Tires in Ellensburg: Tire Wear, Winter Tires and When to Replace

Crossroad Garage service team · Ellensburg, WA

Your tires are the only part of your vehicle that actually touches the road. Every bit of steering, braking and traction goes through four small patches of rubber. In Ellensburg that means wind, rain, snow and ice in the winter, gravel and dirt roads year-round, and plenty of highway miles on I-90 and I-82. Tires are everyday work for us at Crossroad Garage.

How to tell when your tires are worn

Most tires have tread wear indicators, small raised bars molded into the grooves. When the tread wears down level with those bars, the tire is at the end of its legal life. For wet roads, slush and snow, tires lose a lot of grip well before that point, because shallow grooves cannot move water and slush out of the way.

• Check the tread across the whole tire. Look at the inside, center and outside edge. The inside edge is easy to miss and is often where problems show up first.
• Look at the sidewalls. Cracks, bulges, cuts and bubbles are signs of damage. A bulge means the internal structure is damaged and the tire should be replaced.
• Consider the age. Rubber ages even when a tire is not used much. Spare tires, trailer tires and seasonal tires can look fine but be old. The tire's date code is on the sidewall, and we can help you read it.

What uneven wear is telling you

The way a tire wears is a clue to what is going on with the rest of the vehicle:

• Wear on both outer edges often points to low tire pressure.
• Wear in the center can point to overinflation.
• Wear on one edge often means an alignment problem, such as camber or toe being out of spec.
• Cupping or scalloped wear can mean worn shocks, struts or other suspension parts, or a balance problem.
• Feathered tread, where each tread block is smooth one way and sharp the other, is often a toe alignment issue.

Replacing tires without fixing the cause means the new set will wear the same way. That is why we look at pressure, alignment and suspension, not just the tires.

Tire pressure in Central Washington weather

Tire pressure drops as temperatures drop. Ellensburg can swing a lot from afternoon to early morning, especially in fall and winter, so a tire that was fine in September can be low in December. Check pressure regularly with the tires cold, and use the pressure on the placard inside the driver's door, not the maximum number printed on the tire. If your tire pressure warning light comes on, check the tires and bring the vehicle in if you are not sure why.

Winter tires, all-season tires and the pass

Many drivers in the valley cross Snoqualmie Pass or Blewett Pass in the winter. All-season tires are a compromise. Dedicated winter tires use rubber that stays softer in the cold and tread designed for snow and ice. All-terrain tires vary a lot in winter performance; some carry the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol and some do not. When traction rules are in effect on the passes, check WSDOT for current requirements before you go, and make sure your tires and chains meet them.

When you shop for tires, tell us how you drive so we can talk through which type makes sense.

Gravel roads, punctures and repairs

Gravel roads and farm roads are hard on tires. Sharp rock can cut tread and sidewalls, and nails and screws are common near construction. A puncture in the tread area can often be repaired properly from the inside. Damage to the sidewall or shoulder usually means the tire needs to be replaced.

Rotation, balancing and alignment

• Rotation moves tires between positions so they wear more evenly and last longer. Follow the schedule in your owner's manual or the tire manufacturer's recommendation.
• Balancing corrects weight differences in the tire and wheel that cause vibration, usually felt in the steering wheel or seat at highway speed.
• Alignment sets the angles of the wheels. Potholes, curbs and rough roads can knock it out. A good alignment helps the vehicle track straight and protects your tire investment. See our post on wheel alignment for more.

Bigger tires on trucks and 4x4s

Larger tires change the way a truck drives, stops and shifts. They can affect speedometer accuracy, gearing, braking and suspension. If you are planning bigger tires, we can help with fitment, lifts and the drivetrain work that goes with them. See off-road builds, lifts and suspension and gears and axles.

When to come in

Come in right away for a sidewall bulge, a tire that keeps losing air, cords showing, or a vibration that appeared suddenly. Schedule a visit if your tread is getting low, you see uneven wear, or you want to get set up for winter before the first snow on the pass.

See all of our auto and diesel services, off-road builds, lifts and suspension, gears and axles for bigger tires, or browse more tech tips on the Crossroad Garage blog.