Tire Services in Greenville, SC
While you can't always control what debris you might run over during your daily commute, proper tire maintenance is the absolute key to maximizing your tire investment and preventing a dangerous roadside blowout.
How to Tell When You Need New Tires
Modern tires are engineered with built-in tread wear indicator bars. These narrow sections of smooth rubber run perpendicular to the tread and only become flush with the rest of the tire when the tread depth has worn down to a dangerous 2/32 of an inch. If you see these bars exposed, it is time to replace your tires immediately.
Puncture Repair: Can It Be Patched?
If your tire is completely flat or suffering from a slow, frustrating leak, it has likely been punctured by a nail, screw, or road debris.
Following strict industry safety guidelines, the team at Mason & Sons can safely patch and plug a tire if the puncture occurs squarely in the middle of the tread area. However, if the puncture or tear occurs on the shoulder or sidewall of the tire, the structural integrity is compromised, and the tire must be replaced for your safety.
What is Tire Balancing?
Tire balancing ensures a smooth ride and uniform tread wear by perfectly distributing the weight of the tire and wheel assembly around the axle. It is important to note that tire balancing is completely different from a wheel alignment—which deals with the physical angle of the wheels relative to the chassis and the road.
Over time, normal everyday driving causes your tread to wear down unevenly, shifting the tire's weight distribution and throwing it out of balance. You will typically feel a tire imbalance as an unusual shaking or vibration in your steering wheel or seat at highway speeds.
Staying on top of routine tire balancing is critical for modern, lighter-weight vehicles. Today's advanced responsive suspension systems and lower-profile tire styles are highly sensitive to even minor weight variances. A persistent tire imbalance accelerates wear on your shocks, struts, and steering linkages.
Tire balancing is an essential preventative service outlined in your vehicle's factory manual. Typically performed every 5,000 to 6,000 miles or every 6 months, balancing is most convenient when completed alongside your routine tire rotations.
Don't let a vibration ruin your ride or uneven wear cut your tire life short. Schedule your tire service with Mason & Sons today!