Regular maintenance of your automobile is just a need to feel closer to your car, it is also a necessity required to ensure the safety of the driver and passenger in the car. Apart from cleaning and caring for the interior of the car it is important to check the engine, water levels, tyre pressure and more. This post will be focusing on the maintenance of your car tyres. The importance of taking care of your car might have been underestimated but the reality is that your tyres are the first and only point of contact between the ground and your vehicle so in order to ensure the safety of people in the car and members of the public you need to make sure that your tyres are up to standard and if not then address the issues imediately.
Tyre Treads
By law you are required to have a minimum of 1.6mm tread around your tires. Just as a precaution it is advisable not to wait until your tyres reach 1.6mm before taking it in to be retreaded. Driving around on tyres with thin treading reduces the vehicle’s stopping distance and control and increases the risk of accidents. A 20p coin can be used to conduct a DIY tread check on your tyres,- the outer rim on your tyres at 1.6mm is the exact size of the 20p coin so if you can still see it when you place it between the grooves of your tyres, they definitely need to be retreaded or replaced. Remember to do this for every tyre as sometimes they can wear unevenly. In other to allow for even wear on all tyres we advise rotating your tires every 10,000 km. Tyre rotation involves swapping the tyres around the car because the front tyres carry more weight than the rear tyres, and it can be a good way to extend the lifespan of your tyres.
Tyre Pressure
2014 introduced a safety regulation that requires automobile manufacturers to have some kind of Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) installed in all vehicles. This was implemented to reduce the risks of accidents and to ensure handling and fuel economy. You should check your tyre pressures at least once a month and also before any long trips. We suggest buying a cheap tyre pressure gauge online and store it in your glove compartment for future use. Driving a car with appropriate tyre pressure reduces the risk of losing control of your car and causing damage to the construction of your wheels.
Wear and Tear
Every product purchased suffers regular wear and tear from simply using it, it is no different with tyres. If you take treading out of the equation the lifespan for regular tyres is around five years. There are many factors which can determine the lifespan of the tyre.For example, the rubber component of the tyres wears off depending on the weather, the ground you are driving on and the speed that the car is going. The type of car that you are driving could also be a determinant because the wear and tear involved on a standard family car tyres would be different compared to the wear and tear you get with 4×4 car tyres. It all depends on the type of car that you are driviing, the speed you drive, where you are driving, how much you use your car and more. To reduce or delay the effects of wear and tear we advise storing your car in a garage with controlled temperature instead of outdoors where a variety of elements affect it.
Spare Tyres
Not only do you have to maintain the tyres that are currently running your car, if there are any problems with the tyres you are running on you need to be confident that your spare tyre is up to standard. The best way to keep on top of this is to include it in your monthly check, – whilst you are checking the pressure and tread of the tyres running your vehicle you might as well check the spares.
Conclusion
In conclusion, your tyres are one of the most important components of your automobile because it is the first point of contact between your car and the road, so should be maintained accordingly. Be sure to conduct an overall maintenance check on the tyres you are currently using, and also on your spares at least once a month.
