Fixing Up Your Car

Thankfully, winter is coming to an end and it's time to get your car ready for spring and summer use. No more need for those chunky winter treads – it's time to change those out and put them away until next season. Here, you'll learn the best way to prepare and store your winter treads so that they'll be ready for another season of use next year.

Hopefully, you have a spare set of rims to keep your winter treads on. If not, it's something to give serious consideration to for next year. You see, winter is damaging to your wheels, so why not get a cheaper set of rims to put the winter treads on so that the good wheels stay looking great for years?

Clean the Wheels and Tires

You need to lean the wheels and tires to remove all of the brake dust, salt and debris that is coating them from the season of use. Use wheel and tire cleaner as you clean them. If you don't have any, you can use Dawn dish soap and hot water, but you may not have as easy of a time getting the brake dust off as you would if you use products formulated to break down the substance.

Once they are clean, set them out to dry. They will need to be fully dry before you can pack them up for storage.

Pack for Storage

Fill the tires with the maximum amount of air allowed. This information is found on the side of the tire. Filling them entirely will give them the extra air that they need to stay inflated throughout the fair-weather months. You see, as time goes by, the air will slowly leak from the tires – even if they are in perfect condition. If you don't fill them before storing them, they will begin to form flat spots on any area that is resting on a flat surface.

Now, get some large landscaping trash bags. These are the huge black bags that are thick and durable. Slide the bag over the tire and get a vacuum. Suck the air out of the bag and tie it up tightly. This will help to slow the dry-rot process and extend the life of the tires.

Store the Tires

You need to store the tires somewhere that's somewhat climate controlled and out of the sun. The sun will cause the tires to dry out very quickly and rapid changes in temperature will cause them to deflate much faster.

Talk with a company like Evans Tire & Service Centers for more information about selecting your spring and summer tires and putting away the winter treads.