Alignments, and Tires, and Brakes! Oh, My!

You are driving down the road, happily listening to your favorite song on the way to your destination when it is suddenly overcome by a loud and constant rumbling at your feet.  You immediately realize the problem and, after a few choice words perhaps, pull the car over and confirm your suspicions: a flat tire. Most drivers have experienced the unpleasantness of the dreaded and unsuspected misfortunes of a flat tire and would many times have been successful in preventing such an event through proper maintenance of their vehicle’s tires.

One of the easiest things a driver can do to decrease their chances of this and other incidents (such as accidents) is to frequently check the tires.  By inspecting your tires at least once a month and ensuring that they are properly inflated and free of stones, glass, metal, and any other foreign objects you can help prevent air loss and accumulating moisture that degrades tire structure which inevitably leads to tire failure.  Checking your tires will also allow you to determine certain aspects about the cars performance depending on wear patterns.

The wear patterns of your car can be indicative of more severe problems that generally go unnoticed by the average driver.  These issues arise as a result of incorrect tire pressures, tire and steering misalignment, improper balancing, heat excessive buildup, and even suspension neglect.  By ignoring these warning signs, tires can become bald and excessively worn, causing sluggish driving, skidding, and even the unnecessary accident. 

By having a qualified professional inspect your vehicle, they can diagnose and correct problems with balance that cause the constant vibrations as you drive, wheel misalignments, bent wheels, and inadequately operating brakes  that cause rapid and uneven wear of tires and loss of air pressure.  By having these problems professionally checked a qualified service person can inspect the tires, brakes, shock absorbers, drive train, steering, and suspension systems to determine any issues and correct them properly to ensure that your vehicle will be safe and your driving experience will be pleasant.

While there are things an individual can do to prevent problems with their car such as checking cold tire pressure with a gauge once a month, inspecting the tires, following the owner’s manual or tire safety handbook, it is important to consult a professional or get the vehicle into a service center as quickly as possible to prevent additional damage.

Many people feel that the cost of spending more money on better tires or paying for professional services is far more than is necessary for the upkeep of their vehicle, but is that really the case?  For wheel alignments you will generally spend around $50 (and many times come with special offers or additional warranties), with the result of improving tire wear, reducing strain on suspension, and giving you better gas mileage, all of which will increase the amount you spend for maintenance on your car over time.  Checking the suspension can identify early problems with joints, bad brakes, shock absorbers, springs and can drastically improve weight transfer, spring rate and damping as well as correcting other issues so new parts are not needed as frequently.  The cost of tires is one of the largest areas that people would prefer not to pay for frequently, and when they do they tend to buy the cheaper tires with the thought that it is saving them money.  The problem with this thinking is that it takes into account only the total cost of the tire and not the cost per mile, tire mileage, or warranty. For example, by spending only $40 per tire on a 40,000 mile tire you are essentially paying $1 per 1,000 miles as opposed to  spending $75 on a, 80,000 mile tire and only pay $.94 per 1,000 miles and end up paying less by not having to replace the tire as frequently.  While people believe they are paying less for their cars by buying cheaper parts or reducing the frequency of inspections, it is actually costing them more in the long run and is merely sacrificing paying less over time for paying less in the moment.

The car is seen many times as the lifeblood of the working individual, and to many an extension of themselves, so it is natural for a driver to want to guarantee that they keep their vehicle a “well-oiled machine” for as long as possible.   Regardless of the trouble your vehicle is having whether it is with the alignment, balance, tires, brakes, suspension or even something as simple as an oil change, trained professionals like those at Tire Kingdom are ready, able, and willing to help you with whatever problem you may have.  You want to keep your car in good condition without paying too much, and they will make certain that you receive the highest quality work without the high prices. 

Tire Kingdom is the US’s largest independent tire, wheel and auto repair service with over 650 retail stores.  Check out their website for information and pricing for brand name tires, wheels, batteries.  Then come visit Tire Kingdom’s experienced staff and the world’s best tire brands at their local auto service centers.  Drive home safely with Tire Kingdom!