Hello, my name is Nick. This is my new auto blog. Have you ever wondered about how you can improve the look and functioning of your auto? If so you are in the right place. I live in a large house in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia and my house has as many garage parking spots as it does rooms. And believe me, it has a lot of rooms. I like to collect classic cars and then work on them to restore them to their former glory. In doing this, I have learnt lots of cool tricks. I would like to share some of these tricks with you here.
Maintaining your car's tyres and wheels doesn't take much if you know what needs to be done. With the right care, you can improve the lifespan of your tyres, ensuring you don't have to replace them more often than you should. You will also improve your driving experience by improving safety and handling. Read on for more information.
Wheel balancing
Wheel balancing entails making sure that all four tyres are on the ground at the same level. Wheel imbalance is caused by wheel change, rough driving conditions and accidents. Poorly balanced tyres promote poor vehicle handling and tend to pull the vehicle to one side. It also creates uneven tyre wear, reducing the longevity of some of your wheels.
Wheel alignment
Wheel alignment involves programming your car's wheels parallel to each other. Poorly aligned wheels tend to vibrate when moving at high speeds and reduce vehicle handling, especially when making turns. Your vehicle's wheel alignment can be altered after hitting potholes, being in an accident or covering set mileage. Check your manual for the mileage information.
Tyre pressure
Tyre pressure is yet another maintenance service that should be carried out often. Luckily, you can monitor the pressure of your tires using gauges wherever you go. Tyre pressure should be checked often and topped up to manufacturer levels. The right tyre pressure is important to avoid poor handling, braking and wear of your rims and tyres.
Terrain tyre change
Another thing to look out for is the ability of your tyres to handle different terrains. Your tyres should be equipped to handle different ground conditions such as wet, dry, muddy or rocky. For this reason, tyre change is important when switching between summer and winter. This ensures your car has better braking and handling. Tyre change should also be carried out when going off road.
Tire rotation
Tire rotation involves switching tyre positions to ensure even wear. Front tyres are switched with those at the back, usually mid way during their lifespan. Sometimes, only one side is rotated to ensure one side doesn't have more wear than the other. Your mechanic can recommend this depending on the drive system of your car.
For most of these services, making sure your wheels and tyres are road-ready only takes a few minutes. The cost is also quite a small fraction compared to buying new tyres or replacing a rim. Talk to your wheel mechanic and get a schedule for wheel and tyre maintenance. For easier care, carry out tire rotation, wheel balancing and wheel alignment at the same time.
Share15 January 2015
