The reasoning behind tire rotation is that the front and the back tires wear out in different ways. Your front tires will wear out faster than the rear ones due to the amount of power they supply for the entire vehicle.

It is important that you rotate your tires front to back on the same side. Some people criss cross them but this isn’t a good way to extend the life of your tires. Since the wear patterns of tires are determined by the suspension and the alignment of your vehicle they need to be on the same side so that pattern can continue.

You can find out how often you need to rotate your tires by looking in your vehicle owner’s manual. In general you will be looking at needing to do so every 5,000 to 10,000 miles. You can take care of this on your own or take your vehicle into a repair shop and have it done for a very low cost.

If you decide you want to rotate your tires on your own you need to do it properly for safety reasons. Make sure your engine is turned off and on a flat surface. The vehicle parking bake should be applied as a precaution. Use blocks on one side of the car to prevent it from moving. You will be working first on the side without the blocks.

Using a jack elevate the vehicle off the ground enough for both of the tires to be off the ground. Use a lug nut wrench to remove each one of them and then remove the tires. Make sure to take the time to examine each one before you place in on the other end of the vehicle. Your lug nuts need to be replaced tightly. Do the same procedure on the other side of the vehicle.

ake sure you write the information down. Setting the trip reset on the vehicle can serve as a good reminder as well.

The oil keeps your engine operating properly so this is definitely an area you don’t want to skip. It is important that you use a quality brand of motor oil in your vehicle. It needs to be the proper weight so look in your owner’s manual to make sure you are using the right oil. Otherwise it may be too thick or too thin and this can destroy your engine. For older vehicles you may want to use extended life motor oil.

On average it costs about $35 to get your oil changed if you have it done professionally. Most vehicles take about 4 or 5 quarts of oil. You also need to replace your oil filter each time you change your oil. That is definitely more cost effective than repairing your engine or replacing your car.

It really isn’t that difficult to change your own oil if you want to save some money in the process. One you get the hang of it you should be able to complete the process in a ½ hour or less. You will need to get an oil drain pan that you can buy for a couple of dollars. Get one that holds at least 5 quarts of oil so that you don’t have to worry about overflow and spills.

Place the oil drain pan under the vehicle and remove the oil plug from the bottom of the vehicle. While the oil is draining out you can remove the oil filter from the vehicle and replace it. After the oil has completely drained out remove the oil drain pain and make sure you securely replace the oil plug for your vehicle. Pour in the proper amount of oil into your vehicle. Make sure you check the dipstick to make sure it has registered accurately.

Checking your brakes includes checking to see if you have enough brake fluid. You can check the brake fluid while your vehicle is completed cooled down. There is a lid with a stick attached to it. Check your owner’s manual to find out how full the brake fluid should be. This isn’t very expensive so make sure you buy a good quality brand that is going to work well for your vehicle.

The thickness of your brake pads can tell you a great deal about the life you have left in your breaks. As the pads get thinner you will need to start preparing to have them replaced. If you allow the brake pads to get too thin it can cause damage to the rotors. Never let the pad size get below an 1/8” or you are just asking for trouble. Check the brake disc for grooves because this can indicate it is time to change the discs.

It is quite simple to check your brakes on your own but if you aren’t comfortable with doing it take your vehicle to a certified repair shop. They will likely charge you very little for this service and it is well worth it to know your vehicle is running it the best condition possible. That may be a good time to have other elements of your vehicle looked over as well.

You should inspect your brakes at least every three months to ensure they are in good working condition. If you put a great deal of miles on your vehicle on a regular basis then you will want to check them more often. Your brakes are one of the most important safety devices on a vehicle so take the time to make sure they are able to offer you all the protection you need.

Keeping an eye on your tires is a good idea and will help them last longer. You need to have a tire gauge to check the amount of pressure in each tire. An air compressor comes in handy to add air if you need to. If you don’t have one take your tire gauge with you to a garage or gas station where you can generally use an air hose for free.

A flash light and a creeper are good pieces of equipment to have on hand. You can use both of them to routinely get underneath your car and check the undercarriage. If you have a car that sits low to the ground this is very important. You may have loose bolts or a small leak under there that is the result of hitting dips or running over something.

You may want to invest in a car jack in case you need to lift your vehicle off the ground to rotate your tires, check underneath it, or get to the bottom side of your engine to repair a leak or replace a part. The more you invest in equipment to do your own car maintenance the longer your vehicle will last. You will spend less money in costly repairs and you can feel confident that your vehicle is in top running condition when you take it onto the road.

You can find all of the equipment you need to conduct routine repairs and maintenance on your vehicle at auto repair shops, auctions, and online. Make sure you read the instructions and only use the equipment as directly. You want to be safe while you use any type of equipment on your vehicle.

You should pay close attention to how your vehicle runs. Listen for sounds that can indicate something isn’t right. You want to check your belts and battery connects at least every three months. If you see significant signs of wear and tear replace them. Don’t wait until they completely give up on you. Don’t forget to have someone stand behind your vehicle and make sure your signal lights and brake lights work as well. Have them move to the front of the vehicle so you can check that the headlights are working. Don’t forget to check your high beams as well.

It is a good idea to check your oil routinely instead of just waiting for three months or 3,000 miles to go by and having it changed. If you vehicle starts to burn oil you can add a little bit. You do want to look to see if you can identify where it is leaking though and get it fixed. Your car should be completely cooled down when you check your oil or you won’t get an accurate reading. The oil thins when the motor is running so this can make you think you have enough oil when you don’t.

Your transmission fluid, brake fluid, and power steering fluid should all be checked on a regular basis as well. When you run low on fluids it is very hard on your car. The two main ones to watch are the oil and transmission fluid levels. If they get low you can damage major parts of your vehicle that are expensive to repair.

Pay close attention to your tires. They should be rotated as needed. Look for signs of worn out tread on the outer rim of the tire. This will help you identify when you need to replace your tires. Look for uneven wear patterns because this can indicate your vehicle is out of alignment. Don’t forget to check the air pressure in your tires because they need to be within a couple of pounds of each other. This will keep your car running smooth, save you money on gas, and help your tires last longer