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Winter Maintenance Tips | Tires 

The tires on your vehicle are vital to your safety and the performance of your vehicle. Tires provide traction for vehicles under many different conditions and allow vehicles to stay on the road. During the winter, it is important for you to have proper tires on your vehicle that can handle the challenging circumstances that winter weather tends to bring. There are many ways that you can keep the tires of your vehicle in good condition during the winter.

Install the Right Tires
There are a variety of tires that are for sale on the market. The three main types of tires are summer tires, all-season tires, and winter tires. If you expect it to snow in your area, then you should equip your vehicle with a set of winter tires. Winter tires are designed to expel snow and ice from their treads efficiently, ultimately allowing them to provide drivers with the best traction possible. Additionally, winter tires are manufactured using softer rubber compounds than summer tires and all-season tires, which prevents the rubber from hardening too much in cold weather.

Winter tires are designed for use in colder climates. If the weather in your area is warm, then do not use winter tires on your vehicle as they will wear out much quicker than summer tires or all-season tires. You should equip your vehicle with winter tires when the temperature in your area consistently drops below 45-degrees Fahrenheit (~7.2-degrees Celsius).

Tire Chains
Tire chains, also known as snow chains, are additional components that you can add to the tires of your vehicle when the roads are covered in either snow or ice. Tire chains allow your vehicle's wheels to provide additional traction to your vehicle by digging into the road surface.

You should only use tire chains under snowy or icy road conditions as they can damage the tires of your vehicle otherwise. Additionally, the chains only need to be installed on one axle of your vehicle, rather than all of the vehicle's axles. If you use tire chains on your vehicle, then you should also drive slowly to avoid damaging your vehicle's drivetrain.

Check Your Vehicle's Tire Pressures Routinely
Colder temperatures will cause the air pressure in your vehicle's tires to drop more rapidly. Therefore, you will need to check your vehicle's tire pressures more frequently during the winter. To determine what the proper tire pressures for your vehicle are, look for a sticker on the driver's-side door jam of your vehicle. The sticker will provide the manufacturer's recommended tire pressures for all four tires of your vehicle. If the sticker is missing from your vehicle, then you can also refer to your vehicle's owner's manual.

Tire Rotations
A tire rotation is a service where all of the tires on a vehicle are adjusted so that the tires can wear more evenly with one another. Tire rotations are essential because the tires of a driver's vehicle wear unevenly as a driver travels with the vehicle, based on the driver's driving habits and a variety of other factors. It is recommended that drivers have the tires of their vehicles rotated at least once every 7,500 miles.

Wheel Alignments
The wheels of your vehicle need to be properly aligned in order for your vehicle's suspension system to perform as it is designed to. A wheel alignment is a service where the wheels of a vehicle are aligned according to the specifications of a vehicle's manufacturer. There are different types of wheel alignments, but each service is provided to properly realign the wheels of a vehicle.

Wheel alignments are essential for you to routinely have done on your vehicle, because the wheels of your vehicle gradually lose their alignment as you drive the vehicle. It is normal for the wheels of your vehicle to lose their alignment. However, your vehicle's suspension system and tires will wear out quicker when the vehicle's wheels are misaligned.

It is important for you to always keep up with the maintenance of your vehicle's tires. However, tire maintenance is even more crucial during the winter, when the road conditions in many areas are at their worst. Visit us at Leachman Buick GMC if you want more information about the tires that your vehicle needs for the winter. We offer many tire products and tire services at our dealership and will be glad to provide you with what you need for your vehicle.

      Despite the fact that winter tires can get pricey based on the vehicle you have, they are typically an investment that is well worth it. Making the change from a set of old, worn tires to a new set offers you several benefits, the most important of which is safety. New tires enhance your car's braking power, in addition to turning ability, so you'll reduce your chance of incidents on slick or irregular streets. As we move into winter it also becomes time to think about buying new winter tires for your Buick and GMC.

      All-season versus regular tires compared to winter tires are pretty self-explanatory. Winter tires are constructed to execute in cold weather. Regular tires are made to operate in summer weather and all-season tires work well in various climate conditions. The temperature of the rubber has a big influence on how the tire behaves when it comes to grip and slipping, and for that reason different season tires are made from different rubber compounds.

      Winter tires improve traction, increase stopping power, and reduce snow build up as you drive. Winter tires are engineered to bite into the snow which results in better control and handling in the elements. You will also notice winter tires having tiny grooves all over the tire and those are called tread sipes. These higher density sipes allow you to have better traction over the ice and snow.

      If you have further questions about whether your car or truck needs new tires, you can give us a call at (270) 495-0691 today.
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