Tire Shop Checklist for Inspecting Your Tires
Tire Health Is All-Important
Have you noticed that out of all the components on your vehicle, your tires are the only parts that actually make contact with the road? Your tires play a vital role in your vehicle's performance, acceleration, handling, and braking — so it's vital to ensure that your tires are always in healthy shape.
At T.O. Haas, our trusted tire shop goes above and beyond to provide all of the other related services that your vehicle would need throughout its life. Whether you're looking for a simple tire rotation or you have other tire-related services, our professionals are here for all of your vehicle’s needs. We are true experts in the automotive field, providing excellent and trustworthy services for your vehicle. Let's take a look at our tire shop's checklist for inspecting your tires, and you’ll discover how you can perform your own check to maximize tire safety.
When you're in need of trustworthy tire services, schedule an appointment at T.O. Haas today.
Schedule Tire Service Appointment
Inspect Your Tread Depth
Your tire tread depth plays a vital role in your vehicle's ability to grip the road. This is compounded in inclement weather such as rain and snow and in slick road conditions that require all the traction you can get. A new tire will typically include about 10/32 to 11/32 of an inch of tire tread. Over time, even with proper maintenance, your tire tread will gradually wear down. As your tires reach the end of their lives, they won’t be able to grip the road as well as they once did. When your tires reach 2/32 of an inch, this is considered the minimum tread depth that is safe for driving. Once your tires have reached this tread depth, we recommend a replacement at your earliest convenience.
How You Can Check Your Tread Depth
We understand that a tread depth gauge is not a common tool that every driver has. However, the good news is that there's an easy way to check whether your tires are safe. The penny test is a simple test that allows you to determine if your tires are safe to drive. Simply take an ordinary penny and place it in the groove of your tires. If you can see the top of Lincoln's head, it's time for new tires.
Check Your Tire Pressure
Our tire shop understands that each vehicle manufacturer has a recommended tire pressure for optimal performance, fuel economy, and handling. These tire pressures take the vehicle's handling characteristics, weight, and drive configuration into consideration to offer the safest and most optimal performance on the road. You can find your manufacturer's recommended tire pressure settings on the inside of your driver's door sill.
How You Can Check
In order to accurately check your tire pressure, you'll need a tire pressure gauge. These gauges are relatively inexpensive and allow you to check your tire pressure anytime you wish. Additionally, these gauges are usually no larger than your average pencil and can be stored conveniently inside your vehicle.
Simply unscrew the valve stem cap on your tire and firmly press this gauge into your valve stem. A seal will form, and your gauge will read the PSI of your tire.
Check Your Tire’s Age
Even if your tires still have sufficient tread depth, because they are made of rubber compounds that will dry out with age, it's important to replace them if they are more than eight years old. Once your tires have begun to dry out, it becomes more difficult for them to hold air and offer the rebound and flex that is required with the daily stresses of driving.
It's also important to note that the age of your tires doesn’t begin once they’ve been installed but rather with their manufactured date. On the sidewall of every tire is a TIN (Tire Identification Number) that offers key information about your tire, including its age.
How You Can Check Your TIN
You can find your TIN on the sidewall of your tire by locating the series of numbers that starts with “DOT.” The last four numbers in this series will be your tires' manufacturing date translated into the week and year that they were manufactured. For example, “3521” would indicate that a set of tires was manufactured in the 35th week of 2021.
Are There Tire Shop Locations Near Me?
Absolutely! Our tire shop offers a full-service experience thanks to our expert team of professionals, our fully stocked tire department, and our state-of-the-art equipment. Our tire store features a full selection of name brand tires for all types of vehicles, and we can special order the tires that your vehicle needs should you ever need tire replacement. In addition to tire replacement services, we provide a full list of tire-related services, including:
- Tire balancing
- Spare tire installation
- Tire repair services
- Tire patch services
- Wheel alignment services
- Tire rotation service
Striving to keep tire service affordable, we also provide fantastic service specials that allow you to save money while enjoying total peace of mind. Work with the best tire location near you. Schedule an appointment with T.O. Haas today and find out why drivers trust our tire shop for all of their auto-related needs.