Maintaining your vehicle is vital to extending its life and staying safe on the road as a Maryland driver. Your tires are one of the key components of your car that must be maintained regularly to avoid flats, blowouts, accidents, and premature tire replacement. Let’s take a look at what rotating and balancing your vehicle’s tires involves, and why it’s essential to have this service performed at regular intervals by a Frederick, MD auto maintenance specialist.
Tire Tread and Uneven Wear
As the only part of your vehicle that touches the road, your tires will need replaced more often than most any other component of your car. Tires experience frequent wear and tear as you drive your vehicle, and the tread on one or two of your tires will wear down more quickly than others. Uneven tire wear can be caused by:
- Underinflation
- Overinflation
- Improper alignment
- Specific driving habits
- Suspension problems
Uneven wear on your tires makes your vehicle less safe, reliable, and efficient on the road. So what can you do to fix the unavoidable uneven wear? Regular tire rotation and balancing will help your tires experience wear more evenly and keep you safer as you drive.
Tire Rotation and Balancing: The Process
During a tire rotation, your wheels will be removed and switched to a different position on your vehicle. For example, say your front driver’s side tire has lower tread than your rear driver’s side tire. Your Frederick, MD auto mechanic will swap the wheels and tires and arrange them so that a tire with more tread can take its place. Balancing the tires involves a special machine that determines whether or not the weight of each tire and wheel is balanced. If the mechanic finds that they are unbalanced, small weights will be attached to the outer rim of the wheel to ensure proper balance.
Benefits of Rotating and Balancing Your Tires
Your vehicle’s front tires are likely to experience more wear than the back tires, and the less tread you have on the front tires, the easier it is to lose control of your car while driving. In addition to making your vehicle safer for you to drive, rotating and balancing your tires:
- Preserves balanced handling
- Helps maintain traction
- Improves steering ability
- Lessens noise and vibration when driving at high speeds
- Extends the life of your tires
How Often to Have Tires Rotated and Balanced
Though you can often find this information in your owner’s manual, it’s generally recommended to have your tires rotated and balanced every 6,000-8,000 miles. Drivers looking to save themselves an extra trip to their Frederick, MD auto shop opt to have this service performed while their vehicle is in for an oil change. A tire rotation and balance is a quick, affordable, and necessary service for every driver.
Get Your Tires Rotated and Balanced in Frederick, MD
At Ken’s Automotive & Transmissions, we’re dedicated to providing you the auto maintenance and repair services you need to keep you safe and comfortable on the road. Contact us today to schedule a tire rotation and balance, or ask our certified auto mechanics about this service when you’re in for your vehicle’s next oil change.
