and rear tires during rotation for a car with front-wheel drive can control how much wear both sets of tires get.
The alignment of the tires plays a key role in the function of a vehicle. When tires fall out of proper alignment, they cause the car to veer to one side instead of driving straight, even if you’re not turning your wheel. Similarly, if you drive a car with misaligned tires over bumpy terrain, such as potholes or uneven paving, there’s an increased risk of your car’s suspension falling out of alignment.
Since any car can experience tire misalignment due to general wear on the springs over time, having a professional align your tires is crucial. When you make an appointment for tire realignment, the technician will adjust your car’s suspension system to find the perfect angle of alignment for all four tires. This helps ensure that your car stays steady and upright while driving, reducing the potential wear to your tires and the risk of accidents from straying into other lanes.
WHEN SHOULD YOU ROTATE AND REALIGN YOUR TIRES?
Everyone’s tires will wear at different rates, depending on how often you drive, whether you drive long distances, and how fast you drive on different terrains. However, the standard guidelines for tire rotation recommend taking your vehicle every 5,000 to 8,000 miles to get the tires rotated and realigned. You can get your tires realigned when you get them rotated, making it easy to get all your tire maintenance done in a single appointment. At Legacy Auto Center, you can schedule a service appointment using our simple online form and get serviced in no time.
There are also a few instances where you should take your tires in for rotation and realignment, even if you haven’t driven 5,000 miles since your last service appointment. If you notice your tires are balding, meaning the grooves that provide traction are wearing down and leaving a smooth surface, you should take your car in for a tire rotation immediately and consider replacing any significantly bald tires. Similarly, if you feel vibrations when you’re driving fast, it may mean that some of your tires have more wear than others and need to be rotated.
BENEFITS OF REGULAR TIRE ROTATION AND REALIGNMENT
There are many benefits to regularly rotating and realigning your tires, all of which can save you time and money on future repairs. Here are some of the key benefits you can enjoy when you take the time to maintain your vehicle’s tires:
IMPROVED SAFETY
The greatest benefit of regular tire rotation and realignment is the heightened level of safety you’ll have. Since poor tire alignment can increase your chances of getting into an accident, getting them realigned regularly can mitigate this risk. Additionally, rotating and realigning tires helps prevent extreme wear, ensuring you have the traction required to remain steady on the road, even in icy or wet conditions. A strong grip on the road is essential when you drive, and freshly rotated and aligned tires make it easier to take sharp turns or stop abruptly.
SMOOTH RIDE
Having your tires routinely serviced will also give you a smoother ride overall. This is because misaligned tires often cause a car to sway on the road or shake while driving. Similarly, having one or more tires with excessive wear will often result in a bumpy ride, as the worn-down tires have less traction, causing them to slip and slide on the road. To ensure you always have a smooth, straight ride, get your tires rotated and realigned whenever you notice an issue with their performance.
INCREASED LONGEVITY
By caring for your tires and making appointments for rotation and realignment at least every 5,000 to 8,000 miles, you’ll be preserving the longevity of your tires and, in turn, your vehicle. Tires that wear unevenly have a higher need for replacement, as you’ll need to replace any tires that blow out or show signs of damage to ensure you can drive safely. The damage that misaligned tires can cause to your suspension is also significant, so you can get ahead of this issue by ensuring their alignment is always perfect.
ENHANCED FUEL EFFICIENCY
Getting your tires rotated and aligned can even help you achieve better fuel efficiency. This is because tires that wear unevenly don’t all contact the road at the same time or angle, increasing the friction your car experiences. This makes your engine work harder and use more gas, so you’ll notice that you need to fuel up less frequently when your tires are perfectly aligned and freshly rotated.
GET YOUR TIRES CHECKED AT LEGACY CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM IN GARDEN CITY, KS
Whether it’s time for your routine tire rotation and realignment or you notice a problem with one of your tires, our team of expert technicians are here to help keep your tires in the best shape. Stop by Legacy Auto Center today!
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