Most car owners easily forget that tyres are the contact points between the car and the road and are among the main parts of the car that take a lot of punishment. It is extremely important that the quality of car tyres are preserved and ensure that they are in excellent running condition all the time, not only to save money on new tyres and car repairs but also for the safety of the car users and other road users. How do you take good care of your car’s tyres? Here are some of the most essential ideas on how to take care and maintain car tyres.
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Tyre Pressure
The first consideration in taking care of car tyres is proper inflation. Ensuring that the tyres are properly inflated is crucial to their performance. The maximum inflation pressure is often imprinted on the side of the tyre by the manufacturer. You should always check the inflation of the tyres regularly – particularly during the seasonal temperature changes or before embarking on a long road trip.
The time of checking the tyre pressure is also crucial. Always check the pressure when the tyres are ‘cold’, that is a few hours after the car has been on the road. Do not forget to check the pressure of the spare tyre or tyres as well.
Rotation of the Tyres
One simple way to extend the life of your car tyres and save money is to rotate them. Rotation involves removing the tyres from the vehicle then moving them to a different position. Removing the tyres from the rear axle to the front or those on the right to the left ensures even wearing of the tyres, hence greater chance of car balance and longer lasting of the tyres. The period of rotation should be specified on your car manual but if it is not, then you should rotate them after every 8,000 to 10,000 kilometres or 8 to 12 months.
Wheel Alignment
Alignment refers to the how the front and rear suspension parts are adjusted. Improper alignment of the wheels often makes it very difficult to handle the car correctly and often reduces the performance and the life of the tyres. There are many causes of car wheels misalignment including daily impacts on bumps and potholes, uneven wearing of the brake pads and accidents. Even when you do not feel the car pulling to the right or left, it is good to have the wheels re-aligned every couple of months to ensure that the tyres do not take the punishment of uneven wear.
Wheel Balancing
Wheel balancing is the compensation for the weight of the tyre and wheel once the tyre is mounted. When a wheel is heavier on one area than another, it is said to be imbalanced. This is often the major cause of uneven tread wear, car vibration and the increase of stress mainly on the front end parts of the wheel that causes premature wearing of the tyre. You should check the wheel balance after changing wheels and during regular maintenance and during wheel alignment.
Drive Smoothly
The life of your tyres will also depend on what kind of a driver you are. If you like to burn rubber on the road or skid to stop every time, your tyres will wear out very faster. To prolong the life of your tyres, you should get used to driving smoothly and consistently, particularly when starting and stopping. Do not apply emergency braking unless it is an emergency and avoid skidding. Driving too fast also causes the tyres to overheat and that increases the rate of the wear. Over speeding too can force you to skid to stop each time you stop or navigate curves, hit potholes and bumps and other obstructions too fast and these damage your tyres.
Eventually, you will need to change your car tyres, but a new set should take you a couple of years before they start wearing out naturally. These 5 factors should be detrimental to boosting the life of your tyres, slow down wears and make it safer for you to drive your car.
James Mcdonnel is a car enthusiast and has a passion in driving sport cars. He writes for Car Check and contributes regularly on many motoring blogs
