Taking Good Care of Car Tires and Rims

A car is a complex and expensive piece of machinery, and its owner should stay on top of all of its upkeep and maintenance needs. In particular, a car owner should pay close attention to its wheel rims, the tires, and of course, the wheels themselves. All cars have wheels, and a car’s performance (and safety) may be compromised if the wheels or tires are worn out or damaged. Any car owner may visit a tire shop to get new tires fitted on, such as for winter, or they may get custom wheels put on for style and performance alike. Car enthusiasts in particular demand more from their cars, and they like to put on new rims or tires to make their car stylish and perform well on the road. What might custom rims or rim repair involve? And what is so bad about driving around with old tires on your car?

Replace Those Tires

Cars vary in their performance and features, but they will all have a full set of four tires, and they are not something to be taken for granted. A new car is tough and fresh tires on it for maximum performance, but buying a used car means, among other things, looking over the tires. And after a time, a car owner should get any tires on their car replaced with fresh, new ones to keep up that car’s performance.

What might go wrong? Sometimes, trauma may strike and damage or destroy the tires on a car. A car might run over a tree branch, a sharp piece of scrap metal, a sharp rock, or even broken glass and puncture one or more tires. These tires might deflate and go flat, or they might even explode in some cases. A car with a flat or destroyed tire is going nowhere fast, but most cars do have a spare tire in the trunk. Handy car owners can replace the tire or wheel themselves, or if not, they can call upon a tow truck to help. Tow trucks can take their car to a specialized auto shop to replace wheels or tires as needed.

Not all tire trouble is so dramatic, though. Over time, any tire will slowly wear out and lose its grip, and very old tires may start deflating even if they are pumped back up with air. Slightly flat, flaccid tires can slow down a car and reduce its gas mileage efficiency. What is more, these old tires may slip and fail on roads slick with snow or ice, and that can lead to a crash in some cases. So, a car owner may keep track of how worn out their tires are based on either time or distance driven, and get new tires fitted on at a shop. In winter, a car’s owner may ask to have specialized tires fitted on that can handle snow and ice with ease, and that may help prevent a car going out of control. A car owner may choose from multiple brands of tires, and some brands are very popular and have a good reputation.

Wheels and Rims

A car that has suffered major trauma may have one or more damaged wheels, but those wheels can certainly be replaced at a shop. And what about the rims? Rims are often made of aluminum or similar metals, and they cover a car’s wheels to make it look more attractive (and protect the innards, too). If a rim is dirty, they can be washed right off, though a car owner is discouraged from using steel wool since it may scratch up the surface. Meanwhile, car enthusiasts like to tinker with their cars in a private garage, and this may include tinker with each car’s rims or wheels. The owner may put on new rims that enhance the car’s performance as well as aesthetics. Some enthusiasts like to show off at car meets or races with decorations like body lights, new paint jobs, and stylish rims.