The tires on your Jeep are one of the most important pieces of the vehicle. They are what makes you safe on the roads you travel because they grip the surface and keep your vehicle grounded. Many people do not realize how important wheel and tire maintenance is.
Wheel and tire maintenance saves your vehicle from developing costly problems and wheel and tire maintenance can save your life. While writing this article, I get remarkable help from 4x4maniacal.com owner who has done this before.
Tire Maintenance for Everyone
Tire Pressure
A tire that is not properly inflated can easily be damaged. A tire that is not properly inflated can also cause you to lose some of the control you have when you are driving and this can result in an accident.
Tires with too much air are just as dangerous. Over-inflated tires are easily damaged by the small debris and irregularities of the road surface. Over inflated tires also make the vehicle ride rougher and less enjoyable.
Tire pressure should be checked at least once a month. If you drive over muddy roads or on off-road surfaces you should check your tire pressure more frequently.
Tire pressure needs to be checked while the tire is cold. That means before you drive the car. As the tires turn while going down the road the pressure inside them will increase. You cannot get an accurate pressure reading unless the tire is cold.
How Much Tire Pressure Should I have?
The standard amount of tire pressure that is acceptable on the majority of all vehicles is between 32 psi and 35 psi.
How to Check The Pressure in Your Tires
- Look at the tire and find the valve stem
- Unscrew the cap that is protecting the valve stem
- Place your tire gauge on the valve and press firmly for a few seconds
- Release the tire gauge from the valve
- Read the tire gauge to see how many pounds of pressure your tire has
- If the pressure is below 32 psi then you need to add some air
- Recheck the pressure before capping the valve
Rotate Those Tires
Tire rotation allows you to ensure that the wear on the tread of your tires will be even. If one tire has more tread missing from one side that another tire has it throws the vehicle off and causes you to lose some of the precise control you should have while driving.
Rotation makes the tires last longer and it gives you an opportunity to check out the wheels and wheel components.
To maintain your Jeep properly the tires should be rotated every six to eight months or every 6,000 to 8,000 miles, whichever comes first. One rule of thumb is to go ahead and rotate your tires every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. If you do that you can rotate the tires every time you do an oil change and it will be easier for you to remember to do this.
How to Rotate Your Tires
Check to see if you have directional or nondirectional tires
The directional tires will have small arrows or triangles located on the sidewall to show you the direction the tires are supposed to turn
Directional tires must turn in the direction the arrow indicates. To rotate these tires, you swap the front passenger tire with the back passenger tire. The front driver’s side tire swaps with the back driver’s side tire.
Non-directional tires can be mounted on any wheel, and they are swapped in a cross pattern.
The passenger front tire is swapped with the driver’s side rear tire. The driver’s side front tire is swapped with the passenger side rear tire.,
Check the Tire Tread
Inspect your tires by walking around the vehicle and inspecting the tread depth. As you drive the tread of the tire is worn down, and when it wears down too low then your tire becomes hazardous.
The penny check for tread depth is easy to do and it gives you a great idea of whether you need to be considering new tires.
How to do the Penny Check
- Take a penny out of your pocket
- Insert the penny between two tread lines of the tire
- Look at the penny so see how much of Lincoln’s head is visible
- If you cannot see all of Lincoln’s head then you are good for awhile longer
- If you see all of Lincoln’s head then the tires are in need of replacement
Alignments
A wheel alignment ensures that everything is working properly with your wheels. It stops the vehicle from pulling and increases your control,
You should get the wheels aligned about every 6,000 miles. If you drive over a lot of rough terrain you may want to have your wheels aligned sooner.
Final Thoughts
Your tires and wheels are the part of the vehicle you rely on to keep you safe. Make sure they are in working order so they can do their job.