Summer Is Approaching — Is It Time To Replace Your Tires?
Posted on: 26 April 2023
While many drivers may not spend much time thinking about their tires until they're nearly bald, tires should generally be a seasonal consideration. Different climate conditions can greatly impact your tires, and the summer heat is one of the biggest threats to your car's rubber. Understanding how these changing conditions impact your tire safety can help you make more informed replacement decisions.
How Does the Summer Affect Your Tires?
Summer can affect your tires in several ways. Your tires endure large amounts of friction and heat as they travel down the road, with higher speeds creating more wear on the treads. Manufacturers design summer tires (and, to a lesser extent, all-season tires) to withstand these rigors. However, the rubber compounds in winter tires will wear much more quickly in high temperatures.
Tire pressure is another major concern. High temperatures cause the air in your tires to expand, increasing their pressure. Over-pressurization can cause numerous problems, including increased or uneven wear, poor fuel economy, and even catastrophic failure. Closely monitoring tire pressure during the summer is a critical maintenance task to avoid these issues.
What Should You Prepare Your Tires for Summer?
The best thing you can do for your tires is to follow a strict maintenance schedule. Check your tire pressure often, and schedule tire rotations about once every 5,000 miles. Rotating your tires and keeping them at the correct pressure will help ensure even, normal wear. As a result, your tires will be in better shape to stand up to even extreme summer temperatures.
Inspecting your tires before the summer heat arrives is another way to help avoid heat-related issues. You can use a penny to check for tread depth, allowing you to determine if your tires may already require replacement. You should also look for bulges, cuts, or other visible evidence of sidewall damage. A weakened tire may be more likely to fail under harsher conditions.
Do You Need to Replace Your Tires Before Summer?
There's no need to replace your tires before the summer heat arrives if you have relatively new summer or all-season tires. On the other hand, you should never drive winter tires in the heat. If you're currently driving on winter tires, you should swap them out for a different set of tires once temperatures consistently exceed the mid-40s.
For summer and all-season rubber, consider the condition of your tires. If your tread is approaching the end of its lifespan, you may want to consider a premature replacement. Likewise, replacing your tires now may be a good idea if you notice any visible damage. Since summer heat can result in greater tire wear, a preventative replacement can help you avoid a catastrophic and potentially dangerous failure.
For more info, contact a local tire shop.
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