Did you know that around 200 million new truck tires are purchased each year in the United States of America? Truck maintenance is a huge part of purchasing and owning a truck as you don’t want to watch your big investment start to fall apart. This means getting the best truck parts when you notice that the old ones are starting to fail.
One of the first things that you’ll need to replace on your truck is your truck tires, which means that you need to know the signs to look for when you’re in need of the best truck tires on the market. The good news is that you’re in the perfect place to learn more about what to look for before you buy new truck tires.
Keep reading this article to learn more.
1. Bald Tires
The first sign that you’ll want to look for if you’re worried that you might need new tires is the tread on your existing tires. The tread has a pattern and you can use this pattern to compare the height of the tread to the surface of the tire. There is also a test that you can put to good use known as the “Penny Test” which will look at the tread height compared to a U.S. penny.
The Penny Test involves you placing the penny in the tread with Lincoln’s head upright. The true measure of if you need to purchase truck tires for your vehicle is if you can see the top of Lincoln’s head.
There are also things called wear bars that will help you to determine if you need to buy new truck tires. These pieces of rubber get placed within the tread of your vehicle’s tires and will become exposed when your tires are getting worn down. Look for these as a sign that it is time to buy new truck tires.
2. Tires Have Bulges or Cracks
You also need to make sure that your tires don’t have any bulges or cracks in them. The best area to look for these bulges and cracks is in the sidewall of the tire. The bulges and cracks that you’re discovering on your tires’ sidewalls are a clear sign that your vehicle’s tires have aged and need to get replaced for safe driving.
If your tires are new or recently installed then bulges and cracks could be a sign of a manufacturer defect. The real danger with these tire conditions is that you’re setting yourself up to experience a blown-out tire. This is dangerous for you, your passengers, and the other drivers around you.
3. Uneven Tire Wear
Another important thing to look out for when you’re not sure if you’re in need of new truck tires is the wear pattern on your existing tires. In a perfect world, your truck’s tires will get worn down evenly. If you’re finding that your tires are worn unevenly then it is a sign that your truck is in need of a wheel alignment, as well as the best truck wheels.
Though this issue is associated with your vehicle being out of alignment, there are other issues that could cause unevenly worn tires. One of the most prominent is that you’re not doing a good job with truck maintenance when it comes to the air pressure in your tires.
If one tire has significantly less air in it then it will have more surface area contacting the road. This will result in significant wear compared to the other tires that have the ideal amount of air in them.
4. Tires Lose Air Pressure
If you find that your existing tires can’t hold air pressure or always seem to be low on air then you’ve got a problem on your hands. This could mean that the mounting seal on your tires that hold them to the wheel is going bad and it will create a dangerous situation. It could also be an issue with the valve stem of the tire.
These issues are easy to get resolved if you don’t want to purchase truck tires. You can either get the tire remounted onto the truck wheel or you can get the valve stem replaced. It all depends on the cause of the issue.
5. You See Metal
Tires have metal bands that run underneath the rubber of the tread. Hopefully, you’ve never discovered this, as that would mean that you’re doing great with your truck maintenance. If you are seeing metal where tread should be then it is a clear sign that it is time for you to buy new truck tires.
This is dangerous to drive your vehicle when the metal is showing as there is almost nothing protecting the integrity of the tire.
6. Driving On Spare Tire
Many people don’t know this, but it is horrible for the axles of your vehicle to drive it while you have a donut spare on. If you discover that you need to purchase truck tires but you’re driving with a donut on then you need to make sure that you get the truck parts that you need as soon as possible.
Driving over 70 miles with the donut on is a sure way to cause massive and lasting damage to your vehicle.
7. Frequent Tire Spinning and Hydroplaning
Another telling sign that you’re in need of new truck tires is when you find that you’re having a hard time getting and maintaining traction and you’re hydroplaning when road conditions are wet. If you find that this is happening to you when you’re out on the road then you need to start picking out the best truck tires for your ride.
Now You Know the Signs of Needing New Truck Tires
Getting new truck tires is expensive, but it is worth it when your other options are significant damage to your truck and putting yourself and others in harm’s way. Look for signs of wear like bald tires and the metal underneath the tread. You should also make sure that you’re maintaining ideal tire pressure with your truck’s tires for good truck maintenance.
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