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We all tend to not give much thought to our tires. It’s easy to take them for granted, right up to the time you find yourself stuck on the shoulder with a shredded tire! Here are some things to check to make sure your tires are up to the task of holiday travel:

--Check for uneven tire wear on the front tires. A tire that’s worn on an outside or inside edge , or has a “sawtooth” contour to the tread face, is a sign of a wheel alignment problem. If a front tire is unevenly worn, have your front end alignment checked – and if it’s not too severely worn, have the tires rotated.

--Since we mentioned it, you should be having your tires rotated regularly anyway. A 5,000 mile interval is recommended for proper tire wear, and is required on your tire warranty. The 5,000 mile interval coincides with oil changes, so why not have both done at once?

--Be sure to check your tire pressure. Even newer tires can lose a pound of air pressure per month, and underinflated tires mean poorer fuel economy, poor handling and braking performance, heat buildup,  excessive stress and wear on the tires and a greatly increased risk of tire failure.

--Check your tires’ tread depth. 2/32” is the minimum tread depth by state law, so here’s an easy way to check that. Insert a penny into the tread grooves, Lincoln head down. Does the rubber reach the top of Abe’s head? That’s a 2/32” depth. Try the same test with a quarter; if the tread reaches Washington’s head, that’s 4/32” tread depth. One more time with the penny – if the tread reaches the Lincoln Memorial, that’s a good 6/32” of tread depth.

Got any questions or doubts about your tires? Make an appointment with us at Don Duncan’s All American Auto & Tire in Montgomery, AL and let us help you make sure your family’s safe for holiday travel!