Top 10 Car Tyre Tips

It is vital to remember that your tyres are the only thing separating your vehicle from the road, hence it is of paramount importance to remember that every care should be taken of them. This should be done not only to increase your safety but also increase the life of your tyres, which will also ultimately save you money.

Here at Asda Tyres we have compiled a list of the top 10 tyre car tips we strongly recommend, which will only take you a few minutes.

Tread Depth

Tyre tread is designed to create grip and displace water. It comprises of the pattern of grooves along the surface of the tyre. Chris Andrews from Acklam Car Centre comments: You can use a tyre tread gauge or 20p piece to check your tyre tread is within the legal limit of 1.6mm. Ensure your car is parked in a safe place where you are able to check each tyre. If using a gauge place it between the grooves, taking the reading from the central third of the tread, if it reads over 1.6mm the car is safe to drive. If using a 20p piece perform the same procedure, but use the outer banner of the coin as a guide. If this is not visible the tyre is legal to drive on. If the coin doesn’t go deep enough into the tread the tyre will be illegal. Although the legal limit is 1.6mm, tyre efficiency is highly reduced when the tread is below 3mm, especially in wet conditions when stopping distance is increased. It is therefore advised that tyres are replaced before they reach the legal limit.

Wheel Balance

Correct wheel balance helps prevent premature wear of your tyres and eliminates vibration in the steering wheel and dashboard. If you are finding that your steering is ‘wobbling’ or ‘pulling’ slightly to the left or right when you hit a certain speed this could be a sure sign that your wheels are not balanced properly. Tyres ordered from Asdatyres are balanced as part of your fitting price.

External Damage

Impact with the kerb, potholes or debris found on the road can all result in external damage to your tyres, as can emergency breaking. Examine your tyres regularly for any visible cuts, bulges or lumps and replace the tyres immediately if any are noticed.

Tyre Pressure

Maintaining the correct tyre pressure is extremely important for the overall safety of your vehicle. Tyre pressure can drop for a number of reasons including small perforations, a decrease in ambient temperatures and the natural escape of air through the tyre components. Under or over inflation can reduce the life of your tyres as well as affecting their performance. Your tyre pressure should be checked regularly and before any long journey.

Wheel Alignment

Incorrect wheel alignment/tracking can cause irregular tyre wear and can subsequently affect the handling and overall safety of the vehicle. Incorrect wheel alignment can often be the result of hitting a kerb or driving into a pothole. Ensure your wheel alignment is checked annually in order to get the most out of your tyres. We offer a wheel alignment service at a number of our garages at a reduced price, contact us for details.

Tyre Rotation

The tyres at the front of your vehicle are known to wear out faster than those at the rear. By changing/rotating their positions frequently this helps the tyres all wear more evenly and maximise their tread life. It is a good idea to rotate your tyres every 10,000 to 12,00 km.

Replace Valves

Valves are vital in maintaining tyre pressure. Valves can often be made from rubber, which over time does deteriorate and can cause the tyre to lose air and also enable dirt to get inside.

Service Life

Unfortunately, as with most thing tyres do deteriorate over time. It is not possible to predict the service life of a tyre as many different factors can affect the overall performance including weather, storage conditions and the surface which is driven on. Ensure you check your tyres regularly to look for any cracking or visible damage.

Handling & Storage

When not in use tyres need to be stored correctly. It is important to keep tyres away from any flame, heat source or substance which is capable of causing sparks. It is recommended that tyres are stored in a dry and ventilated area which is not in direct sunlight as well as away from chemicals and solvents or objects which could penetrate the rubber.

How You Drive

You can have a lot of effect on your tyres by the way you drive your vehicle. Driving at excessive speeds, around corners and bends, plus hard braking will all increase tread wear. Clipping kerbs can cause damage to the tyre sidewalls and consistently driving quickly over speed-bumps can also have a detrimental effect on the life of your tyres.

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