Tire & Wheel Service in Bountiful, UT
Tire and wheel services are essential to keep your car in motion and ensure you're safe on your journey. The tire is the only part of the car that makes contact with the road when you drive. When tires are in bad shape, this can cause serious safety issues. Tire and wheel services offer a much-needed safety intervention to ensure a smooth and safe trip.
Benefits of a Tire and Wheel Service
There are several reasons why you should consider booking a tire and wheel service, including:
Longevity of the Tires
The average life span of a tire is 36,000 to 75,000 miles. Factors such as your daily commute, driving style, and road conditions affect this life span. When you take your car for a tire service, the technician can pick up other not-so-obvious factors that can decrease your tire's life span, such as unbalanced or unaligned wheels and tires that need to be repaired.
Safety
The tire creates a soft barrier with the road; when this barrier is compromised, it can result in losing traction on the road. Tires also need to be in good condition to handle certain driving and weather conditions. For instance, if you're on a slippery surface such as loose gravel or ice, your tires need to have enough grip for you to remain in control.
Improved Driving Pleasure
Regular tire servicing ensures you don't have to listen to tire noise. You'll also have more control as the tires provide sufficient grip on most road surfaces.
Tire and Wheel Services Offered
During a tire and wheel service, the goal is to ensure that the tires and wheels are in great shape. A typical tire and wheel service includes tire rotation with wheel balancing and wheel alignment, along with a tire inspection to identify if any tires need to be replaced or repaired.
Tire Rotation
During a tire rotation, the tires are rotated to ensure even wear takes place, as the front of the car is typically heavier than the back. There are different ways to do this:
- Front-wheel drive: The front tires move straight back, and the rear tires move to the opposite sides in the front.
- Rear-wheel and all-wheel drive: The front tires will move to the opposite side in the back, while the rear tires will move straight forward.
Tire rotations help with the following:
- Reducing the pressure on your suspension through a smoother ride.
- Improving grip as more tread touches the road surface.
- Reducing noise levels.
- Improving the safety of the tire by distributing the wear evenly.
Wheel Balancing
Wheel balancing is an important process that ensures the weight distribution is even around the entire wheel. Deviations often occur due to the wheel and tire not being even all around. Joins, seams, and valves all affect the balancing of the wheel. During the wheel balancing, they even out the weight distribution.
Wheel balancing helps with the following:
- Fewer vibrations during the ride.
- Even distribution of weight, ensuring even wear on tires.
- A safer ride as the rotations don't cause massive adjustments when driving.
Wheel Alignment
Wheel alignment is how the wheel fits the suspension and whether it's at an optimal angle for a smooth ride. During wheel alignment, the technician uses specialized equipment to measure the angles of the wheels and how it relates to certain reference points. The wheels are then adjusted to fit the specified parameters for perfect angles.
Over time, the wheel alignment changes as you drive on uneven road surfaces, hit potholes or curbs, or have a blowout where the rim makes contact with the road surface. It's important that the wheel alignment is rectified regularly.
Wheel alignment helps with:
- Better fuel efficiency as there's less drag and veering to counter.
- A smoother ride.
- Better control of the car.
- Even wear on the tires.
Tire Inspection
During a tire inspection, the technician will check all the tires and the spare. Some of the things they look out for include:
- The overall condition of the tire, including inspecting them for lodged foreign objects, bulges, and uneven tire wear.
- Whether the tread is still acceptable. Tread that measures one-sixteenth of an inch or lower is considered dangerous.
- Inflation check.
- Check for any reparable punctures.
Tire inspections help with the following:
- Preventing serious tire problems such as blowouts or massive leaks.
- Ensuring tires are replaced when needed.
Tire Repairs
Sometimes, a tire issue can be repaired. There are several different ways a technician may do this:
- Spray-in sealant is a great short-term fix if you're in between destinations and the tire damage is small.
- A tire patch is the most common repair job and is used on the crown of the tire when there's just one puncture or hole.
- A tire plug is placed inside the puncture and fixed with a sealant.
A technician will need to consider the safety aspects of a tire repair. If in doubt, it's best to schedule a tire replacement.
Tire Replacements
While tires can last for tens of thousands of miles, it's important to change them at least once every 10 years, irrespective of whether there's sufficient tread. This is because tires can become brittle over time, compromising tire safety. Our skilled technicians can assist you with tire replacements according to your needs. We have a wide selection, including all-weather and snow tires.
It's time to replace your tires when you notice:
- Tread approaching one-sixteenth of an inch.
- Badly damaged tires.
- Bulging and tears.
- Brittle rubber.
Let Bountiful Mazda Help You With Your Tire and Wheel Services
Our trained and experienced technicians know what to look for during a tire inspection. We know when to repair a puncture or to recommend a replacement instead. We have the equipment to help you with your wheel balancing and alignment needs. Contact us to book an appointment today at our Bountiful, Utah, location. We also offer other services to keep your vehicle in great shape, including Full Circle Inspections, oil changes, battery changes, and brake services. Our well-stocked parts center also offers a wide selection of parts for the services you want to perform at home.