Tire Safety & Maintenance

Tire Safety and Maintenance at Stanley Auto Group

Tires are one of the most vital components of your vehicle. Your tires affect the vehicle handling, ride comfort, braking, and safety. Air pressure, tread depth, wheel balance, and proper wheel alignment are key variables to keeping your tires operating at optimal levels. At Stanley Auto Group, we help drivers keep their tires in great condition through expert advice and tire service in our many Stanley Auto Group locations throughout Texas.

Service Locations

Parts Locations

Checking Your Tires

It is important to visually inspect your tires on a regular basis, about once a month is usually sufficient. If you take long trips, drive on rough roads or live in colder climates, you should check them more frequently. A quick tire inspection can help spot and troubleshoot any potential issues.
Overall Condition: Physically check the condition of your tires. Check for cuts, scuffs, and debris such as nails or sharp rocks that can pierce the tires shell allowing slow air leaks. Check for bald spots, bubbles in the side wall, or blisters.
Tire Inflation: The amount of air in your tires determines the amount of grip they have on the road, ensuring your tires have the appropriate amount of air is a vital step to help them last as long as possible and perform at an optimal level.
The proper tire pressure is in the owner’s manual or on the tire tag on the inside of the driver’s door. Check tire pressure while the vehicle is cold. As the vehicle moves, the air temperature in the tires will increase. This could lead to over-inflation which can cause uneven tread wear, hydroplaning, or even a blowout.
Tread Wear: Tires rely on the proper amount of tread for maintaining traction. The tread will wear down over time, so inspecting the tires for even wear is crucial. Uneven tire wear can lead to problems with handling and performance, as well as shortening the life of the tire and leading to safety concerns.
A simple tread depth gauge is a must-have for your vehicle, these are available at any auto parts store and they are fairly inexpensive. The Department of Transportation requires a minimum tread depth of 2/32”, any depth less than 2/32” needs to be replaced.

Tire Maintenance

Proper tire maintenance also includes a few scheduled steps that should be conducted by your Stanley Auto Group service center.
Tire Rotation: Proper tire rotation ensures that the tire tread is wearing down evenly. Tires should be rotated every 5000 and 7000 miles.
Wheel Balance: The wheels should be balanced when purchased and then rebalanced with each tire rotation. Balancing the wheels ensures that the tire spins properly with no “Wobbles” That can cause vibration.
Front End Alignment: An alignment is the process of making sure the suspension is properly adjusted to allow the wheels and tires to track properly. Poor alignment can cause vibrations while driving and contribute to excessive tire wear. Alignments should be done at the time tires are purchased.