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Tire Maintenance Tips: Taking Better Care of Your Tires

Maintaining your tires is an important part of keeping your car in tip-top shape. Neglecting even a simple tire issue can compromise your road safety when not addressed immediately. Here are some ways to take better care of your tires:

Inspect Tires Regularly

A simple assessment of your tires can reveal a lot about their condition. Inspecting them at least once a month allows you to determine if a certain tire needs to be replaced. You may find cracks, scratches, or even nails or screws embedded in your tires. You could also determine if the treads are worn down, which warrants immediate replacement.

Check the Tire Pressure

You can easily check the tire pressure with air pressure gauges. They can be found in gas station convenience stores, auto parts shop, and the car maintenance section of department stores. Check your vehicle’s manual or the label at the driver’s side doorjamb to determine the manufacturer’s recommended tire pressure in psi or pounds per square inch.

On each tire, you’ll find a capped valve stem. Simply remove the cap and place the tire gauge over the stem. Read the numbers found on the line of the gauge to determine how much air pressure psi is in that specific tire. You may then fill each tire with air at any paid or free air pump station up to the car manufacturer’s specified psi.

Rotate Tires

Every 10,000 to 20,000 miles, do consider rotating your tires. This ensures each tire wears evenly. Even treads allow for a safe and smooth driving experience. Allowing other parts of the tires to wear prevents uneven treads, which are known to cause decreased handling and traction. Rotating tires prolongs the life of your tires.

Keep a Spare Tire

Having a spare tire can save you in a pinch. Many cars typically come with a spare and a tire replacement kit. You can check your vehicle’s manufacturer manual to know where to find them. You may also get instructions on how to use the kit in your car’s manual.

When you get a flat tire while driving, activate your hazard lights by hitting your car’s emergency signal button before pulling over to a safe side of the road. And then, replace the flat tire with your spare using your tire replacement tools. Remember that your spare tire should never be a permanent replacement, so make sure to get new tires for your ride as soon as possible.

Graham Tire: Trusted Auto Repair Shop in Lincoln, NE!

With these tire maintenance tips, you can have a smooth ride knowing your tires are in good condition. But in case you need assistance, Graham Tire can help. Reach out to our mechanics today to find out more!

Tips To Prevent Engine Overheating

During summer, outdoor temperature rises and so does your car engine’s. That’s why it’s vital to ensure that it’s always cool. Here are some pointers on what to do to prevent engine overheating.

Turn the Heater On

This may sound unconventional, but turning the heater on will reduce the warmth from within the hood of your vehicle. Your car’s heater works by drawing warm air from around the engine and transferring it to the cabin.

Pull Over to a Safe Place

Park your vehicle somewhere safe as soon as possible when you see the overheat warning light on your dash. And then, turn the engine off immediately. This will decrease its temperature right away. Driving with an overheated engine can damage its internal and external parts. Don’t forget to call roadside assistance at this point.

Open the Hood

Another thing that cools down an overheated engine is simply opening the hood of your car. Make sure to wear heat-resistance gloves before performing this task, or wait for at least an hour before touching the hood. Also, remember to never come into contact with the engine and any of its surrounding parts until they’ve completely cooled down.

Check Your Coolant

The next thing to do is to check your coolant. Sometimes, it depletes, so the radiator is unable to decrease the engine’s temperature adequately.

You can replenish your coolant by locating the radiator cap. Check your car’s manual to help you with this. And then, open the cap and pour the coolant in until the indicated level.

Restart the Engine

Check if the above-mentioned methods have worked, by restarting the engine. If the engine temperature indicator on your dash has come down, drive to a service station near you if there is no roadside assistance available. If the engine overheats again, pull over to a safe area once more and let it cool down for a while before driving again.

Drive to Graham Tire!

You can save your car engine now that you know what to do when your car overheats. To prevent dealing with an overheated engine in the future, visit Graham Tire! Our team of mechanics can provide quality auto repair and maintenance. Drop by our auto shop today to find out more about our services.

Road-Tripping? Do These Things First!

Are you thinking of going on a road trip with your family? If so, you’ll need to prepare for the possibilities of breakdowns that can happen during your journey and take steps to prevent what you can. You know what they say. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Here are some tips to help you and your family have a memorable and uneventful travel experience.

Schedule a Vehicle Maintenance

First, make sure to have your vehicle in Lincoln, NE inspected. Check your car battery and have it replaced if needed. A corroded or discharged battery may prevent your vehicle from starting when you hit the ignition.

Additionally, check your brakes, engine belts and hoses, and cooling system before embarking on your family trip. Checking your brakes ensures that your car will stop safely when you need it to. Cooling system failures such as broken engine belts, blown hoses, and radiators are the number two cause of vehicle breakdowns, right behind tire failures.

Check Your Tires

Inspect the condition of your tires. Make sure that your tires have plenty of tread remaining. A deeper tread will improve traction and prevent slipping and sliding while driving. Consider installing all-season tires because they work well during any weather. Look for cuts or cracking in the tread and sidewall area as well. These could be a point of failure if ignored.

Additionally, determine your car’s tire pressure. It is known that tires lose about 1-2 psi when there is a 10-degree drop in temperature outdoors. Be sure to inflate them to the vehicle’s recommended psi for each tire to promote adequate traction and overall safety.

Inspect Fluid Levels

Assess your car’s oil, brake fluid, transmission fluid, and coolant levels before heading out. Changing the motor oil regularly can extend engine life and keep things running smoothly. Use the dipstick in the engine to check oil levels.

The same can be said about your transmission fluid. A transmission can quickly overheat and become damaged if the fluid level is too low. Check your car’s coolant level too. It helps prevent your engine from overheating, especially when driving for long hours.

Keep an Emergency Car Kit

No one likes to think about the possibility of an accident on the road. However, it’s always best to be prepared in case of an emergency. So, make sure that your auto is equipped with the essentials.

Stock your vehicle with basic first aid, phone charger, blanket, warm clothing, water, and food supplies. It’s also important to include a flashlight or flare and jumper. If it’s winter, consider bringing extra antifreeze, sand or kitty litter, ice scraper, and shovel in case you get stranded. Keeping an emergency kit can help prevent you from experiencing any unpleasant circumstances.

Visit Your Local Auto Repair Shop!

Being prepared can make a difference in your road-tripping experience. If you live or travel near Lincoln, NE, we have you covered at Graham Tire! Our ASE certified technicians can provide a variety of auto services you need for your vehicle in Lincoln, NE. Reach out to our helpful customer service people today to learn more.

Car Winterization Tips

Winter is here so it’s crucial to have your vehicle checked. Doing so will ensure your safety while on the road since the snow, ice, and freezing temperature can affect your car’s performance. Here are some car winterization tips that can help you.

Change Your Oil

Having regular oil and filter changes is crucial in maintaining your engine’s health and performance. Typically, these are recommended to be done around 3000 – 5000 miles. During colder months, it would be helpful to check your vehicle’s user manual to find out which type of oil is best to use.

Keep the Battery in Good Condition

If your battery is going to let you down, chances are that it will do so in the cold weather. The intense under hood temperatures of summertime actually weaken your battery and then when winter sets in, and your car needs extra cranking power, it can leave you stranded.

Don’t hesitate to get your battery tested by an experienced mechanic to determine its capacity and overall condition. Corrosion on its terminals, for example, may prevent your car from starting. Having it inspected and maintained can prolong your battery’s life and keep your vehicle running well during the winter months.

Switch to Snow Tires

Investing in winter tires is a good idea if you often drive on slippery roads. Snow tires have deeper tread and rubber compounds which allow optimum traction in slick conditions. This means that the tires will have better grip on the road.

Keep an eye on that tire pressure, too. You may need to check this more often in the winter since cold temperatures can decrease their pressure.

Upgrade Wiper Blades and Washer Fluid

The extreme weather conditions during winter can affect visibility while you’re out on the road. Consider switching to wiper blades that are specifically designed for winter since they are capable of removing snow, slush, and ice.

Additionally, make sure that your windshield wiper fluid reservoir is filled with a washer solution with an antifreeze agent. This will ensure that your windshield is clear, so you’ll have optimum visibility while driving.

Schedule a Maintenance With Graham Tire!

If you live in or near Lincoln, NE, you have a friend to help with the tips listed above. When your auto needs routine maintenance and repairs, you can count on the experts at Graham Tire! Reach out to our tire company today to get your car serviced!

Category: tips