The tires on your car, truck, or SUV provide many critical services to ensure your safety, comfort, and vehicle handling. When you notice the ride or handling of your car feels slightly different, or the tires look worn, please make it a priority to schedule tire service with the team you know you can trust at Jenkins Auto Group. Our 19 locations in Florida and team of skilled automotive experts are ready to provide an honest and reliable evaluation of your tires and a professional recommendation for any maintenance or replacements needed to ensure your safety.
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Where the Rubber Meets the Road
The part of a tire in contact with the pavement at any given time is called the contact patch. In most cases, the contact patch of the average vehicle tire is roughly the size of an adult's hand. That small percentage of the tire surface is all that is providing traction and control for your vehicle. In addition, if the tire inflation changes by only 10%, the size of the contact patch can also be altered by 10%. While that might sound appealing, know that the part of the tire in contact with the road could be a bulging sidewall not designed to handle that stress and wear. Proper inflation of each tire is essential in getting the most out of your investment in tires and the highest level of safety. Finally, properly inflated tires can impact fuel efficiency by over 3%.
The Importance of Tire Rotations
When you purchase tires, you are provided with an estimate of the mileage expected from the set. However, if you fail to have the tires rotated every 7,500 miles, that number declines significantly. The rotation and wear of each tire will vary based on its placement on your vehicle. Having the tires rotated regularly will balance the wear pattern and provide the most longevity for the tires without compromising your safety.
Wheel Alignment and Balance Are Essential
As mentioned earlier, the wear pattern on a tire's tread will vary based on its positioning on your car. However, it is essential to understand that if the wheel alignment and balance of each wheel are incorrect, that wear will occur exponentially faster than a properly aligned and balanced wheel. So, when it is time to rotate your tires, you could find that one wheel is out of balance or alignment has excessive wear and cannot be moved to another location on the vehicle.
You could notice that a wheel that is out of alignment makes the steering feel as if it is pulling to one side. If the wheel is out of balance, it could feel as if it is bouncing along the road rather than rolling smoothly along the road surface. When you notice these or any other changes or issues with your vehicle's handling, a trip to Jenkins Auto Group for tire service is vital. Not only will this precaution avoid costly damage to your tires, but it will also ensure your safety and the proper handling and responsiveness of your vehicle.
If you have questions or concerns about your vehicle's tires, Jenkins Auto Group service department is just a call or click away.