AD | Do you ever stop to think about your tyres when you’re out and about on the road? Those rings of rubber are so important because they bear the entire load of your vehicle. And it’s really important to check your tyre wear indicators regularly so you can steer, brake, and stay on the road safely. Because how else would you know if your tyres are roadworthy or not?
Tyre Wear Indicators
A frequent cause of MOT failures is faulty tyres. So if you’re not exactly sure how to make sure your tyres are safe to drive with, here’s a quick guide to help you in identifying tyre wear indicators. So that you can repair or, if necessary, replace your tyres at the right time.
Tyre Tread Depth
The outer surface of your tyre is made up of rubber in a pattern known as a “tread”. But rubber isn’t an everlasting material and every time you drive your car, the rubber that’s in contact with the road will wear out a little.
A brand new tyre has a tyre tread of 8mm. However, as you drive, that tread depth will start decreasing. According to the experts, after the tyre tread depth falls below 1.6 mm, it’s time to replace your tyre. A good tip is to measure tread with a coin (Google and YouTube have numerous tips on how to do this).
Depending on how much you use your car will depend on how often you need to check. But it’s really important to keep on top of this, not only so you’re travelling safely, but also because lack of tyre tread is an MOT failure.
Tyre Age
You should also keep a check on the manufacturing date of your car tyres – you can usually find this mentioned on the sidewalls. And if they’re near their expiry date, it’s better to replace them completely as old tyres tend to have uneven wear that makes them unsafe.
Bulges or Cuts
A visual inspection of your tyres is easy: you’re looking for any bulges, cuts, tears or deformations on the sidewalls. Although sidewall punctures can be repaired, it’s much better to replace your tyres once that happens. In case you need professional help in Dartford, Dartford Tyres offers an extensive range of automotive services. And you can get your tyres professionally fitted from their garage based in Erith.*
Over and Under Inflated Tyres
Something else to keep an eye on is your tyres’ inflation pressure. Your car’s manual will tell you the correct pressure for front and back tyres, which are sometimes different. And both over or under inflated tyres will cause problems.
Tyre wear in the centre of the tread pattern means over-inflated tyres. The increased pressure has caused the ratio of tyre to road to shrink, with the centre of the tyre carrying the entire load of the vehicle.
Conversely, wear on the edges happens when when inflation pressures are too low. If your tyres are too flat, then the vehicle load is carried by the edges of the tyre. Oh, and one more thing to note: driving with flat tyres isn’t just dangerous, it’s also a waste of fuel.
Tyre Safety
So, now you know how important, and also how easy, it is to maintain your tyres. Follow these four tips to make sure your tyres always stay roadworthy – but do enlist help if you’re not sure. Safety first, after all!
* This is a sponsored post.
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