How Often Should You Replace your Wheels?
Increasing the lifespan of your tires is one of the most important things you can do to increase their performance. Along with this, it’s imperative that you know how often to replace your wheels.
Typically, it’s recommended that you replace your tires when they’ve been worn down to roughly 2/32″ remaining or if they’re more than six years old (unless they’re made of special rubber). As for replacing your wheels, consult the manual for your vehicle. Most manufacturers recommend that you get new wheels about every 60,000-90,000 miles. The age of the tire and the usage it has seen will determine how often they need to be replaced. If you have a car with low mileage, then the tires will typically last for about 10 years. If you have a lot of miles on your car or if the tires have been used for heavy work, then they may need to be replaced more often.
It’s important to note that replacing your tires and wheels at the same time can increase your gas mileage by up to 3.3% because they don’t have to work as hard. Driving on a tire with a worn tread will decrease your gas mileage–sometimes by as much as 20%. A missing layer of rubber makes it harder for your car to grip the tarmac, meaning more energy is required to make every turn, accelerating and even braking. Poorly maintained or worn tires also affect safety and may cause damage to other parts of your car, such as suspension system components.
Replacing them separately, however, won’t affect your MPG. When you take your whole set in together, it’s often cheaper than buying them separately: new tires are often less expensive than new wheels. And the work can be done while you wait, so you won’t have to take extra time off from work or school.
