Tire Replacement Guide For First-Time Buyers: What You Need To Know

Think you might need a tire replacement? There’s a lot to consider before you buy, but TIRECRAFT is here to help you get great results on any tire replacement, whether it’s your first time or your fiftieth!

Read on to learn some tire replacement basics and best practices for beginners, or get in touch with your local TIRECRAFT for a free quote straight away.

Tire Replacement Tips For First-Time Buyers: What You Need To Know

1.   Make Sure You Really Need A Tire Replacement

To make sure you aren’t blowing your budget on something you don’t need, look for the following signs, which suggest you need a tire replacement:

• Visual indicators. Many different types of tire wear are visible to naked eye, but not all tire wear calls for an immediate replacement. For example, depending on its severity, irregular shoulder wear or center wear can often be resolved with a tire balancing, alignment, or rotation service, and many kinds of damage can be repaired, whereas exposed tread bars are a sure sign it’s time for a replacement. For help assessing visual wear, get in touch with your local TIRECRAFT.
• Tread wear indicators. You should not wait until the tread bars are exposed to consider a tire replacement; instead, take the initiative and check tread depth using the Quarter Test. Simply place a quarter into the deepest tread, using the figurehead as a point of reference. If the top of the figurehead is covered by tread, you’re driving with the legal and safe amount of tread. But if you can see more than that, it’s time to call your local TIRECRAFT for a replacement.
• Time indicators. Check the DOT reading on your tire’s sidewall. The first two numerals indicate the week the tire was made; the last two describe the year. Accordingly, if your sidewall reads 1516, that tire was manufactured on the 15th week of 2016. Most tire manufacturers recommend replacing tires after 5-6 years, and you definitely should not drive on your set for more than 10 years, even if they look like new.

2.   Replacement Tires Should Be Identical

Driving with an improper mix of tires is extremely dangerous. Make sure all tire replacements are the same size, type, and speed rating. When in doubt, ask your TIRECRAFT technician for help.

3.   Try Not To Stagger Your Tire Replacements

Ideally, you want to replace all 4 tires at once, as this ensures even wear and optimal handling. This is especially important if your vehicle is all-wheel drive.

If you’re driving a two-wheel-drive vehicle, regardless of whether it’s front-wheel or rear-wheel-drive, you should replace the pair on the same axle, never just one at a time. However, even with 2WD, it’s best to replace them all at once, and proper tire rotation, balancing, and alignment ensures that they all reach the end of their service life simultaneously.

Get A Free Quote On Your Next Tire Replacement: Contact TIRECRAFT

Use the Find a TIRECRAFT tool to get great results on your next tire replacement, no matter what you drive or what kind of tires you use.

Back