

We can't stress enough how important your tires are to your safety on the road. And in bad weather, it's your tires that can either save the day, or have you slipping, sliding and even stranded.
That's why the experts at Capitol Subaru have gathered these four tire maintenance tips. Caring for your tires properly helps them to last longer and perform better, so you stay safe. Read on to learn how to properly care for your tires!

4. Get Regular Tire Rotations
All your tires experience different stresses and different levels of wear. Think about it: Your front tires will endure more lateral forces, since they're the ones responsible for steering. And your left side tires will tend to wear a little faster since they experience the stress of right-hand turns, which are generally tighter in places where we drive on the right-hand side of the road.
Before a tire wears down to the cords and the metal underneath, even on just one portion of the tread, it needs to be replaced. Rotating your tires regularly helps them last longer by spreading out the wear. When you visit for a tire rotation, we'll move your tires from one wheel location to another, so they wear down more evenly and last even longer.

3. Swap Your Tires Seasonally
Since we don't get a ton of snow here in the Salem area, you might opt to drive on all-weather tires all year round. In that case, just keep them rotated and you'll be good to go. But, if you want the most confidence in winter weather, consider investing in a set of snow tires. When winter comes, swap them on, then take them off for summer. You'll spend some cash on a new set of winter tires, but when you rotate them and swap them out, each set lasts twice as long!

2. Measure the Remaining Tread
The tread pattern on your tires helps give you grip on sandy, dusty roads and channels rainwater away to prevent sliding and hydroplaning. But, once the tread wears down, the tires won't be able to do their job as well, and you risk losing control in bad weather.
Try this handy trick to quickly evaluate the tread remaining on your tires at home: First, grab an ordinary penny. With Lincoln's head facing down, insert the penny into the tread of your tires. When you look at it from the side, is Honest Abe's face obscured? That means you've got plenty of tread left on your tires. However, if you can see all of Lincoln's head, that means your tires have worn all the way down and will soon need to be replaced. Tires with a tread depth of 2/32" or less are considered dangerous.
1. Fill Them to the Proper Pressure
To get the best performance from your tires, check to make sure they're inflated to the correct pressure. Under- and over-inflated tires can cause all sorts of problems: poor fuel economy, reduced performance, reduced grip, loud road noise and more. Not to mention they're weaker when they're not properly inflated, meaning they're more susceptible to damage and going flat.
You can find the correct pressure for your tires in your owner's manual, or on a sticker inside the driver's side door jamb. If you can't find a gas station air pump with a working pressure indicator (and when can you?), we invite you to swing by the Capitol Subaru service center to check your air pressure. Our friendly technicians will be glad to help you out.
Capitol Subaru of Salem
920 Auto Group Ave NE
Salem, OR 97301
- Sales: 503-587-5500
- Service: 503-587-5500
- Parts: 503-587-5500