Tyre Care

The care and maintenance of your tyres is essential for your safety and that of your passengers. It also makes for a more comfortable driving experience. There are a number of simple steps that you can do that will not only improve the life of your tyres but also the performance and safety of your car.

Tyre Pressure and Spare Tyre
The easiest step to take in caring for your tyres is checking that all your tyres have the correct tyre pressure, including the spare. Under-inflated tyres cause poor steering and braking performance, leading to irregular tyre wear that will quickly reduce the life of your tyres. Excessive wear due to under-inflation can make your tyres prone to blowout. Over-inflation reduces the amount of tyre that is in contact with the road, reducing the braking ability and performance of your car. Regularly check that your tyres have the correct pressure in accordance with your vehicle's recommendations. You can find the correct pressure noted in your vehicle's handbook or on a plate or sticker on your vehicle, often on the inside of the driver's door.

Wheel Balance
Unbalanced wheels will cause the steering wheel to wobble at higher speeds. Improperly balanced wheels can also cause problems in other areas of your car such as the suspension and braking performance. Incorrect wheel balance is corrected by small weights attached to the rim of the wheel. As your tyres wear they naturally become unbalanced as the weight distribution within the tyre changes. Hitting a pot-hole or a kerb can also cause your tyres to lose balance. Get your tyres checked and balanced every 6 to 12 months.

Wheel Alignment
A wheel alignment involves adjusting the suspension of the car and not the tyres. Poor wheel alignment can cause wear on different parts of your tyres, depending on how the tyres are misaligned. Incorrect wheel alignment can also cause steering problems and the necessity to continually compensate steering whilst driving. Your wheels should be checked for alignment every 6 to 12 months.

Tyre Rotation
As front and back tyres will also often wear at different rates and positions, regular tyre rotation will extend the life of the tyres. Tyres should be rotated as part of your regular service.

Tightness of Wheel Nuts
Check on a regular basis that your wheel nuts are tight and not loose. Incorrect tension can cause problems with wheel balancing.

Tyre Type
It is important to have the same type of tyres on your car. Tyres have different patterns, density and wear characteristics. Having different models and makes of tyres on your car can cause problems with wheel alignment and difficulties with automatic traction control.

Check for Nails
A common reason for tyre replacement is nails puncturing the tyre. Whilst nails often do not cause immediate deflation, a slow leak will cause irregular wear and the need for the tyre to be replaced. Nails when detected early can be easily repaired by a qualified tyre fitter.

Check for Tread Depths
Tread pattern designed on the tyre surface are designed to keep water out and maintain a contact between tyre and road where the rubber maintains a good amount of grip and maintains it. When the tyre wears out the grooves also wears out thus increasing the aquaplaning and loss of control. So once the groove depth decreases below 1.6mm one should try to look for replacements. Tread depth should be at least 1.6 mm across 75% of tread depth.
Looking after your tyres can prolong their life and ensure the safety of your vehicle. It is good to know what to look for when assessing the condition of your tyres.