Oct 2019 23

Are Your Tires In Shape For Winter? | Schenectady, NY

Another month is about to come and go and before we know it we will be in a winter wonderland here in Schenectady, NY. Before that happens, you’re going to want to make sure your vehicle is up-to-date with all of its fall service needs. If you haven’t started your service yet, then this is the perfect opportunity for you to start! This week we wanted to focus on a very important service and that is replacing your old, worn down tires. As you know, your tires are extremely important to your vehicle’s performance and the safety of you and your passengers. During the winter months, this is an even truer statement! When the snow falls and the temperature drops low, ice covers the roads and if your tires are balding, have a low PSI, or have any other damage, you could find yourself slipping and sliding more than driving. We definitely don’t want that to happen, so this week we are offering you a plethora of information to help you ensure that your tires are in good shape for the winter months ahead, or help you decide if they’re not. So take a peek below and if you find your tires could use some TLC, be sure to schedule an appointment with professionals sooner than later! Thinking it’s time for a new vehicle altogether? Shop our inventory now!

Checking Your Tire Depth:

Evaluate the tread depth of your tires to make sure you have enough traction to grip the road
An easy way to check you tire depth is with the Penny Test
Just place a penny upside down in your tread. If you can see the top of Lincoln’s head, it may be time for new tires.

Checking Your Tire Pressure:

Use a tire pressure gauge to make sure your tires are properly inflated and then fill your tires with air as needed
Your owners manual will have the proper PSI for your tires
To check your pressure, remove the valve stem cap, press the gauge head evenly onto the valve stem, use firm pressure so that the hissing sound stops
Remove the gauge and read the pressure adjust as needed

Checking Your Tire’s Condition & Age:

Look at the tread and sidewalls for any cuts, scrapes, punctures, bulges, bumps or cracks. If you see anything suspicious, have a tire service professional take a closer look.
You also want to keep an eye on your tire’s age. Depending on how much you drive, your tire’s tread may last for years but just because the tread is not worn out does not mean that your tires don’t need to be replaced
To determine your tire’s age just look at the DOT stamping on the sidewall
At the end of the DOT stamp, there is a four-digit code that will tell you when the tire was manufactured.
Example: A code that looks like 4719 means the tire was manufactured in the 47th week of 2019