Keeping your tires properly inflated and regularly checking the tread can save you money and keep you safe!
Under- or over-inflation of tires can:
- cause uneven tread wear
- weaken your tires
- reduce traction
- impact gas mileage
- reduce the number of miles you get out of your tires
Eventually, you could have inconvenient flats or even dangerous blowouts. Over-inflation means the weight of your vehicle is not distributed evenly across the entire tread but is instead concentrated on a thin strip in the center. Under-inflation means the tire is soft and the outside edges work harder than the softer center. The extra rolling resistance makes your vehicle work harder to move and it can reduce gas mileage.
Be sure to check your tire pressure regularly and maintain the recommended pressure listed in your vehicle's owner's manual. You can usually find this recommended pressure on a sticker posted in the trunk, on the door pillar or in the glove compartment.
Each of your tires will wear differently due to its position and the type of vehicle you own. So tires will wear evenly, remember to balance and rotate your tires according to manufacturer's recommendations.
To check tread wear, use "the penny trick:"
1. Insert a penny into the tread groove with Abe Lincoln's face showing, but with his head upside-down.
2. If you can see all of Abe Lincoln's head, it's probably time to replace your tires
