Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles

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Changing seasons means a change in tire maintenance

Tires manufactured to address different conditions will add performance and stability when the weather is adverse.

With warm weather on the horizon, now is the time to get your car in gear. Most people know that higher temperatures mean more wear and tear on your car’s engine and fluids, but tires are also at risk.

Between higher temperatures and longer road trips, tires bear quite a burden. With a little TLC drivers can ensure a safe trip every time.

“ Probably the biggest thing is changing tires for the seasons,” said Bill VandeWater, consumer products manager for Bridgestone Firestone.

“An all-season tire is fine for many parts of the country, but obviously it does not perform as well as summer tires or winter tires, or we wouldn’t need either of those specialized tires,” he said. “In adopting the summer tire/winter tire concept, you are getting the best tire available for each season.”

While winter tires feature small blocks that create biting edges for gripping snow and ice, summer tires need big blocks for a stable platform for gripping and cornering, VandeWater said.

In addition, the tread compounds in summer tires stay soft for better gripping in higher temperatures, he said. In contrast, winter tires, designed to stay soft in cold temperatures, will become too soft in the summer heat and wear quickly.

With this in mind, drivers would do best to put those winter tires away until cold weather hits and switch to an ultrahigh-performance or high-performing touring tire.

Ultrahigh-performance tires provide the ultimate handling, according to VandeWater. They will make the family sedan drive like a sports car, but they will also wear more quickly. High-performing touring tires offer slightly slower steering, but the grip is far superior to a basic all-season tire. Touring tires offer a comfortable ride for long road trips and wear less quickly than their high-performance counterparts, he said.

Regardless of the type of tire drivers choose, heat is still a top adversary.

“Heat is the No. 1 enemy to a tire’s life,” VandeWater said. “Increased heat buildup in a tire can break down the rubber bonds both within the rubber and between the different components in a tire.

“That’s not to say that properly maintained tires won’t perform as expected. Tires are designed to perform under some very high temperature conditions,” he added. The first and most important maintenance check that drivers can perform on their tires is a monthly inflation pressure check.”

Tires typically lose one pound per square inch each month due to normal leakage around the rim and valve and from air permeating through the rubber, according to VandeWater.

“It doesn’t sound like much, but if the air pressure in your vehicle’s tires is left unchecked for extended periods of time this loss of pressure can add up quickly,” he said.

It’s no wonder that at any given time about one in four cars is driving on a significantly under-inflated tire, according to a 2001 study by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. Low tire pressure can lead to increased deflection, which forces the sidewalls and tread to bend and generate heat.

“More deflection means more heat,” VandeWater said . “A typical tire is deflecting about 700 to 800 times per mile. That’s a lot of heat buildup, so it’s important that tire inflation be checked monthly.”

Drivers should check tire pressure regularly and pay special attention during long road trips.

“Summer is a time for trips — frequently long, high-speed trips. Typically, these are family outings with higher vehicle loading than most of the rest of the year,” VandeWater said. “Take another second to make sure everything is right by inspecting your tires.”

Longer drives for family outings bring an additional threat to tires.

“Typically, vehicles are driven more miles in the summer,” VandeWater said. “This means there are more opportunities to encounter objects on the road surface that can lead to punctures, cuts, etc.”

Safe driving means frequent checks for any signs of cuts, snags, tread wear and irregular wear.

“As a tire’s tread wears down, wet performance typically drops. Worn tires will hydroplane at lower speeds and overall wet traction, during that sudden rainstorm, will be reduced,” VandeWater said.

Irregular tire wear can be an indication of a bigger problem and should be taken seriously. Shoulder wear, center wear, diagonal wear or heel-to-toe wear may be a sign of improper vehicle alignment or it may indicate problems with the overall vehicle configuration, he said.

“Tire rotations every 5,000 to 7,000 miles will even out these irregular wear tendencies and help you get the most wear from your tires,” he said.

For more information on proper tire maintenance, including detailed instructions on measuring inflation pressure, visit www.tiresafety.com, sponsored by Bridgestone Firestone. Visitors can also register to receive e-mail reminders on tire maintenance.

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