3 Essential Tire Shop Services: Get Souped Up And Save Money At TIRECRAFT

“Tire maintenance is one of the simplest and fastest car care tasks drivers can perform to keep their vehicles and families safe on the road,” says Carol Hocu, president of the Tire and Rubber Association of Canada (TRAC).

But not all tire shop services are created equal. Tire detailing, for example, has plenty of benefits, but it won’t drastically affect your fuel economy, vehicle performance, or road safety, if at all.

In other words, skipping tire detailing won’t cost you a set of tires—or your life—but the same cannot be said of all tire services.

If you’re working with a limited budget and need help prioritizing essential upkeep, TIRECRAFT is here to help.

Read on to learn about 4 tire services no driver can afford to skip, and find out how your local TIRECRAFT can help you save money on essential upkeep, or contact your local TIRECRAFT to schedule a free consultation at a tire shop near you.

Top-3 Tire Shop Services No Driver Can Afford To Skip

1.   Tire Pressure Monitoring And Inflation

The air in your tires supports 95% of your vehicle’s weight, according to TRAC’s Get Fuel Fit Guide, impacting “everything from ride quality to fuel efficiency and performance.”

With so much riding on air, maintaining proper tire pressure is an essential part of every tire care plan, and it is one of the most common services we offer at our tire shops. In fact, we include tire pressure checks and top-ups as part of almost every auto service, so if you visit our shops regularly for your upkeep, we can cross this item off your to-do list at no charge.

That said, it is a good idea to check your tire pressure once every 2 to 4 weeks. If you don’t come into the shop that often (and few drivers do), it may be a good idea to invest in a handheld pressure gauge and portable compressor. You can find both at your local TIRECRAFT and earn MyTIRECRAFT Rewards points with your purchase.

When measuring and filling tire pressure on your own, be sure to:

• Check often—Do not wait for visible signs of deflation or rely on your Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), as this won’t light up until tire pressure drops 25% or more below the recommended level of inflation.
• Check the placard—Only four-in-ten (42%) of drivers look at the placard in their vehicle to determine the proper inflation level. Your owner’s manual can also provide this information, but do not use the PSI levels printed on your tire sidewall, as this tells you the maximum level, not the recommended level for daily driving.
• Check your tires cold—Do not check your tire pressure unless your vehicle has been parked for three hours or more, or you may get an inaccurate reading.

2.   Tire Alignment

If your tires end up misaligned due to bad shocks, minor collisions, worn bearings, or faulty installations, you could be at risk of:

• Overpaying for fuel—According to Bridgestone Canada, “tires that are improperly aligned can result in as much as a 10% decrease in fuel efficiency.”
• Ruining your tires—Improper alignment is a main cause of feathering, where the tread is smooth on one side and sharp on the other; camber wear, where the inside or outside is more worn than the center; and heel/toe wear, where one side of your tread block wears down faster than the other, creating the look and feel of “saw teeth.”
• Losing control on the road—Misaligned tires do not meet the road as intended, and they can even drag to the side. This causes unpredictable handling, braking issues, and serious safety risks.

To increase your odds of early detection and easy fixes, we recommend checking your alignment after every 20,000km or 12 months of driving. Many drivers find it convenient to check their alignment during their seasonal changeover service. Between visits, you should also watch out for common signs of misalignment, which include:

• Vehicle pulling to one side
• Bumpy rides or excessive vibration on the road
• Excessive or uneven tire wear
• Steering wheel drifting offline
• Needing to hold your steering wheel crooked to drive straight

If you suspect a misalignment, contact your local TIRECRAFT tire shop. We work with all vehicle types, and we have the tools, experience, and technology to set your tires straight, fast.

3.    Tire Rotations

In a perfect world, your vehicle would be perfectly balanced and each tire would bear the exact same load. But this is not the case. Every vehicle is loaded differently, and these imbalances create big disparities in tire tread wear.

By rotating your tires on a regular basis, you can dramatically reduce the risks of uneven tread wear and premature tire failure, which could save you thousands of dollars on premature replacements and help you avoid a dangerous loss of control.

At TIRECRAFT, we recommend rotating your tires after every 10,000km or 6 months of use. And if you’re signed up for the Advantage Plus Program, you may be eligible for FREE tire rotations at our tire shops.

Book A Free Consultation At A TIRECRAFT Tire Shop Near You

To learn more about proper tire care and get a free quote on any service, get in touch with a TIRECRAFT tire shop near you.

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