JUST LIKE EVERY other part on your vehicles, your tires need to be maintained. An improperly maintained tire can wear out prematurely, damage your front end parts, or even cause an accident. “Maintaining your tires is most likely the least labor-intensive part of vehicle maintenance,” says Bryan Baker, LCT’s Dr. Limo and owner of Affordable Elegance Limousine and Repair in Huntsville, Ala. “It’s actually so easy that most people forget about it.”

Baker says that there are several steps:

1 Check air pressure every day. Always be sure the pressure is at the maximum psi recommended by the manufacturer.

2 Rotate and balance your tires every 6,000 miles.

3 Check front end alignment every 10,000 miles.

4 Check for worn front-end and steering during each alignment.

5 Replace shock absorbers at first failure. Worn shocks can cause wear to your tires and also affect your braking and steering.

Always remember to keep an eye on tread depth. A tread depth gauge can be bought at any auto parts store and is far more accurate than using the old penny method. “If you do use the penny-in-the-tread method, be sure to adjust it for a limousine,” Baker says. “Because of the weight, a limousine will create more inertia and thus needs more traction to maintain control.” He suggests at least an additional 1/32 of an inch for good measure