Drivers often take tires for granted, but a worn-out rubber doughnut on a rural thoroughfare during the winter can represent serious problems for people moving from A to B, especially in Saskatchewan鈥檚 occasional Arctic-like temperatures. Darrin Karst, the owner of Integra Tire in Assiniboia, offered some advice on tire maintenance for winter drivers.
鈥淭he biggest thing is to check the air pressure. Most cars have placards inside the doors with the right tire size and pressure,鈥� Karst said. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e heading to Moose Jaw, you should check your tires before heading out,鈥� he added.
The proper way to evaluate the inflation of a car鈥檚 tires comes from employing a pressure gauge. The CAA recommended dial-type gauges, because dial-type gauges are easier to use than pen or stick models. The CAA also said tires should be checked during the mornings before driving. After tires are driven, they are judged as hot. Pressure readings on hot tires can increase from 1-22 kilograms even in wintry temperatures, meaning the measurements taken on hot tires from pressure gauges are often inaccurate. 聽聽
The size and conditions of the tire treads are yet another component to be aware of when conducting routine, pre-driver maintenance. The treads should be regularly examined. According to the CAA, the tread of each tire must have a certain depth. Uneven wear patterns on tires should also be taken into account. Either a gauge or a small ruler can be used to see if the tire had retained their proper tread patterns and depths. To assess the treads, three measurements should be taken on the inside, outside and the centre of every tire with a depth gauge or a ruler. When the readings have decreased to five millimetres, the CAA recommended drivers to have their tires exchanged for new ones.
Taking three measurements is important for tire maintenance, because although the outside area of the tire might appear to be sound, the inside section might鈥檝e deteriorated without the owner knowing about this hidden fault. Tires will usually worsen on the insides because of poor wheel alignment, according to Karst.
Also, Karst said drivers should be using winter tires instead of all-seasons tires during the frozen months of December to March. 鈥淎ll-seasons aren鈥檛 great for the winter time. Winter tires have more stopping power,鈥� he further revealed.聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽聽
