Things You Need To Know When Replacing The Tires On Your Car

No matter the vehicle type or age, tires will eventually wear out and need replacing on your car. Getting the right tires for the vehicle is essential, and when you are ready, a new tire shop is often the best place to get replacement tires for your car, truck, or SUV. 

Tread And Traction

When selecting tires for your vehicle, you need to consider how you will use them. A car that spends its entire life on the highway or running around town often benefits from a radial tire with an all-season tread that provides good traction on dry and wet pavement. 

The general rule of thumb is to replace the tires with the same, or better, quality tires as the ones that came on the vehicle from the manufacturer. Most new tire shops have many different brands and styles to choose from. Getting a replacement tire that meets your needs is usually straightforward unless the car has a unique tire type.

The tire brand is often not as important as the tread type, tire size, and durability overall. The tire shop can help you choose a tire that will work in your situation, and they may suggest a specific tire they sell as a replacement that can save you money while delivering excellent performance overall. 

Truck Tires

If you drive a light truck or SUV, you may need a replacement tire that is larger and can carry more weight than a passenger car tire. The new tire shop will often have a line of light truck tires that can meet your needs and have varying tread types ranging from all-terrain tires to aggressive offroad tires if necessary.

Light truck tires may also have a load rating, making them excellent for trucks hauling a trailer or that carry cargo that adds additional weight to the vehicle. The tire size may also be bigger, but the vehicle owner's manual should list the correct tire size, load rating, and air pressure for your vehicle if you are unsure. 

Combating Wear

Once the new tire shop installs the tires on your vehicle, you need to maintain them to get the most out of your new tires. Air pressure is critical to controlling tread and sidewall wear, so check the pressure regularly.

Tire rotation is also vital, and most new tire shops with rotate your tires for free, or you can have the auto repair shop do them when you take the car in for an oil change and service. If the tires are improperly inflated, you may experience poor handling, and they could develop wear along the edge or only in the center of the tire tread.  

Contact a new tire shop to learn more.