Tire Maintenance Tips for Longevity and Safety | BFGoodrich Canada

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TIRE MAINTENANCE

Four habits protect your tires more than anything else: check pressure monthly with a real gauge, inspect tread and sidewalls at the same time, rotate on schedule, and get alignment checked when something changes. In Canada, add a fifth: rinse road salt off through winter, because salt accelerates rubber degradation. This hub links to a specific how-to for each, plus balancing and safe tire care products.
TIRE BALANCE

Tire balancing is pretty much what it sounds like. It compensates for the weight of the tire and wheel assembly after the tire is mounted. A wheel is out of balance when one area is heavier or lighter than the rest. That causes bouncing or wobbling, which can decrease treadwear, increase vibration and cause stress on your vehicle. The cure? Correction weights are added to counterbalance the tires.

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TIRE INSPECTOR TOOL

The quarter test is the fastest tread check in Canada and it costs nothing. Insert a Canadian quarter into a main groove with the caribou's nose pointing down. If the tread covers the nose, you have useful depth left. If the nose is fully visible, your tread is low and replacement should be planned now. Check several grooves across each tire, because wear is rarely even.

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TIRE ALIGNMENT

Alignment is the adjustment of your vehicle's front and rear suspension components, and it has to be correct. If the alignment is off, the vehicle is not safe to drive. Three angles are adjusted: caster, camber, and toe. Misalignment scrubs tread away, pulls the vehicle to one side, and makes steering imprecise. On Canadian roads, potholes after every freeze and thaw cycle are the leading cause.

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TIRE ROTATION

Rotating your tires is not a gimmick. Tires wear at different rates depending on position, and moving them on schedule spreads that wear across all four instead of destroying two. Rotate every 10,000 to 12,000 km, or as your owner's manual specifies. The correct pattern depends on your drivetrain and whether your tires are directional, so confirm both before you start.

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TIRE CARE

Nothing makes a vehicle look better than a clean set of tires and wheels, but the wrong cleaner costs you more than it saves. Many wheel cleaners contain harsh acids, alkalis, and detergents that damage wheels and paint. Use acid-free products only. In Canada there is a second reason to keep tires clean: road salt and brine accelerate rubber degradation and corrode wheels and valve stems.

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HOW TO CHECK TIRE PRESSURE

Tires can lose up to 1 psi every month even with no puncture, and cold Canadian weather drops it further. Check all four plus the spare once a month or before any long trip. Buy a trusted gauge, check cold before driving or at least three hours after, press the gauge onto the valve stem, and compare against the sticker inside your driver's door. Never use the sidewall number as your target.

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