The tires on your vehicle make a big difference in ride quality and handling. Unfortunately, it's easy to overlook them and cause a set to wear prematurely, giving you less than their full-service life. According to Nerd Wallet, motorists should replace vehicle tires every six years or less. Here are some common factors that influence tire condition.

Correct Tire Pressure

It's important to maintain the correct tire pressure in a set of tires to get the longest possible service life out of them. Either too little pressure or too much will cause premature wear and tear that might cause a tire failure. Too little pressure enables the thinner sidewalls to contact the road surface and wear down quickly. Too much pressure will overinflate the tires and cause the center to wear out faster than the outer edges.

Tire Balance Rotation

It's very important to regularly balance and rotate the wheels and tires. A tire mounted on the front axle changes direction and experiences different loads than the tire on the rear axle. Because the front tire endures load variations than the rear, you need to remove the wheels, balance them, and move the front to the rear and the rear to the front on both sides of your vehicle. Rotating the wheels helps to even out the tire wear and tear so that all four wear evenly and give you the same service life.

Suspension Condition

The suspension on your vehicle could cause the wheels to be misaligned or a tire to wear prematurely because the wheel is not at the correct angle. If you notice your vehicle wants to pull in the same direction, you likely have improperly aligned wheels. The misalignment can be corrected after diagnosing the problem and replacing any defective suspension parts. If you ignore the problem, the tire tread will not wear evenly and eventually need to be replaced.

Driving Habits

The way in which you drive makes a big difference in tread life. If you like to drive aggressively and do burnouts, the tread will wear down very rapidly. You might be lucky to get a couple of years from a set of tires. Ignoring road hazards, like speed bumps and curbs, also could cause tread separation or other damage.

You can call, submit an online request, or visit our tire store to learn more and have a new set installed on your vehicle. Contact us today at Tires & Mohr to get started!