Tire Talk: Subtle Signs Can Tell You a Lot Page 3

By Marc Stern

Marc Stern

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2010 Ford Fusion

• Overninflation: This might not seem like an egregious problem (there goes my image as a carnut) for the tires on your car, but it is. Your tires will tell you there's a problem by showing wear in the center of the tread, while the sides and bead aren't badly worn. The problem with overinflation is not so much that the tire has too much air, it is that the tire is harder than normal and can easily be damaged by potholes, curbing or ruts. Overinflated tires can also cause damage to other pieces of your front end, including control arms, shocks, struts and even the steering rack. The one minor plus to this very minor is the overinflated tire will exhibit less rolling resistance, but the gain in mileage is very minor, only in .5 or so range, so the potential for damage is far greater than the gains from gas mileage. The solution to this problem is to use your air gauge again and, during the morning, let air out of the tire until it reaches the manufacturer's recommendation.

• Alignment: This is something that not many folks think about. It is a subtle thief that steals not only mileage but your tire's longevity. Here's a good example of just what a misaligned tire means. Imagine filling a wheelbarrow with say 10 pounds of dirt and pushing it up and down your driveway. If it is a new wheelbarrow, bit will be a breeze because everything is in alignment. Now, use the same wheelbarrow but hit a rut or hole with it so that the wheel is misaligned and it now automatically runs to the right when you use it. Normally, unless you want to continually veer to the right constantly, you will have to work against the misalignment. You will certainly feel the increased resistance from the wheelbarrow and you will also find the wheel is wearing out on one side or across the tread. This is exactly what happens when your car is out of alignment and it not only costs you in mileage but also in the need to replace your car's tires. To check for misalignment, look for cupping across the tire tread. This is a classic sign of misalignment and can only be cured by a realignment. This will put things right and put your tires on the straight and narrow again.

As noted, your tires do talk to you in very subtle ways. In fact, reading Morse Code signals is probably easier than interpreting what your tires mean, but if you follow this advice, you can overcome the communications problem and save money.

One last note, be sure to look at the inside of your tires from time to time to see if there are any cracks that might appear in the sidewall of the tire carcass. This indicates dry rot and this type of tire should be replaced because it is a safety hazard.