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Most Americans know a little bit here or there about tires, after all– we are all Jacks of All Trades — but there are a lot of little details about tire specifications that you may not be aware of, that are important — especially for consumers living in Washington State. For starters,  did you know that tires actually get “tired”?    That’s kind of an exaggeration as they don’t need naps like you or I, but tires can actually be worn out more quickly than usual by some of the following behaviors:

Tires that are too small —  Tires are all supposed to be a recommended size, and that size is prescribed by your original equipment manufacturer (OEM).  If your tires are too small, they can be forced to support more weight than they are supposed to, and this can lead to dangerous results in an emergency situation.

Tires that are all different sizes  —  Having tires that are too small is a problem, but having multiple different sizes of tires can be even worse!  For starters, the tires end up not gripping correctly (or being balanced correctly), which can make your car shake, slip or slide.   Even worse, if you have an All Wheel Drive transmission,  you can be doing serious transmission damage by sending incorrect information back and making the transmission constantly overcorrect for the “slipping” tires.

Tires that are under or over inflated — Your vehicle manual should have the proper information about what your tire pressure should be.  You can use a tire gauge to measure it and compare.  By having tires that are under or over inflated, you can not only create dangerous driving conditions for yourself and your family, but you can be more prone to flats or blow outs.

Tires that are poorly balanced — If you’ve ever been on the interstate, crossed 60 mph, and had your entire car start shaking or bouncing up and down, you know what it feels like to have a vehicle that’s out of balance.

Tires that are the wrong season or speed rating for your vehicle — You wouldn’t wear a winter coat in June, without getting really hot and sweaty, so you shouldn’t have snow tires on in the summer, or summer tires in winter.  Similarly, each tire is speed rated with a letter, like H, T, or Z, for example — and they are specifically designed for your class of car or truck.  Using the wrong type of tire can be extremely dangerous and cause your tires (and your vehicle) to wear out more quickly.

Just like tired humans behind a wheel can be dangerous, tired tires can make for very dangerous road conditions, and your cargo is too precious to leave to chance. Visit Bolton Tire today for all of your needs in the Bellingham area  — we are located at  7248 Everson Goshen Rd in Everson,  and are happy to check to see if you have tired tires.  You can also click here to set up an appointment today.