While tires are a very important component of your automobile, did you know that you can learn a lot about your driving habits by how their tread wears away? Luckily you can make changes in the way you drive that can help your tires last longer. Let’s talk about the driving habits that most affect your tires.
Rounded Tires
If the shoulder (the area where the tread and sidewall meet) of your tires shows rounding, it could signal that something is wrong with your car’s suspension. However, it could also mean that you’re driving too aggressively. If you’re taking corners too hard, that can definitely cause your tires to round away at the shoulders.
Aggressive driving can also cause your tires to warp, form high or low spots, or become oblong-shaped. When driving at excessive speeds, you often have to apply the brakes harder than usual, which can also cause flat spots.
Scraped Tires
If your tires are scraped up, that’s probably from hitting the curb while driving. Scraped tires will eventually crack or bulge. Even if you don’t see scraping, you should get your tires looked at by a professional if you’ve had some bad bumps while driving. The damage from hitting a curb could be internal.
Wearing In The Center
If your tire tread is wearing down the middle of the tire but there’s no wearing on the sides, your tires are probably over-inflated. Overinflation can cause bulging, which means that there’s more pressure on the center of the tire. You should consult your owner’s manual and make sure your tires are inflated to the listed pressure.
If you see the opposite happening, wearing on the side instead of the center, then your tires are probably under-inflated. If you inflate your car to the proper pressure and you still see side wear, then your car most likely needs an alignment.
Cupping
If your tire tread looks like it’s been scooped out, then it’s suffering from cupping wear. This kind of damage is caused by constant up-and-down motion. You can often feel the tires bounce as this type of wear occurs. It’s usually a sign that you need new shock absorbers.
Feathering
You usually won’t notice feathering just by looking at your tires, but if you touch the tread and it feels like one side is worn and the other is sharp then there is feathering wear. While this can be caused by misalignment, it can also be caused by taking corners too fast.
Wearing on the Sidewall
If the tire’s sidewall shows excessive wear, then you’re probably parking too close to the curb. This is a common issue if you live in an urban area and have to park on the street a lot. Sidewall damage can eventually cause the tire to buckle.
These are just some of the tire issues that you can prevent by making a few minor changes when you drive. By doing so you can give your tires, and your budget, a longer life.
Image via Flickr by kozumel used under CC By
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