Hey {{first_name | Handy Women}} here’s some handy information we wanted to share with you! 👇
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This week, we are taking the toolbox to the driveway.
Handy Women is about understanding the things you rely on every day, and that includes the vehicle sitting outside your house.
The correct tire pressure is not the number on the tire sidewall.
Your vehicle manufacturer’s recommended tire pressure is usually listed on the tire information label inside the driver’s door area or in the owner’s manual.
The pressure printed on the tire itself is not the recommended setting for your specific vehicle.
Tire pressure should be checked when the tires are cold. Preferably first thing in the morning, or when the vehicle has not been driven for at least three hours.
Cold temperatures cause the air inside your tires to contract, dropping your tire pressure by 1 to 2 pounds per square inch (PSI) for every 10°F drop in temperature. This can cause your tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) light to come on.
When you start driving, friction with the road heats up your tires causing the air inside to expand and increase the pressure which will cause your TPMS light to turn off. This can be a sign that your tires are borderline under inflated.
Checking your tires once a month year round, first thing in the morning, ensures your tires are always set at the correct pressure. Driving on under-inflated tires causes the sidewalls to flex excessively. This causes extreme internal heat increasing the risk of having a blowout. In addition it can decrease your fuel efficiency and prematurely wear out the outer edges of your tires.
If you have a portable air pump, simply inflate them in your driveway to the correct pressure.
If you do not have one, a tire inflator is a very handy tool that can inflate more than just car tires! Tire Inflator #ad
If you have to drive to an air pump station that is less than 2 miles away fill to the PSI number listed on your door. If driving more than 3 miles add 3 PSI and recheck the pressure the following morning.
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Why tire rotation is important.
Your tires wearing down evenly extends their lifespan and keeps your vehicle safe.
If you have noticed your front tires balding faster than your back, it is because they handle a different workload than your back ones do. When this happens your car can handle poorly in the rain and can take much longer to come to a stop.
The engine is located in the front of most vehicles and the front tires carry that weight along with absorbing the friction of steering and turning. The front tires also handle most of the braking power, especially in a front wheel drive vehicle. The outer edges of the front tires can wear down rapidly while the back tires just follow along, wear more evenly, and at a much slower rate.
You can maximize the lifespan of your tires and insure warranty protection by rotating them based on manufacturers recommendations, usually every 5,000 to 7,500 miles.
A quick check with just your hand can detect uneven tire wear.
Park on a flat surface and engage the parking break.
Turn the steering wheel all the way to one side.
Make sure no steel belts are showing. These can be sharp and could cut you. Visible steel belts are a sure sign they need to be changed!
Run your hand slowly and lightly over the tread from the inside of the tire to the outside and then the other direction.
What the textures mean:
Rough and lower edges, on the outer or inner edges, compared to the center of the tire feeling smooth could mean your wheels are misaligned or your tires have been consistently under inflated.
Smooth spots followed by sudden dips or waves as your hand goes around the tire means you have diagonal wear. This can happen when tires have not been rotated in a very long time.
Slide your hand clockwise then counter-clockwise. If it feels smooth going clockwise but rough counter-clockwise, your tires could be feathering. A bad alignment or worn suspension parts like shocks or struts could be the cause. Your tires may be bouncing going down the road.
If you have a penny (good reason to keep one handy) you can gauge your tires tread depth. Check multiple spots including the inside, center, and outside grooves. If any part of the tire fails the test it is time for replacement.
Lincoln’s body should be facing you and his head should be upside down (closest to the tire).
Select the most worn down groove first.
Insert the penny straight down into the groove.
If the top of his head (any part of his hair or more) is covered by the rubber, your tires are still fine to drive on at 2/32 of an inch.
If you can see his entire head including his hair, your tread is at or below 2/32 of an inch and your tire is bald, could lose traction in the rain, and must be replaced.
Note: If your insurance contains a “Roadworthy” clause your policy is void if you knowingly drive an unmaintained, unroadworthy vehicle. Bald tires below 2/32 of an inch are included if you hydroplane during a rainstorm and cause an accident.
There is a whole category of car maintenance that does not require you to become a mechanic.
Knowing where to find the correct tire pressure, rotating your tires, how to add washer fluid, what your warning lights mean, and when something needs professional attention are all useful forms of independence.
The same rule applies here as it does in the house: learn what you can, know your limits, and ask better questions when you need help.
Jenn & Hailey
Having Your Spare Tire Ready to go Could Prevent an Expensive Tow Bill.
If your vehicle has a spare, make sure it is road worthy. Check the air pressure and look for cracks in the sidewall.
Knowing the size of your spare is important. If you have a smaller donut spare you should only drive it up to 50 miles and no faster than 50 mph (miles per hour).
Donut tires are much smaller than your normal tires and have to spin much faster to keep up with your car's speed. The gears that turn your wheels have to work harder and severe expensive mechanical damage can be done if you drive long distances or high speeds.
You may even feel your car pull to one side or fail to stop quickly. Even turning corners at normal speeds could potentially cause you to lose control so drive with caution.
Punctures and blowouts can happen easier if you hit a pothole or debris at high speeds.
For safety, when driving with a donut, increase your following distance, giving yourself twice as much room. Avoid the highway and turn off driver assists. Cruise control and lane assist can get confused by the uneven wheel sizes and malfunction.
It is faster and cheaper to have a tow truck driver change your tire for you than having your car towed!
Check Your Tire Pressure and Tread Depth
AUTO MAINTENANCE
1. Find the recommended PSI. Look for the tire information label on the driver’s side door edge or door jamb, or check the owner’s manual.
2. Check when the tires are cold. For the most accurate reading, check before driving or after the vehicle has been parked for at least three hours.
3. Check all four tires. Do not rely only on how they look. Radial tires can be under inflated without looking obviously low.
4. Do not forget the spare. If your vehicle has a spare tire, check its pressure too.
5. Check tread depth with a penny (see instructions above).
TIME: 15 minutes | SKILL: Beginner | TOOLS: Tire pressure gauge, Penny or Digital Tread Depth Finder
A Tire Gauges, Portable Inflator, and Digital Tread Depth Finder
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS
A small tire pressure gauge is inexpensive, easy to keep in the glove box, and useful even if your vehicle has TPMS.
A portable inflator adds another layer of convenience because you can check and adjust pressure at home instead of hunting for an air pump.
SEE THIS WEEK’S HANDY FIND →
Tire Inflator #ad
HANDY WOMEN ARE HEADED TO DIY CON
🎟️ Handy Women are taking over DIY CON and we want you there with us!
Dallas, TX - November 6 to 8, 2026
Handy Women is heading to DIY CON this November, and we want to see you there with us.
It’s three full days of hands-on workshops, live demonstrations, tools, products, creators, and opportunities to actually learn DIY skills in person.
If you have ever watched a tutorial and thought, I wish someone could just stand here and show me how to do this, this is exactly why we are excited about DIY CON.
Use the link below to purchase your ticket! Purchasing through our Handy Women affiliate link helps support Handy Women at no additional cost to you.
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Learn more about DIY CON (If you purchase your ticket through the link below it will NOT support Handy Women)
Going to DIY CON? Join the Handy Women @ DIY CON Facebook group for room sharing, meet up info, finding a friend to explore the conference with and more!
This week’s question:
What are other auto maintenance tips you’d like to learn about?
Hit reply and tell us!
Confidence is not waiting until a warning light comes on and hoping someone else knows what to do.
Sometimes it is knowing where the sticker is, what the number means, and having the $10 tool that lets you check it yourself.
That counts as handy.
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