Tyres tend to be one of the most neglected features of a car. If you want to take better care of the car you have right now, then the tyres are a good place for you to start. If you are not sure if your tyres need replacing or not then you can easily take a look below.
About Tyre Treads
You probably already know that you need to replace your tyres every so often. The main reason for this is because if you don’t, your tyre treads can wear out and this can be potentially dangerous. After all, the tyre tread is designed to disperse water away from the contact surface. In other words, they help you to grip the road, and if you were to take the entire tread away from the tyre then it would make it impossible to stop, turn, corner or even accelerate.
When are Tyres Worn Out?
Usually your car tyres will have an indicator bar. This will be etched into the tread grooves at different intervals to show you when a tyre is not safe anymore. The minimum depth your treads should be is around 1.5mm. You may need to replace them before this point, but this can depend on the driving regulations in your area.
Inflation Pressure
Maintaining the right inflation pressure is vitally important to the health of your tyres. If you have a tyre that is not inflated properly then this can wear out unevenly. If you want to set the inflation pressure correctly then you need to do it when the tyre is cold. If you do it when it is warm, the pressure will increase, and this will give you an incorrect reading. The inflation pressure for your tyres is shown somewhere on the body of the car, usually on the driver’s door pillar. You should check your inflation pressure every two weeks, or before you go on a long journey.
Tyre Rotation
Tyres wear out at different rates. If you have a rear-wheel drive, then this will put the rear wheels under way more pressure when compared to the front. Rotating the tyres gives you the chance to spread the wear evenly across all of your tyres. When you do this, you can replace them at the same time. If you need some more tyres, check out tyresavings. If you are not sure how often to rotate your wheels, then every 5000km should do the trick.
Your Spare Tyre
If you have a spare tyre that is over 10 years old then you should replace it as soon as you can. Some mechanics will tell you that your tyres need replacing just by looking at them, but you should never take their word for it. Check it yourself, and visually inspect all of your tyres, including the spare, for any damages. After all, spares that have been kept in good condition can still show signs of wear and tear even if they have not been used, and if you find yourself in a bad situation, you’ll feel much more confident knowing that your spare is 100% fit for purpose.