Winter is the hardest season of the year as far as wear and tear on your vehicle is concerned. That said, the first days of spring are the perfect time to give your vehicle a full inspection and make sure everything is in solid shape for the warm weather joyrides that will be in your future. One particular area of your vehicle you'll want to pay close attention to after a long winter is your tires. Here's how you can help ensure your tires have a fresh start with the arrival of spring.

Top Off the Pressure and Then Keep an Eye On It

You likely know you're supposed to keep your tires at a certain amount of pressure all year long, but plenty of drivers get lazy with this task during the coldest days of the year. No one wants to stand outside at the free air pump at the gas station when there's a blizzard going on.

But with the weather warming up again, there's no excuse not to get back on top of this. Raise your tire pressure to the correct level and get back into the habit of keeping it there. Maintaining the right tire pressure will ensure a smoother ride and less wear and tear on your vehicle.

Rotate If Needed

As you move through your spring checklist of additional auto maintenance tasks, don't forget to include a tire rotation as part of your plans. If you typically do this yourself, you probably neglected to take care of it while Old Man Winter was raging. No one wants to get down on the ground while there is snow and ice everywhere.

Proper tire rotation will ensure that wear and tear to your tire tread is distributed evenly. This will increase the overall lifespan of your tires and keep you from having to spend on costly replacements for at least a little while. 

Give the Wheels a Good Scrubbing

While the tire itself should be your main focus, don't forget the rest of the wheel, including your hubcap and/or plating. It's possible if not likely that the icy winter roads have covered your wheels in gunk, with road salt being a primary culprit. The start of spring is the perfect time to give your chrome wheels a good scrubbing in order to restore their shine. While you're down there, make sure the wheel weights look ok and check that the wheel is not rattling as you move down the road.

The spring is a great time of year to complete a full auto maintenance plan. If you need help getting your tires back up to par, reach out to a local shop that offers tire services today for assistance.