Automotive News & Information - Central Truck & Equipment Repair Inc

Keeping your tires properly inflated and regularly checking the tread can save you money and keep you safe!

If you’ve ever been in an emergency braking situation, you’re probably all too aware that the brakes are the most important safety system on your vehicle. And like many other systems in a vehicle, the brakes need regular upkeep to continue functioning properly.

Tires are a vital component of car safety, and their importance is often overlooked. "Tires are the only four things touching the ground on your vehicle, and they impact everything – whether it's braking, turning, accelerating or wet driving," explains Duane Sampson, Brand Manager for Yokohama Tires.

Because they complete that essential link between your car's suspension and the road, tires are responsible for translating the driver's intentions directly towards vehicle performance. A quality set of tires will offer the responsiveness necessary for obstacle avoidance, short stopping distances that aid panic braking situations, and road-holding grip under both dry and wet conditions. "There's not a single component on a vehicle that contributes more to safety than tires," says Kurt Berger, Manager for Consumer Products Engineering at Bridgestone.

Like the shoes on our feet, the tires and wheels on our cars protect us from direct contact with the ground. And like those shoes we wear day in and day out, tires and wheels can rub, wear unevenly, and eventually fail to do their jobs.

Ever looked at the bottom of your shoes and noticed that one area of the sole is more worn than another? The way you walk causes a wear pattern to occur as you put more weight on certain areas of your feet. The same thing happens with your car. Just imagine your tires are the shoe soles of the car.

Let's face the facts, car maintenance isn't usually a favorite pursuit for the majority of car owners. But regular maintenance is vital to keeping your car running smoothly and avoiding unnecessary repairs that crop up if you let scheduled services pass you by.

Many modern automobiles are so refined that you can hardly hear their engines anymore, but don’t be lulled into complacency—there’s still a combustion cycle taking place under the hood, and catastrophic overheating remains a remote possibility. That’s why you should periodically check your vehicle’s temperature gauge while driving.

It’s easier than ever to keep your car running smoothly for thousands of miles. If your vehicle has less than 50,000 miles on it today, chances are it still has 75 percent of its driving life ahead of it. That’s good news if you’re like the majority of Americans who are holding onto their vehicles longer that ever before.