Three ways to avoid premature tire wear

Most smoke detectors make a chirping noise when the battery is drained. Fortunately, tires also have built in warnings when their tread is getting dangerously low. It's called a wear bar, and it begins to show through the tread on regular tires when the tread is at 1/16th of an inch or less.

Premature tire wear is an expensive and often dangerous condition. Along with keeping tires at their recommended inflation levels, the Car Care Council suggests that other important maintenance items include proper rotating, balancing and alignment.

A good rule of thumb is to rotate your tires every 6-8,000 miles. If you drive 12-15,000 miles annually, you can simply rotate them every other season. This practice reduces wear and extends the tires' usefulness.

Balancing is another tread saver. Tires sometimes contain heavy spots that affect steering and tread life. When balancing the tire, a technician can identify the heavy spots and add weights to compensate.

Wheel alignment involves achieving the correct relationship among the front suspension, the steering components, the wheels and the frame. When an alignment job is complete, the car should handle better, post better fuel economy and enjoy optimum tire life.

For more information on maintaining your vehicle, log on www.carcarecouncil.org.