It’s usually around the beginning of August when kids and parents everywhere start to low-grade panic about the impending end of their respective summer freedom and the hellish trials and tribulations associated with the beginning of another school year.
We forget all about our cars and trucks and instead focus on new notebooks, new backpacks, new friends, and occasionally new schools all start to overwhelm, along with how to pay for textbooks that seem to charge a dollar per page in college, not to mention finding out which prerequisites transfer and which do not, all add up to a very hectic end of August. Yet, there is one thing that almost everyone forgets about but is a crucial ingredient to making all of those other back-to-school activities possible: tires. Yup, you read that right. Tires. Read on for the explanation.
Whether you are a parent or a newly licensed driver going away to college cross-country, safety is paramount. And even if there isn’t a mechanically inclined bone in anyone’s body, Kumho Tire has come up with a helpful list of simple yet effective habits to make sure the new school year starts off with plenty of traction.
1 – Spare tires are only spare until you need them
For most people, a spare tire is just that big dirty hunk of rubber taking up space in the trunk. Others will be lucky to even be able to locate their spare tire in broad daylight, nevermind at midnight in the pouring rain on the side of a highway. Making sure that the tire is structurally intact is the first tip (no obvious cracking or bulging and being mounted onto a functional rim, for starters). Next, make sure the spare is properly inflated to the correct tire pressure and that there is a useable tire jack and tire iron on hand. Upgrading to a small hydraulic jack is never a bad idea, as the dinky scissor-style ones can be difficult to use and often bend or warp after one or two uses.
2 – Inspect all tires for damage
Just because you don’t have a flat doesn’t always mean everything is fine. Take time to visually inspect each tire. Look for bulges, cracks, cuts, and/or dry rot (severe cracking and rubber that looks unusually aged). Abnormal wear, especially near the edges of the tires, can not only indicate the tire may need to be replaced immediately but also be a sign of an alignment issue.
3 – Check cold tire pressure
Before heading out next, it is a good idea to check your tires’ pressure when cold. Even if your car comes with Tire Pressure Sensors, picking up an old-school tire pressure gauge is cheap and good insurance to keep in your glove box along with your actual insurance. The recommended cold tire pressure should be listed on the inside of the driver’s door jamb (presuming the tires are stock or stock equivalents).
4 – Trust Honest Abe to tell you when it is time to replace your tires
Most have heard of the ‘penny test’ for tires, but if you have not heard of it, or arent exactly sure what you’re looking for, Kumho Tires explains:
To perform the penny test for measuring tire wear, take a penny and place it into the tread groove with Abe Lincoln’s head facing downward. If you can see the top of Lincoln’s head, then your tires have worn below 2/32nds of an inch. Below 2/32”, your tires will experience a serious loss in stopping power and hydroplaning resistance.
While it may seem secondary to the new clothes, new schedules, and new activities, taking just a little time to check out your (or your child’s) tires proves the old idiom ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’ to be one lesson we should all be paying close attention to during this back-to-school season.
