Over the next few months as the weather starts to warm up (hopefully!) lots of us will be planning trips across the country to visit friends and family or to enjoy a little holiday. Before setting off on any of these long distance trips, it’s essential to make sure that your car is in good working order, and that includes checking your tyres. In fact, looking after your tyres all year round means that you can be sure your vehicle is as safe as possible for your family, as well as actually saving you a few quid because top condition tyres means better fuel consumption. Here are some tips on how to look after your tyres, what to check and how often to check them.
Tyre Tread
It’s very important to keep an eye on the tyre tread, to make sure the tyres are still road worthy. Driving on tyres with a tread that is too thin puts you at risk of a tyre blowing out which could cause a serious accident. There’s also a £2,500 fine per tyre if you’re caught driving with a tyre tread depth below the legal limit which is 1.6mm (often referred to as ‘bald tyres’). The legal limit is actually considered way too low by most experts, and the usual recommendation is to change your tyres once your tread is down to 3mm.
20p Test
You can buy tyre tread gauges, but the easiest way to check your tyre treads is to use a 20p coin. Insert the coin into the tread – if you can’t see the band then your tyre treats are okay. If you can see the outer band of the coin then your tyres your tyre treads are dangerously low and you should get them changed urgently.
If you find that your tyre treads are wearing down unevenly then you should keep a closer eye on your tyre pressures as well as getting your suspension and alignment checked as these can cause abnormal tyre wear. If tyres are over inflated the tread in the middle will wear down quicker than the outer edge, and if they are under inflated the opposite will happen.
Tyre Pressure
To keep your car running smoothly and safely, and to help keep fuel consumption down, you need to regularly check that your tyre pressures are correct. Tyres will generally lose a little air every month so it’s a good idea to keep on top of this by checking every few weeks. You can do this at most petrol station forecourts by using their air pump which will also fill up your tyres, or you can buy a tyre pressure gauge to have at home.
If you aren’t sure what your tyre pressures should be then check for a little sticker inside one your car doors showing the correct tyre pressure for your vehicle. If yours doesn’t have this, you can check the user manual or you can actually google it by typing your car make and model tyre pressure.
Tyre Wear and Tear
When checking over your tyres it’s also important to check for any bulges, bumps, cracks or punctures. If you find something like a nail in one of your tyres – don’t pull it out! Take it into a local garage and get someone to take a look. Punctures can often be repaired, so it may not need replacing but it does need to be taken care of as a puncture can obvious cause air loss and may result in a flat tyre. Tyre bulges usually indicate damage to the interior tyre wall and could be really dangerous, so it’s important to get these sorted as soon as you notice it.
Most tyres, when well looked after and kept at the correct pressure, should last for up to 20,000 miles before they need to be replaced due to general wear and tear. Once you are ready to replace your tyres find a reputable garage or tyre shop. You can get tyres at economical prices from Elite Direct Tyres Basildon Branch.
*This is a collaborative post*