If your tire’s in good shape then you get maximum performance from your vehicle, max out its life, and thus getting excellent returns for your investment.

A ride’s handling, traction, and safety are affected by tires. Stay on top of your car maintenance with this quick five-step tire maintenance tips.

Keep tires properly inflated. Tire pressure is critical to maintaining the life of the tire and maximizing its fuel economy. It’s also essential to you and your passengers’ safety. Tires should be inflated to recommended pressure levels including the spare. How to know if you’ve got the correct psi? check your owner’s manual or the sticker inside the door jamb of the driver’s door or fuel filler door. Front tires and rear tires have different tire pressures, so you may want to check that out as well. You want to inflate the tires to proper pressure when the tires are cold that means before you drive your car in the morning, because the tires will start to warm up and increase the pressure.

Rotate tires every six months or 6,000 miles. This is the best way to check that your brakes and other components on the car and all the safety pieces are functioning properly and are in tiptop shape.

Check the tire tread depth. Use the one-peso coin test to check tire tread depth. Hold the coin with Jose Rizal’s head facing upright. If the year at the bottom of the coin is showing, it’s time to invest in some new tires.

Get wheels aligned at least once per year. Depending on the road conditions where you drive, or the condition that exist on the vehicle. If you notice your car pulling to the left or to the right, or giving a shimmy or shake, this means it’s time to check its balance. Tires with uneven wear on the inside of the tire can indicate your tire is up for a wheel alignment.

Check tires for irregularities. Cuts, bruises, bulges, or bald spots can lead to a flat tire.

Keep your tires shiny.  Although not a component of tire safety, it keeps our car looking good and maximizes its life as well. Clean wheels also eliminate build up dust and prolongs your tire’s life. Use quality car wash to remove any brake dust. Then finish off with a product which limits UV damage to the exterior of your tire. 

Checking your vehicle’s tire pressure, alignment, and tread before hitting the road ensures your safety and maximizes your tire life. If you do, however, get a flat tire it’s good to have on-hand options for blowout situations.  

A tire care sealant is also a handy backup to pump up your tire so you can get to the nearest car shop or at home.

Tire Inflators or 12V Air Compressors from OMP and Goodyear. Price starts at Php 599.75 for gauges and Php 799.75for tire inflators.

Also get the Tire Pressure Monitoring System so you can check tire pressure in real time.

If you’re going to change your flat tire, make sure you have all the tools you need for emergencies. A Tire Pressure Gauge is handy to check if your spare tire is properly inflated. Also, don’t forget to have Floor Jack and tire iron, plus key for locking lug nuts.

For more tire care tips and products, visit www.blade.ph and be sure to download the app for the latest news, trends, and promos on your fave car accessories. For great deals on premium car care and accessories, visit Blade Auto Center at leading malls nationwide.