Maintain Proper Tire Inflation Pressure
Maintaining proper tire inflation pressure is necessary for optimal tire performance, safety, and fuel economy. To do this, check your tires frequently (at least once a month when cold) with an accurate tire pressure gauge. For example, it's difficult to tell if a radial tire is underinflated just by looking at it.
In fact, when you're driving a vehicle equipped with radial tires, it's difficult to tell when a tire is partially or completely underinflated because the "feel" of the vehicle doesn't change significantly.
Evidence of air loss or recurrence of underinflation always requires expert inspection to determine the source of the leak and disassembly of the tire to determine the possibility of repair.
To avoid injury, never attempt to re-inflate a tire that has been run on while severely underinflated. Continued air loss can be caused by punctures, cuts, curb rubs, impacts, or partial bead displacement. Some mounting-related causes of air loss include incomplete bead seating, bead breakage from the use of a power tool due to lack of lubrication or improper adjustment, and leakage from the valve core or rubber valve components. You should replace these components when you detect any problems.
Keep Inflation Pressure At Recommended Level
This level is recommended by the vehicle manufacturer and appears on the vehicle information label or in the vehicle owner's manual. Maintaining proper inflation pressure is the most important step you can take to preserve tire durability and extend tread life.
Underinflation is the leading cause of tire failure and can result in severe cracks, component separation, or a "blowout." This condition reduces the tire's load-bearing capacity, causes excessive sidewall flexing, and increases rolling resistance, leading to increased tire temperature and mechanical damage. Excessive air pressure increases stiffness, which can negatively affect handling and may cause unwanted vibration. It also increases the chances of impact damage.
Don't Spin Your Tires Too Much
Prevent your tires from spinning excessively when your vehicle is stuck in mud or sand. Centrifugal forces generated by the freely spinning tire/wheel assembly can cause a sudden tire explosion, which can result in damage to your vehicle and/or serious injury to you or a pedestrian.
Never exceed 35 mph/55 km/h, as indicated on your speedometer. Use a gentle back-and-forth rocking motion to free your vehicle from the jam and continue driving. Never stand near or behind a rapidly spinning tire, such as while trying to push a stuck vehicle or when a tire balancing machine is in operation.
Check Your Tires For Wear
Always remove tires from service when the tread depth is 2/32" (1.6 mm). All new tires have tread wear indicators that appear as smooth ridges in the tread groove when wear reaches the 2/32" (1.6 mm) level. Many wet weather accidents result from slick or nearly slick tires. Excessively worn tires are also more susceptible to penetration.
Check Your Tires for Damage
Frequent inspection (at least once a month) of your tires for signs of wear and general condition. If you have any questions or concerns, have them inspected by an auto body shop.
You should remove and inspect your vehicle’s tire by an expert for impacts, punctures, cracks, knots, bulges, or air loss. Never make a temporary repair or use an inner tube as a substitute for a proper repair. You must repair your tires only by qualified personnel.
Don't Try to Mount Your Own Tires
Serious injury can result from tire/rim assembly explosion due to improper mounting procedures. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and match the tire diameter to the rim diameter. Mount radial light truck (LT) tires on rims approved for radial service.
Do not apply bead sealant, as bead seating may be inhibited. Lubricate the tire's bead and rim contact surfaces. Secure the assembly on the mounting machine or place it in a safety cage. Stand back and never exceed 40 psi to support the beads. Never use a volatile substance or a rubber donut to increase bead support. Only specially trained personnel should mount tires. Do not mix tires of different sizes and types on the same axle.
Warning: Before tire replacement, always consult your vehicle owner's manual and follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Vehicle handling may be significantly affected by a change in tire size or type. When choosing tires of a different size than the original, have them professionally installed to ensure they have the proper clearance, load-carrying capacity, and inflation pressure. Never exceed the maximum load capacity and inflation pressure listed on the tire sidewall.
Always drive safely and obey all traffic laws. Avoid sudden, sharp turns or lane changes. Failure to heed this warning could result in loss of vehicle control, resulting in accidents and serious injury or death. When replacing tires, you must maintain the outside diameter and load capacity of the original tires.
Never Use Tires With A Load Capacity Less Than Required
Many vehicles, such as large passenger vans, require E-load rating tires. Changing to a tire with a lower load rating, such as a D load rating, is not permitted. In other cases, tires of the same size may carry different load ratings in the service description. You must ensure that replacement tires have a load rating equal to or greater than that specified by the original equipment manufacturer.
Follow These Additional Guidelines
When installing only two tires, place the tires with the greatest tread depth on the rear axle. If radial and conventional tires must be mounted on the same vehicle, mount the radials on the rear axle. Never mount radial and conventional tires on the same axle. When installing all-season tires on high-performance vehicles, always mount them in sets of four.
Tires with different speed ratings are not recommended. If tires with different speed ratings are installed on a vehicle, they should be installed in similar pairs on the same axle. The vehicle's speed capability will be limited to that of the tire with the lowest speed rating.
The use of lifting equipment on some vehicle/tire combinations may cause instability. When changing tire sizes, always consult your dealer for the proper width and carefully check the clearance between the vehicle and the tire.
Don't Overload Your Vehicle
Check your vehicle owner's manual to determine load limits. Overloading your vehicle puts undue stress on tires and other important vehicle components. Overloading a vehicle can cause poor handling, increased fuel consumption, and tire failure. Overloading tires can result in severe cracking, component separation, or "blowouts." Never install new tires on your vehicle with a load capacity less than that indicated on the tire placard on the vehicle, and remember that optimum rim width is important for proper load distribution and tire performance.
Tire Lifespan
Tires are manufactured to provide thousands of miles of excellent service. To get the maximum benefit from tires, they must be properly maintained to prevent damage that could lead to replacement before tread wear reaches minimum depth.
It is not practical to accurately predict the useful life of any type of tire on a time-based basis since service conditions vary widely. The performance of a tire over time depends on the storage and service conditions, such as inflation pressure, load, speed, damage from road hazards, etc.
You should not rely solely on the appearance of a tire but should pay attention to any changes in dynamic performance, such as increased air loss, noise, or vibration, which could indicate that you should replace the tire. Therefore, it is essential to have tires inspected regularly, including spare tires, for proper inflation pressure, damage, and tread wear.