Do you regularly inspect your tires for wear, damage, and proper inflation? Whether you drive a car, truck, or SUV, the tires on your vehicle are vital to how it performs and your safety on the road. For example, bald tires increase the likelihood of hydroplaning, while underinflated tires can lead to blowouts that can be tragic at highway speeds. To help ensure your safety and the reliability of your tires, we offer one of the best Joliet tire service programs in town right here at Thomas Nissan of Joliet.
As the top Nissan dealer in Joliet, our team is here to help you navigate the car-buying process and, even more importantly, to help you manage the maintenance responsibilities that come with owning a vehicle. Our certified service technicians know the ins and outs of every model on the lot and will confidently oversee all your routine maintenance and repair needs. There’s no job too big or too small for the Thomas Nissan team.
What makes our Nissan Service Center truly remarkable is that our team goes the extra mile for every customer. Our goal is to ensure your safety and confidence on the road, and that often starts with teaching our customers more about the basics, like the different types of tires and the importance of routine tire maintenance. Let’s get started!
Tires are often overlooked when it comes to vehicle maintenance, which is why many customers are overwhelmed and financially stressed when they unexpectedly have to buy new tires. As your local tire center, we’re here to help mitigate that stress. Here’s a quick look at the most common signs that it’s time to start shopping for new tires:
Shopping for tires can be overwhelming simply because you have so many options. However, once you know the basics of what the different types of tires do, it’s easier to narrow down your search. For example, all-season and touring tires are designed to deliver a smooth ride on sedans and SUVs, while all-terrain tires are ideal for vehicles that plan to venture off the pavement and down the trail. Here’s a breakdown of the types of tires and their applications.
Did you know that an alignment doesn’t require adjusting the wheels or the tires? Instead, the alignment adjusts the vehicle’s suspension, which is what connects the vehicle to the wheels. So, what does an alignment involve, and how do you know when your vehicle needs aligning?
Your suspension links your vehicle to your tires and must be aligned for the vehicle to function properly. Vehicles that need an alignment typically have uneven tread wear or pull slightly to one side. You may also notice that the steering wheel vibrates and that it’s not centered even when you’re driving straight. These are all signs that indicate it’s time to bring your vehicle into our Nissan Service Center.
Once you’re here, our technicians will look at three key components: camber, toe, and caster. If you’re standing at the front of your vehicle, the camber is the inward or outward angle of the tire. Think of it as the lean of italicized text only in both directions. Now, think of the toe measurement as the angle of your feet––pointed in with your big toes angled toward one another or pointed outward with your heels angled toward one another. Toe is the inward or outward angle of your tires when viewed from above.
Caster measures the angle of your tires from the side and is a bit more complex to grasp. When you stand on the side of your vehicle, imagine a straight line running from the top of your hood through the center of your tire. This is the centerline of your steering axis and is the basis of how a technician measures the caster angle, which directly affects your vehicle’s steering and cornering capability. If the angle is positive, this means that it tilts toward the driver or the windshield. If the angle is negative, the axis points toward the front bumper or away from the windshield.
Alignments, regular tire rotations, and pressure checks are vital to ensuring the longevity of your tires and your safety on the road. A misaligned camber angle can lead to uneven tread wear, which can cause your vehicle to pull slightly to one side. Underinflated tires or tires that aren’t regularly rotated are common causes of toe wear and are visibly noticeable because the tread feels like the teeth of a saw due to uneven wear. Alignments fix all these issues and extend the life of your tire by ensuring the vehicle and wheels are properly aligned for optimal function and performance.
When you’re sick, would you let anyone diagnose you and prescribe medication without knowing their credentials or that they’re a board-certified physician? No way, right? The same should be true for your vehicle when it’s time for routine maintenance or repair. There’s no need to take it anywhere else but to the professionals right here at Thomas Nissan of Joliet.
Our factory-certified technicians are trained in every aspect of vehicle maintenance and repair, from routine oil changes, tire rotations, and alignments to more complex drivetrain or powertrain repair. We’re here to help make owning a vehicle as stress-free as possible, and that means offering you the best service team in town as well as an inventory of qualified OEM parts and accessories available right here at the dealership. We’ll even sit down with you and create a vehicle maintenance plan, show you everything you need to know about your tires and answer all your service questions.
Now that you know more about the different types of tires, signs of wear, and the importance of routine maintenance like alignments and rotations, it’s time to look at your tires. Are your tires properly inflated? Do they show signs of excessive wear or damage? How does the tread measure using the quick penny test?
As your Joliet tire service center, we know that owning a vehicle can be daunting, especially when you’re faced with making a large purchase like tires. That’s why we’re here to help. We can handle all your tire needs, whether you need a quick inspection of the tread, want to learn more about proper inflation, or need to schedule an alignment. We’ll even guide you through the tire-buying process by explaining the different types of tires and what best suits your driving needs.
Whether you’re in the market for new tires or something else entirely, we hope you’ll swing by our service center. Once you’re here, we’ll introduce you to the team, and you’ll see our commitment to our customers firsthand. That’s why so many loyal customers rely on us, and it’s why we can’t wait to welcome you to the Thomas Nissan family.
