Important Tire Services For Your Chevy and Buick

The relatively simple act of moving the rear tires to the front and the front tires to the rear is arguably the best way to extend the life of your tires, and here's why. A majority of the weight of your vehicle falls on the front axle due to the location of the engine and transmission, causing the front tires to wear faster than the rears. To slow the progression of this uneven wear, we recommend rotating your tires every 5,000 miles. The balance of your tires is also essential to your tire's health. If you're experiencing a slight shaking while driving, it could mean your tires are out of balance. To counteract imbalance, a certified technician will use a balancing machine to check the balance and place small weights inside the wheels to maintain proper balance. This will provide a smoother ride and prevent uneven wear.

The inflation of your tires also affects the wear of your tires. Under-inflated tires will cause uneven premature wear by creating a larger surface that touches the road. Meanwhile, overinflated tires cause the tire tread to expand, leading to uneven wear on the tire's road surface. By simply checking your tire pressure monthly, you can extend the life of your tires. The recommended pounds per square inch (PSI) are found on a placard in the driver's door jamb.

The alignment of your tires is very important to the safety of your car. This is because of little channels on the sides of your tires that lead water away from the tread that touches the road, allowing for optimal grip on inclement road conditions. Wheel alignments are performed to protect these channels, as well as the outer edges of your tires. There are three specifications that affect the alignment of your tires. First, the camber is the vertical angle of your tires. Positive camber causes the top of the tire to pucker out slightly, causing the outer half of your tire to wear faster. Meanwhile, negative camber pushes the bottom of the tire out, which will wear the inner half of your tires. The wheels toe is the horizontal angle of your tires. Tow in means the front of your wheels are pointed in towards the center of your car while toe out points the front out and the rear in. Both directions will cause a slight dragging effect which will unevenly wear tires, decrease performance, and decrease fuel economy by making the engine work harder. Lastly, caster is the angle of your steering axis which the manufacturer has a specific degree for to keep the vehicle driving straight and keep tread wear even.

Tire care is essential to not only your safety but to your fuel economy and overall performance as well. If you're not sure of the last time any of these tire services have been taken care of, then come on down to the expert service center here at Roberts Chevrolet Buick. Our knowledgeable, certified service technicians will take care of your tires in a timely manner and get you back on the road safely. To schedule your next service appointment, you can call our service center directly or use our online scheduler to book with just a few clicks. We hope to hear from you soon!