Ever looked at the bottom of your shoes and noticed that one area of the sole is more worn than another? The way you walk causes a wear pattern to occur as you put more weight on certain areas of your feet. If your shoe needed work, you would take it to a cobbler.
The same thing happens with your car. Just imagine your tires are the "shoe soles" of the car. The act of driving throws the auto's weight around, leaving distinctive erosion patterns on the tires. In order to combat the inevitable uneven wear, you have to rotate your tires to different locations on your vehicle. The tire specialists at Kevin's Auto Repair in Huntsville, AL can help you decide whether you need to rotate your tires or even replace them. It can be hard to tell exactly what you need, but our trained professionals work to be the best in their field, and they want to see you safely back on the road.
What Causes Wear? Tire wear can become uneven for a number of reasons. A car's weight dispersion can be a factor, especially if you have a front-wheel-drive vehicle. Not only do the tires on these have to endure the steering, braking, and accidental bruises from parking but also carry the entire weight of both the engine and the front axle. There are a lot of things that can wear out tires, such as incorrect tire pressure and uneven alignment. Also, because of the weight distribution in the car, the front tires can wear out twice as fast as the rear ones. Your tires will give you a little warning that the tread is uneven. Considering that there shouldn't be noise emanating from your tires, listen for a humming sound coming from them on smooth roads. That is a good indication it may be time to see the professionals at Kevin's Auto Repair for a rotation. Don't wait until you see uneven wear on your tires though because once abnormal tire wear occurs, it is very difficult to correct, even with the rotation.
Manufacturers recommend you rotate your tires every 6,000 to 8,000 miles. The service can be done roughly at every other oil change, depending on when you change it. At Kevin's Auto Repair, we can handle both of those services for you. If you drive your car more often than typical or have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, you may want to rotate your tires more often than that. In these cases, every 5,000 miles is recommended. If you’re concerned about whether it’s time for your tires to be rotated, stop by Kevin's Auto Repair and let us take a look. Our technicians can give you a better idea of whether you have more time left before another rotation is needed.
Why Do It? At this point, you may be wondering why you even need to be spending this much time on tire rotation. Well, for one thing, it's safer. When tires are balding, especially on the front, you are at risk of losing control while driving and getting into an accident. By rotating your tires, your vehicle's braking will be more even, thus more effective. The handling will be more balanced, and you'll notice as soon as those tires get moved around. Evenly worn tires also equate to a smoother ride, with increased traction and better gas mileage. With all your tires wearing down at the same rate, you'll be able to purchase a new set of four when the time comes instead of going in for the front tires, followed by another visit to buy new rear tires. Essentially, it makes the buying process a less frequent affair. Combine that with the result of a more efficient ride and tire rotation should sit permanently on your car maintenance checklist, no matter how dull it can be to contemplate.
If you need answers on automotive repairs or maintenance, simply call Kevin's Auto Repair today to schedule an appointment with our ASE-certified automotive technicians.
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