As summers arrive, families and friends are all packed up and set to go on trips. While planning these tips, most people plan their dates, locations, food, stay, and more. However, they still miss out on one of the most essential aspects of the trip. If a group of people is planning to go on a road trip, they are likely to miss out on preparing their car. Perhaps, this is what makes most road trips a sour experience for people.
Just like humans, cars too need to prepare themselves well before embarking on a journey. This preparation largely comes in the form of car maintenance. Activities like tyre alignment, engine cleaning, oil refilling, etc. prepare the car for a road trip. Since tyres do a lot of heavy-hitting on the road, they are of utmost concern whenever a car is taken to a maintenance shop for servicing. Tires need to be in tip-top condition before people begin their long journey. With that said, here are some tire maintenance tips you should not miss out on before deciding to go on a holiday trip:
1. Go for tyre rotations:
A wheel alignment usually goes along with tyre rotation. Since both activities are related to tyres, they are mostly carried out in parallel. The rotation of tyres is related to the movement of tyres from a position. Swapping activity allows car service providers to switch either front tyres to the back or left side tyres to the right.
This shifting activity is mostly carried out on the basis of the drive mode of a car. So, a car with front-wheel drive may not have the same tire rotation as a car with four-wheel drive. Taking a car on the trip after carrying out such kind of activity ensures a smoother experience and boosts fuel economy. It may also prevent any kind of unexpected damage due to uneven tire tread. Driving a car with uneven treads can risk the safety of a car by not being able to provide proper grip and traction on rough roads full of gravel and slick. Such tyres usually blow out, leading car owners to spend excessive money.
2. Inflating the tyres:
Most car owners neglect to check their tyres before going on a trip. A proper air level is essential to moving a car atop roads for hundreds of miles. One can address this issue by refilling tyres at a refueling station. Additionally, one can also keep a handheld pump handy in case one needs to refill tyres during a journey. However, one must ensure that tyres are well inflated. Tyres should be neither overinflated nor underinflated for optimal results. Side effects of improperly inflated tyres include uncomfortable drive, bad handling performance, and excessive tread wear.
3. Inspect tyre pressure:
Apart from tyre alignment, low tyre pressure is regarded to be one of the most affecting factors behind a bad tyre. It shares a direct relationship with the air levels of the tyres and the temperature at which the car is driven in. So, if a car is driven in regions with lower temperatures; it can effectively thin out air from the tyres. For example, for every -12 degree Celsius of drop, car tyres lose out 1-2 psi pressure.
An underinflated tyre is easily affected by such kind temperature-related issues, making a car deliver a slow, sluggish, poor performance. Hence, a car owner must always practice filling the air with optimal pressure at the time of refilling the gas. This habit ensures that the car owner has all-controlling privileges without any kind of influence.
4. Assess tyre’s condition:
A tyre’s condition can determine how far a car can go. Thankfully, assessing car tyres is quite easy and can be done directly with naked eyes. Treads are one the most essential parts of a car tyre. Hence, most people focus on assessing the condition of tread depth and tread wear patterns.
These patterns help in determining a probable reason behind their damage. It helps inspect who is the actual reason behind such critical damage. For instance, if an interior or exterior edge of the car tyre is wearing out speedily, a bad wheel alignment may be the culprit behind the damage. Similarly, if the central area of a tyre tread is rubbing out quicker, the car tyre may be inflated more than usual. On the other hand, if a car tyre is underinflated then the edges may wear out quicker than usual. A penny test can help determine tread damage and prevent car tyres from any kind of damage.
5. Go for wheel alignment:
Wheel alignment, also known as tyre alignment refers to a car suspension’s adjustment. All vehicles work on the principle concept of a system that connects the body of a vehicle to the wheels. This alignment is primarily concerned with the configuration of the wheels themselves.
Lack of a proper tyre alignment may put the safety of a car owner at risk. This is because cars with bad alignment may draw over to one side of the road. Possible side effects include steering wheel vibration. To avoid such kinds of unexpected hiccups, it’s best for car owners to get a proper wheel alignment service and boost the life of car tyres.
6. Pack in limits:
Car tyres have a limited carrying capacity. Hence, travelers must always insist on packing as much judiciously as they can. This capacity is demonstrated with the help of maximum weight recommendations stamped on sidewalls of tyres.
Sticking to suggested carry limits ensures that the car performs optimally with the best fuel economy. It also helps evade any kind of handling-related issues.
These are some of the top maintenance tips one must take note of before going for a holiday road trip. Apart from tips, a car owner must also practice regular car servicing and tyre replacement from time to time. This ensures that the car keeps moving on and on for hundreds of miles seamlessly.