Today Is Not Over Yet

Time For New Light Truck Tires for the Chevy

Today, wanting to fix it up a bit, I took a look at my light truck.  Tires and the windshield need to be replaced.  My Chevy has over 200,000 miles and she is starting to show it.  While the engine is rebuilt and still functioning, due to my diligent up-keep (fear of breaking down on the freeway at Midnight) and regular oil changes.  However, I noticed that these two aspects, the tires and the windshield, have been safety aspects on my truck that I have been overlooking.

The windshield was cracked when I bought the truck, and the crack is slowly getting bigger.  This was something I had considered all summer, as the heat of Phoenix has been known to shatter perfectly fine windows.  I, like some people, tend to let these things go on their cars, I think that a problem with a car or and engine is just too big to understand.  But a windshield?  Really, I just simply need to have it replaced.

And, the heat is a detriment to tires in the desert as well.  As I drive on the hot city streets in my truck, wheels turning cause friction between the road the tire, which will in and of itself, heat up tires, regardless of the outside temperature or environment.  I need to invest in new tires that will be able to sustain the weather conditions, and ensure that safety isn’t at risk.  In college I had a VW Bus.  I sold it to take a trip to the UK, and I hadn’t noticed until the day the man came to buy it, that the tires were so worn.  Not only was there no tread left at all, I could see the fibrous threads, it was as though my tires were fuzzy.  This is not good.

If you can see that the tires are bald and that the metal threads are poking through, replace them.  This sounds expensive but many cheap tires are available, and they are of good and safe quality.  If there is still tread, a great way to check it is the simple “penny test” my dad showed me years ago.  Turn a penny upside down, so that Lincolns profile such that when you insert the penny into the tread, if the tread does not reach the top of his head, then there is not enough tread, and it’s time buy new tires.  My truck is there.

Related posts:

1. Living a Fuel Efficient Lifestyle
2. The History of Tire Chronology