Protecting Your Car From Tire Debris

Protecting Your Car From Tire Debris

Tires are one of the most important components of your car – They are, after all, the only part of your car that touches your ground. How your car steers, accelerates and brakes largely depends on your tires. Not to mention creature comforts such as smoothness, quietness and so on.

For all these reasons, tires should be protected as much as possible while you are driving down the road; and as many drivers know, tire debris lurks everywhere.

Road Degradation

Hazards such as potholes, uneven seams and gravel are common and can pose a major threat to your tires. For instance, potholes aren’t just a hazard on their own; they love collecting other debris, such as metal, glass and nails. Even if the pothole itself doesn’t do the damage, something in it might.

For these types of hazards, it’s not only good to avoid them altogether, but minimizing the trauma as much as possible. Be sure to slow down as much as traffic will allow. This will help prevent punctures or bubbles from forming on your treads, and even prevent damage to your rim, which is possible if you hit something hard enough.

Obstacles

Other items in the road, such as speed bumps, curbs, manholes, steel construction plates and road kill are also well worth avoiding or slowing down for if possible. This is especially true in the case of speed bumps, which will not only cause damage to your tires and rims if you are driving too fast, but your suspension system as well.

The same is true with road kill; Animals like deer can cause significant damage but even smaller animals, if hit with enough force can cause trauma to your tires.

When it comes to curbs, not only do you want to avoid hitting curbs with your tread but also the side of your tire. When you parallel park for instance, you’ll want to avoid rubbing your sidewall along the curb. This part of the tire is far less strong and less tolerant for abuse.

Preserving Your Tires Is Key

Tires are costly to buy and install, and nothing can leave a more bitter taste in your mouth than damaging a tire prematurely (it could even happen the day you buy them!) Protecting your tires is a great way to ensure you get the most value out of your tires.

– Ensure your brake systems are in good working order. Being able to effectively slow down and/or stop is crucial.

– Make sure you have good/proper tires.  Good tires that are suited for the climate and region is equally important. Having the wrong tires can not only detract from the value of your purchase, but limit your ability to safely handle your car. For instance, summer/sport tires don’t perform very well on fallen leaves or in winter conditions.

– Pay attention. Distractions and tire debris are all around us. Between phone calls, rambunctious kids and everything else all around us, it’s easy to take our mind off the task at hand. Keep both eyes on the road ahead and look for potential hazards coming up and be prepared to stop at a moments notice. And for Pete’s sake, put the phone down!

BBack Car Care inspects your tires at every visit, looking for wear and also possible damage. We also sell and install tires and can set you up with the perfect set for your needs and budget.

Ready to make an appointment? Request an appointment online today or give our service desk a call.