Road trips are very entertaining vacations, but there are a few things that you should do to prepare your vehicle for the upcoming drive. Having your tires and windshield replaced are two great ways to get the most out of your vehicle on your next trip.
Tires
Replacing your tires is often a very good idea prior to a road trip so that you can ensure that you have sufficient tread on the tires. The main reason for this is that having insufficient tread on your tires increases the probability of one of your tires going flat or blowing out, which can leave you stranded in the middle of nowhere.
When the tread on your tires has reached 1/16 of an inch, they will no longer be safe to drive on. You can easily measure your tread depth by simply using a penny.
Place the penny upside down in the tread at the the point where the tread is the deepest. If you can see the Lincoln's head on the penny at all, you should start considering new tires. If you can see the entirety of Lincoln's head or beyond, then the tires are worn down to the point where it is actually dangerous to drive on them.
Another reason to replace your tires is that tires with worn down treads can be harder to control because they cannot grip the road as well as new tires. This can lead to you not having enough control over your car to avoid road hazards, which can result in you getting into an accident.
Fuel economy is also an important reason to replace your tires. If your tires are not gripping the road very well due to low tread depth, then your engine will have to work harder to spin the tires sufficiently to keep your car moving forward. The harder the engine works, the more money you will have to spend on fuel throughout your road trip.
Windshield
Replacing your windshield is very important before leaving on a road trip if it is badly cracked or if there are multiple chips in it. Large cracks in the windshield can result in obstructed vision, which means that you may not notice an obstacle in the road until it is too late to avoid it.
In addition, a cracked windshield is not as able to protect you in the event of an accident. This is because the cracks weaken the windshield, particularly if you are involved in a rollover accident. In that situation, the windshield is not able to provide enough strength to your car's roof due to the cracks, which can lead to the windshield shattering and the roof caving in on you and your passengers.
Speak to an auto repair shop or mechanic today in order to discuss the various preparations that you should make prior to leaving on your trip. Replacing your windshield and tires will make the vehicle quite a bit safer while on a road trip. Replacement tires are also a good way to lower your fuel costs so that you can have a bit more money to spend on your trip. Contact a shop like Convoy Collision and Auto Body to get started.
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