How do I maintain my car tires? How do I check pressure?

Question

some questions about tires. i'm always self concious about my tires, if it's unaligned or not after running over small things... or if my tires have enough air or pressure or whatever. i know very little about cars. i'm gonna take a basic auto class soon, but i need your advices.

so does the tires lose pressure by itself? i live in california where it's hot. so what am i supose to do? how do i take care of tires? when do i check? how do i check? and how often do you guys do stuff to ur tires? like fill up the pressure? or with air. i don't get it. at all. education me.

Answer 1

A decent set of tires (does not include used tires) will hold their pressure almost indefinitely. There is typically some normal loss of pressure as time passes but this is more typical on a vehicle that sits in a storage like setting more than it is driven. Driving the car seems to keep the bond between the tire bead and wheel (rims) more "solid".

Normal loss of pressure, a few pounds, is much like a balloon where the air molecules can escape through the rubber membrane and other slightly imperfect seals like the tire bead and valve stem.

A good rule of thumb is to have the tire pressure checked when you have any service done to your car like an oil change. Since most people have between two and four oil changes a year this is an adequate frequency to have your tire pressure checked.

If you run over things in the road or you plan on taking a trip then it is advisable to check the tires for damage and pressure so you don't take a low tire or two on a long trip and have it go flat on you.

You can buy a relatively inexpensive pressure gauge and keep it in your glove box so you can check the pressure every so often yourself. I do not recommend any of those 99 cent pressure gauges as most of those are inaccurate and do not give proper readings. I've seen tires with 80 PSI in them and these 99 cent gauges read 20-30 PSI. The recommended tire pressure for your car should be posted on a sticker on the inside of the drivers door jam. The tires will also have a maximum tire pressure listed on the sidewall and you can put either the recommended pressure listed on the door jam sticker or the maximum pressure listed on the side of the tire. If you want the best miles per gallon then the higher pressure listed on the tire will help you achieve this. I prefer the higher pressure since I know that some air can leak out of the tire and I'll still be good to go.

As far as rotating your tires and wheel alignments, you can rotate the tires every year and have the alignment checked every two years. If you feel an obvious pul to the right or left while driving down the Interstate then you can take it in to have it checked. Just tell them what you feel and what feels wrong or different to you. A good alignment will last for several years unless you hit some of those bomb crater sized pot-holes.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

The average tire looses about 1 -2 pounds a month so you should check about once a month.You can check your air pressure with a tire gage,just go to any parts store and ask them for one but do not buy the cheap ones for some reason most of the cheaper ones are not as accurate but still even for a good one you will only spend 5 to 10 bucks.They are very easy to use once you get one it will come to u.Just screw the little cap off on on your rim and you will see what i mean.If you do not know how much your tires take just read the small lettering on the side of the tire it will tell you a # for the max pressure.I usally put in about 5 lbs less becouse if you fill to the max it may make your vehicle ride rough and or make it have less traction.Hope this helps!

Answer 3

2

Answer 4

The first thing is to get a tire pressure gauge at an automotive store. They don't cost much.

Then check for the correct air pressure for your tires. It will be listed in your owner's manual or posted on a door jamb.

Unscrew the cap from the tire valve stem. Place the gauge over the stem and press down. The gauge will now read the pressure that is in your tires. If they are low, then go to a gas station and get them aired up.

I try to check my tires every time I get into the truck. I look them over to see if they look low. Check the actual pressure when the tires are cool, or before you start driving. Do this at least monthly or whenever you might think that they are low.

Good luck.

PS. Don't forget to rotate the tires every time you change the oil. If not, then at least every other time the oil gets changed.

Answer 5

The air pressure in your tires is important for a couple of reasons. Fist it effects the handling of the car. Steering, stopping etc. Second it effects the gas milage. Low tires take for energy to move. Low pressure will also cause the tires to flex more and get hotter leading to tire failure. Any auto parts or hardware store will have a tire pressure gage. They are cheap, small and easy to use. Each tire has a valve stem sticking out of it with a cap on it. You remove the cap and firmly press the pressure gage onto it. You than read the gage. This should be done weekly, before long trips or if a tire looks lower than the rest of them. The tire pressure should be specified in your owner's manual.

Answer 6

BULL%$&@ on countryboy's post. For just about every passenger vehicle on the road today and for the last, OH, fifty years, tire pressure has been around 32-35 PSI unless you have some kind of aftermarket low profile tires or something. It has NOTHING to do with Grams and Gramps, but everything to do with the life of your tires, safety, gas mileage, AND ride quality. The specs listed inside the door of your vehicle IS correct for the tires that come on your vehicle. However, because there are so many aftermarket tires out there these days that are built different, it's a good idea to go by the info listed on your tire. You'll find it on the tire close to the rim. Somewhere there you'll find it stamped on the tire the recommended tire pressure. Most passenger tires are 32PSI. Some truck tires run 50PSI. While there are some larger tires like on such as one ton vehicles that run as high as 80PSI.

Answer 7

1.) yes, tires lose pressure over time, usually 1 or 2 psi per month, but tires may vary, so you need to check ALL of them every week or two. Follow tht CAR manufacturer's recommendations for tire pressure (it's in your car's owners' manual); their engineers designed the suspension, and know the correct amount of pressure to balance ride, handling, and mileage requirements.
If you're concerned about the heat, take your car to a tire dealer who can fill them with nitrogen.

Answer 8

Normally every other week you should check your tires with a pressure gauge, and ensure you have the right amount to what your owners manual suggests. It helps with tire wear and gas mileage

Answer 9

Buy a tire gauge and check every few fill ups. after running over small things it won't hurt it. I hit a deer w/ my neon and it didn't throw it off bad. fill up anytime they are low. rotate per the owners maual. replace when tread is less than lincolns head on a penny.

Answer 10

just check the air pressure in them once a week ,and have them rotated once every 3 months or every 5 thousand miles,that will keep them wearing even,have the front end alignment checked at least once a year,that's about all you can do for them,they will wear pretty even,if you do all of this,good luck on it.