Tire Maintenance

Tire maintenance is as important as all other parts to your motor vehicle. By properly maintaining your tires, you can prolong the life of the tires and provide for a safer smoother ride.
Let's talk about tire pressure. Manufacturers recommend specific tire pressers for their specific makes and models of vehicles. You will want to check the decal usually located on the inside of the driver's door for the recommended pressures. In some cases they will recommend one pressure for the front and one for the rear, but generally speaking the tire pressure will be the same all the way around.
Proper tire pressure will provide for better gas mileage, and in today's economy with fuel prices on the rise, checking and maintaining tire pressure will help. If tire pressures are too low, excessive wear to the tire and you could be virtually dragging a tire while driving. The more even the tread is on the driving surface, the better it is for the tire and you. When the pressure is too low, you may also be driving on the sidewall of the tire. This is not good, as it could cause the sidewall to rupture, and loss of control of the vehicle.
On the other hand, you don't want to over-inflate the tires either. By doing that, only a portion of the center of the tire tread will be contacting the driving surface. So you see, by maintaining the proper tire pressure, you prolong the life of the tire as well as provide a safety factor for you and the other occupants of your vehicle.
One other thing to look for when inspecting your tires, is wearing to the inside and outside of the tread pattern. If you see this, you should take your vehicle in for service, as you may need an alignment. More on that in my next article.

Ways To Help Improve Fuel Economy

At this time of year many people do most of the traveling, so I decided to post a few ways in which you may improve your fuel economy.

Drive Sensibly - Observe the speed limit, and use cruise control whenever possible. Avoid excessive idling. Potential fuel savings: 5 to 33%.

Check and Replace Air Filters - Replacing air filters every 12,000 miles can improve fuel economy and help protect your engine. Potential fuel savings: up to 10%.

Keep your Engine Tuned - Changing spark plugs, fixing faulty sensors, and maintaining your engine can improve your gas mileage. Potential fuel saving: up to 4%.

Keep tires properly inflated - Under inflated tires can cause lower gas mileage. Follow your vehicle manufacturer's recommendations. Potential fuel savings: up to 3%.

Use proper Motor Oil - The proper grade of motor oil along with changing the oil filter can improve fuel economy. Potential fuel savings: 1 to 2%.