Have you ever fried an egg on the sidewalk?

I remember as a kid hearing about cooking an egg on the sidewalk. I immediately took it literally and couldn’t wait to try it. The eggs didn’t come out very good, especially with the asphalt crumbs, but I choked them down anyway.

Just how hot is our asphalt? Asphalt temperatures in Phoenix will average 150 – 170 degrees during the peak summer months. If you haven’t noticed lately our freeways are littered with tire debris as the summer rolls on. Why, tires cure in the temperature range of 350 degrees. While the asphalt is not quite hot enough to melt your tires, it is hot enough to aggravate the weak spots and cause a catastrophic blow out.

The last place you want to be this time of year is on the side of I-10 during 5 o’clock traffic. I am certain nothing good happens there. I have always encouraged people to consider replacing worn out tires in the springtime before the tire torture of the summer months.

If tires have been on the back of your mind, now is a good time to get them taken care of and avoid that hazardous trip to the side of the road.

Tips for avoiding a blow out:

• Check tire pressures regularly. Under inflation of a tire creates heat in the tires sidewall easily approaching that melting point of the tire. The majority of blowouts are due to tire under inflation. Don’t trust a visual inspection, put a gauge on it and verify it matches the sticker in the door jam.

• Good regular tire inspection and tire rotations (every 5,000 miles as a rule of thumb). A well seasoned tire technician knows what to look for when he is rotating your tires.

• You should be in the tire market when tread depths approach 4/32nds of an inch. Tires should be built into your budget and not a surprise when you need them. For most, it happens every 2-3 years.

• Have annual suspension and wheel alignment checks by a professional. The life of your tires can easily be cut in half due to poor suspension and wheel alignment.

• Don’t ignore vibrations and excessive tire road noise – Tire vibrations and excessive tire road noise are often cause by tread separations. Tread separations lead to high speed tire failure.

One of the major focuses on Bumper to Bumper Radio is to let you know how the rules of auto repair have changed. My grandfather would never replace a tire until all the steal was showing. When freeway speeds averaged 55 mph we could milk every last mile out of our tires. With freeway speeds averaging 75-80 mph we are putting lives at risk with poor tires. When it comes to your safety and the safety of others you share the road with, good tires are a must.

Enjoy the sidewalk eggs!!

Join co-hosts Matt Allen and Dave Riccio on Bumper to Bumper Radio, Arizona’s top automotive show heard every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. right here on News/Talk 92.3 KTAR. Call in with your questions at (602) 277-5827. You can also reach us 24/7 at bumpertobumperradio.com for the best partners, products and advice!