For the holidays, may you have safe travel and one good tire rotation

Kia drivers in Ohio understand the importance of vehicle safety as they drive to see family and friends. What some people don't realize is how much regular tire rotations can contribute to the safety of their families during the holidays. Rotations are part of the winter travel service we offer at Sunbury Motors Kia in Hummels Wharf, PA. Here's why regular tire rotations are so valuable all year, and especially as you approach Christmas and New Year's.

Your tires wear out unevenly but regular tire rotations help correct that

If your tires don't get rotated all year, you may not notice it but your tires will start deteriorating at different rates. That means the front tires might have enough tread while the back tires are wearing dangerously thin. A key reason your tires may be wearing unevenly is because of the drive system your car uses to get you around Williamsport or Bloomsburg, PA. In fact, all drive systems can cause premature wear but in different ways.

An example: How rear-wheel drive can cause early tire wear-out

First it's important to understand how any drive system works. With a rear-wheel drive system, for example, the engine sends all its power to the rear wheels only, and absolutely no power goes to the front wheels. That means the rear tires do all the hard work, overcoming inertia and powering the car forward. The front tires are used almost exclusively to steer the car, so guess which tires wear out sooner? The rear tires, of course.

If that rear-wheel car never gets a tire rotation, the rear tires will rapidly lose their tread, the car won't handle safely and the back tires will have to be replaced sooner than expected. But if the tires are rotated, moving the rear tires to the front and the front tires to the rear, then the tires that were formerly on the rear begin to get a "rest." Meanwhile, the tires that were on the front - with more tread - take their turn doing the hard work.

Each tire rotation helps "balance out" the stress so tires wear more evenly

When tires get rotated regularly, the burden and friction involved in moving the car forward gets shared by all four tires. The result is that you avoid having some tires wear out prematurely. That means you also avoid seeing travel from your home in Milton, PA becoming more hazardous. Last but not least, you won't have to replace tires sooner than you should.

No matter what drive system you use, tire rotations are essential

You can easily see why both a front-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive system wear out tires unevenly. But even with a four-wheel or all-wheel drive system, tires wear at different speeds. One reason is because an all-wheel-drive doesn't send the same power to all four wheels at the same time. Power shifts from back to front and then back again. One well-known all-wheel-drive system sends power only to the wheels with the most traction.

In almost every case of premature tire wear, tire rotation can help

The best rotation pattern for each drive system can vary depending on the vehicle. Our factory-trained technicians can evaluate your car's system and the varying condition of your tires to give you the right rotation. When your tires wear more evenly, your car, truck or SUV will get a better overall grip on the road. What's more, your vehicle will drive more safely in just about any road conditions, including the ice and snow of winter.

Before you head out to see family, see our service technicians at Sunbury Motors Kia

When you're planning holiday travel, be sure to call us or go online to schedule winter travel service for your Kia or whatever you drive. We'll inspect your vehicle carefully to be sure key components are working properly. If anything needs urgent repair or replacement, we can take care of it. Let us help you and your family have a safe holiday season with service at Sunbury Motors Kia in Hummels Wharf, PA.