Three Tire Care Tips for Winter

If you are heading out for a winter road trip this holiday season, the car care professionals at Southside Auto Repair have a few tips for a trip that will truly be merry. Here are three tire care tips for winter that will save you both time and money.

1. Check Your Tire Pressure

The first tire care tip for winter is monitoring your tire pressure. Your tires can lose one to two pounds of tire pressure for every 10-degree temperature drop! Underinflated tires can lead to a longer stopping time on wet or snowy roads. Other disadvantages of low tire pressure are increased tire wear and poor gas mileage.

2. Winter Tread Depth

Another tire care tip for winter is to check on your tread wear. The tread depth for dry roads will not necessarily be sufficient for snowy surfaces. Typical winter or snow tires have deeper treads. All-season tires may no longer have sufficient tread depth after driving on hot, dry pavement all summer long. If you have any questions regarding the tire wear on your vehicle, visit Southside Auto Repair for a full tire check-up.

3. Tire Rotation

The last of the tire care tips for winter is tire rotation. Generally speaking, all tires should be rotated. Rotating your tires will lend improved tire wear, resulting in a longer tire life and better handling in the snow. Consult with the professionals at Southside Auto Repair for scheduled tire rotation.

A Few Suggestions for that Holiday Road Trip

Always bring extra blankets and food. Sitting in a disabled vehicle can be a harrowing experience, especially during the winter months. Stay warm and hydrated. A drained battery is the most common wintertime problem. Make sure you have jumper cables in your vehicle at all times. Make sure to keep your gas tank full. Not only does a full tank keep gas lines from freezing, having a full tank will be beneficial when stuck in traffic jams and detours during your road trip.

As always, we hope you found this helpful. If you have any further questions on how to prepare for that winter road trip contact us at Southside Auto Repair. Drive safe and Happy Holidays!