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When it comes to critical safety features of your automobile, some experts feel the proper condition of your tires is one of the most important. While it is important, it also is overlooked by many drivers.

Maintaining proper air pressure and manually checking the condition of your tires will have a positive effect on mileage and on-road safety. From a tread-checking standpoint, the penny test can tell you when your tires’ tread is low. When you place a penny sideways into the grooves of your tires, you should not be able to see the top of Abe Lincoln’s head. If you can see his head, it’s time to purchase new tires.

Additionally, it’s a good idea to check the surface of your tire for any bumps or punctures on a consistent basis. Road construction often leaves tiny objects lying on the road, any of which can become lodged in your tire. Leaving something in your tire for an extended period of time can lead to flat tires or dangerous blowouts.

Failure to purchase new tires at the right time result in major consequences. Let our Grapevine TX auto shop assist you with your tires and their maintenance. Contact our Grapevine mechanics today, or visit us online for details.

Need a sure-fire way to tell when it’s time to purchase new tires? It’ll only cost you one cent.

Many car care experts will agree that the penny test, once considered a myth in determining tire tread capability, is one of the best methods possible to ascertain how much life your old tires have in them. The penny test is a dependable process that will accurately determine tread life.

First and foremost, find a penny. As we all know, a penny features Abraham Lincoln’s face and upper torso. To check tire tread depth, take the penny and put Lincoln’s head into a tread groove. Try choosing a place on the tire where treading appears low. Observe the penny, and if you can see the top of “Honest Abe’s” head (and where the penny reads “In God We Trust”), then your tread needs replacing. If his head is hidden, your treading is in drivable shape.

Inadequate tire tread can be extremely dangerous for you and those traveling on the road around you. Experts suggest your treading should not go below 2/32 of an inch, which ironically is the distance from the tip of Lincoln’s head to the rim of a penny (check it for yourself).

Be safe on the road, and keep those unused cents – at least one of them – handy for this occasion. Feel free to contact our Grapevine TX auto experts today for more information. Call our Grapevine car care company, or contact us online for additional information.

Happy New Year to you! We at Family Tire & Auto Service hope that your 2011 will be a prosperous year. We also hope your automobile continues to run at full throttle.

Our Dallas TX automobile service experts know that a great set of tires can make or break your vehicle’s productivity. It’s very important to know the proper air pressure your automobile desires. A recent story in suburban Michigan supports this.

An 8-year-old boy was killed in Michigan’s Bloomfield Township area on Christmas night. He died when a truck tire exploded while being inflated. The tire, which was for a tractor trailer, had roughly 11 pounds more than what experts recommend it to have.

This may have been an extreme case, but accidents and injuries can occur if a tire doesn’t have its proper weight – no matter what the size of the automobile is. Improper pressure can aid in the reduction of tire traction and potential wear such as a tire splitting. It is extremely important to know your car and its tire pressure capacity. Check your owner’s manual, or call a service representative if you are unsure.

Experts will suggest carrying a tire gauge in your automobile.  Checking a tire’s pressure after each gasoline fill-up is recommended. Be alert that a tire’s pressure can change with chillier temperatures.

Our Dallas car care specialists are more than willing to offer assistance, as well. Feel free to call us today or contact us online about tire maintenance, inflation safety or for other automobile information.