Tyres are an essential part of any car, they keep you on the road. They carry the entire weight of the vehicle and are important in providing traction, braking and absorbing any impact with obstacles. Many motorists neglect or are not well versed in buying the right tyres or taking care of those that they own. This increases the risk of accidents since worn tyres lead to low grip, especially in the wet.
Below are things you should know about tire maintenance
1. Keep tyres well-inflated
Over or under-inflated tyres are a common cause of premature and irregular wear. Proper inflation is also important for general safety while driving. Over-inflated ones will wear around the center and can lead to blowouts in extreme circumstances. Those that are under-inflated will wear at the shoulders and stress the carcass, causing sidewall rupturing, tread separation and zipper cuts among others.
These can be quite dangerous depending on where and how you’re driving. The pressure should be set according to the worst-case scenario of driving i.e. consider the heaviest load and worst road condition.
2. Check rotation and alignment regularly
A tyre’s position on a vehicle will determine how fast it wears. For instance, front tyres wear around the shoulders faster because of turns, while rear ones wear around the centre. Rear tyres on trucks also wear faster than those on the front because of loading and the scrubbing effect. Talk to an expert about the proper rotation cycle in order to have them wearing at almost the same rate.
3. Tyres protect and cushion your car
Your tyres protect and cushion your car from every bump and pothole in the road, but note that it’s not their rubber that provides this cushioning; it’s the air in them that does this. If a tire is soft then your car has less cushioning so that you can easily cause damage to parts. Driving on a flat tire can mean bending its ream and even breaking an axle in extreme cases. Rather than risking this type of damage, change it before driving or even consider having your car towed to a nearby repair shop or store.
4. Check tire wear
This is an easy and quick safety check that anyone can perform without special tools or skills. You should check the level of wear and depth on tire tread grooves. Treads are important since they provide essential grip which helps you maintain control even on wet surfaces and reduce the risk of aquaplaning. Treadwear indicators on main tread grooves at 1.6mm making it easier to identify tread wear.
5. Ensure correct wheel balancing.
This will reduce the wear and stress on your tyres. Without correct balancing, the vehicle may vibrate leading to stress and tear of vital moving parts such as ball bearings, suspension, and steering system. Ensure your tyres are correctly balanced when you purchase new tyres or replace a tire. This should be done with the help of a professional.
6. Check tyre valves and caps.
Tyre valves and caps are essential parts of a tire despite their small size. Since valves are made of rubber they are prone to tear and crack. You should check them regularly to ensure their integrity is intact. You should also not drive before ensuring that tire caps are tightly fitted to eliminate the unnoticeable leaks which eventually lead to under inflation.
Tyres need to be well maintained and you can learn more about how to choose the best inflators at by checking out our tyre compressor reviews. Just like most vehicle parts, tyres depreciate with time and continued usage, but proper care and usage practices can help to slow down the rate of this depreciation so that you can use them longer.
