June 18, 2019

Taking care of your tyres is crucial to the maintenance of your vehicle. They are the contact point between the car and the road, and surprisingly the part which is forgotten about and neglected the most. Here are a few handy hints on what to check for to make sure your tyres are in good condition to keep you and your family safe.

TYRE PRESSURE
Did you realise incorrect tyre pressure can affect your vehicles fuel economy? As well as handling, comfort and safety. Under inflated tyres will wear more quickly and create uneven wear patterns, affect handling and braking and increase your risk of damage such as a blow out!
Over inflated tyres can cause a rough and uncomfortable ride, create uneven wear patterns and increase the risk of tyre damage.
Correctly inflated tyres use less fuel, and don’t degrade or wear as fast which in turns saves you money and keeps you and other road users safe!Keep on top by checking your tyre pressure at least once a month. Your vehicle will have a placard sticker on the driver’s side door or in your owner’s manual which states the minimum and maximum inflation pressures. These are normally measured by PSI – Pounds per inch.

TREAD
Check your tread! Bald tyres have next to no grip on the road especially in wet conditions. The grooves disperse the water away from the road allowing the tyre to make contact. When there are no grooves (bald tyre) the water cannot disperse cause the tyre to lose grip from the road.

Tyres now come with wear indicators at regular intervals around the tyre. Once your tyre is worn down to the legal limit of 1.5mm, the wear indicators will be level with the rest of the tread. If any of the wear indicators are level, you should be replacing your tyres as soon as possible.
It is also a good idea when checking your tread to check for and other tyre damage such as nails or cuts as this could mean you have an un-roadworthy tyre.

If you notice any uneven wear patterns or your vehicle “pulling” to the side when driving, you may need to have your mechanic perform a wheel alignment or rotation.