Tire Care & Maintenance

Keys To Helping Your Tires Last 

Tire care starts with you

Want to get the most out of your tires? Take care of your tires and they’ll reward you with better gas mileage and improved handling and performance. It’s really pretty simple. Tires need just two things: proper care and maintenance (by you) and tire services from Tires Plus. Start with a free tire inspection at your local Tires Plus. This will give you a great idea of where you can start improving your tire care.

Learn How To Read A Tire:

Learning how to read the information on your tire’s sidewall will help guide you as you take care of your tire. Look to the sidewall for valuable information about your tire size, load index, maximum cold inflation load limit, material composition, and treadwear grades.

Tire size: P215/65R15 95H

• The first letter lets you know what kind of tire this is. In this example, the letter “P” lets you know it’s a passenger tire.
• The next number (215) is the tire width in millimeters.
• The next (65) is the aspect ratio of the tire.
• The letter (R) stands for Radial and lets you know about the tire’s construction: that the layers run radially across the tire.
• The number just after (R) is the diameter of the wheel in inches.
• The last number (95H) is the load index/speed symbol.

Tire ply composition and materials used: This will tell you the number of layers of rubber coated fabric in the tire tread and sidewall. The manufacturer will also note materials used in the tire, like steel, nylon, and polyester.

U.S. DOT safety standards code: This code lets you know that the tires meet or exceed the Department of Transportation’s safety standards.

Max. cold inflation load limit: This number indicates the individual tire’s safe maximum load carrying capacity when inflated to its recommended pressure.

Treadwear, traction and temperature grades:

• Treadwear grade: This is a comparative rating based on the tested wear of the tire. The higher the grade, the longer the tire is expected to last.
• Traction grade: This represents a tire’s stopping ability on wet pavement.
• Temperature grade: This measures the tire’s resistance to the generation of heat at speed.

Learn more about Uniform Tire Quality Grading >

Follow These 3 Steps to Better Tire Care

Inflate:

Tires can lose one PSI (pound per square inch) of air pressure per month. Check your tires once a month, preferably in the morning, to make sure your tire pressure is at the recommended level. You can also bring your car by a local Tires Plus and have one of our technicians check your tire pressure

Rotate:

How often should you rotate your tires? On average, tires should be rotated every 5,000 miles, and more frequently if for high performance tires.

Evaluate:

Make it a habit to look for signs of tread wear or damage every time you fill up for gas or every time you wash your car. Look for tears, uneven wear, cracking, or bulging.

Get A Tire Rotation Every 5,000 Miles

Regular tire rotations every 5,000 miles can help prevent uneven tire wear, helping your tires last longer and wear smoother. On front–wheel drive vehicles, the front tires wear out almost twice as fast as the rear tires. And a mechanical issue, like a misaligned suspension, could lead to uneven tire wear. Check out our tire rotation diagram below to learn more about the appropriate tire rotation pattern.

Do You Need Wheel Balancing?

Does your steering wheel vibrate if you drive between 50 and 70 miles per hour? Your wheels could be out of balance, which can lead to poor handling and reduced fuel mileage. For optimal tire care, we recommend a wheel balance check with every tire rotation. We’ll only balance tires that require adjustment.Valve stem replacement

Replace Your Valve Stems

Loss of air pressure is the #1 factor in reduced tire life. When tire valves begin to weather and crack, and/or when valve caps are missing, air seeps out. Your tire valves should be replaced whenever you purchase new tubeless tires.

Get Professional Tire Installation

More tires — varying in size, design and specialty wheel applications — are being developed all the time. That’s why it’s so important to have qualified tire professionals do the work. Every Tires Plus technician is trained in proper installation techniques and uses state–of–the–art mounting equipment.

Don’t Put Off Flat Tire Repair

When you bring a damaged tire to Tires Plus, we always start with a full inspection. If your tire can be repaired, your tire technician will fill the damaged area, seal the inner liner, then re–check for leaks before re–mounting the tire. If the tire can’t be fixed, we can help you find the best replacement available.

What’s Inside A Tire?

Your tire is generally made up of tread, belt, plies, sidewall, inner liner, bead filler, beads, and a cord body. Together, the materials inside your tire make sure your tire stays strong and you get safely from Point A to Point B!