How Often Should Small Car Tires Be Replaced?
2 Answers
Small car tires should generally be replaced every 5 years or after 80,000 kilometers. Below are some relevant details about tire usage:1. The longer tires are used, the higher the risk of tread deformation and blowouts becomes.2. To extend the service life of tires, it is recommended to rotate the tire positions every 10,000 to 20,000 kilometers. The purpose of front-to-rear rotation is to ensure more even tire wear.3. Due to the thermal expansion and contraction of air, it is advisable to check and inflate tires during cold winter months. Below are the steps for replacing a tire:1. Retrieve the spare tire and jack. Place the jack under the vehicle frame near the tire to be replaced. Ensure the jack contacts the metal part of the frame.2. Raise the jack until it supports (but does not lift) the car.3. Remove the hubcap and loosen the nuts by turning them counterclockwise.4. Pump or turn the jack to lift the tire off the ground.5. Completely loosen all nuts. Turn the nuts counterclockwise until they come off. Repeat this step for all lug nuts and remove them completely.6. Remove the tire. Place the flat tire under the vehicle.7. Position the spare tire onto the wheel hub. Carefully align the spare tire rim with the wheel bolts, then install the lug nuts.
Many car enthusiasts are concerned about tire replacement timing, so I'll share my experience. When I drove taxis and worked night shifts daily, I had to use a key to check tread depth every six months – if the groove depth couldn't cover a coin's edge, I'd replace them immediately. The key is not to focus solely on time. Take my wife's school-run car for example: it only covered 30,000 km in five years, but last year we discovered cracks all over the sidewalls, with rubber hardened like old leather. Also, incorrect tire pressure causes uneven wear – once my front right tire wore out twice as fast as the left one. In such cases, retiring two tires early is better than dealing with alignment issues. I recommend having mechanics inspect sidewalls with a flashlight during seasonal maintenance, especially after undercarriage scrapes.