Five Ways To Keep Tyres In Their Best Condition 

One of the most common issues you will have with your vehicle is wear and tear. This can result in high costs and valuable time wasted getting it sorted. Fortunately, you can help protect your tyres without having any knowledge of car maintenance. Daily usage of your motor will cause your tyres to deteriorate. This doesn’t mean that you have to stop driving altogether. Follow these five ways to keep your tyres in the best condition and enjoy driving your car.

1) Keep those tyre treads on

Tyre treads are intriguing patterns that play an essential role in maintaining tyre performance in any road condition. The patterns include sipes that are thin slots that provide stability on wet surfaces. They also have tread blocks which generate traction over dry surfaces. Finally the threads include grooves that provide the tyres to have a firmer grip. Without the threads, the tyres would be a rubber balloon without any grip or stability. The legal car tread is 1.6mm across the board. It may not look any different to the naked eye but anything lower than 1.6mm will cause the car stopping distance to increase by 43 meters. That’s just a little less than nine Nissan Micras. To avoid three points and a fixed penalty, check your treads by simply entering a 20p coin between the grooves of the rubber. If you can not see the outer edge of the coin, then your tyres are legal and you are safe to drive.

2) Checking tyre pressure regularly

Do not use your car for balloon driving. This is when you drive your with under-inflated tyres. This will lead to unnecessary wear and tear. Driving your  motor in this manner can be very dangerous. The wrong tyre pressure can cause your tyres to blow out and you to lose control. To prevent this, get into the habit of checking your tyre pressures regularly. This can be done every time you fill up your tank, or at the minimum once a month. Tyres will naturally lose some air when you drive. Over time this accumulates. Ensure you know what the tyre pressures are for the front and rear tyres. This information can be found online or in the car manual provided when you bought the vehicle. Most fuel stations have tyre pressure machines that will inform you of your pressure and allow you to top-up when needed. Don’t forget to adjust the pressure accordingly when carrying a heavier load.

3) Tyre alignment

Wheel alignment is an integral part in preserving tyre health. It prevents unnecessary weakening and wear that can promote damage. Misaligned tyres can cause motorists to have less control when driving and also cause increased fuel consumption.

Be aware of speed bumps – they can cause misalignment. The optimal time to have the alignment checked is when your car is having an oil change.

Aligned tyres are better for the environment, as they reduce your carbon footprints. Save your tyres and the world by getting your tyres aligned.  

4) Overloading

It is very tempting to overload the car especially if you are going away on a camping trip, for example. This can be very dangerous as the tyres can overheat due to the wear. This increases the risk of tyre explosions and road accidents.

Always check the maximum weight that your vehicle can carry. You can find out the weight by looking at the information printed inside the door frame. You can also check the tyre load index on the label when it’s first bought.

5) Good driving habits

The way in which you drive can be a catalyst for how quickly your tyres wear.  Always be alert when driving to prevent emergency/ harsh braking. Starting and stopping repeatedly can cause wear and tear more quickly.

Avoid speeding, and maintain safe habits by driving to the speed limits, and, if possible, utilise cruise control. Try to avoid uneven surfaces, including potholes, and don’t drive too fast over speed bumps. Also, be careful of the kerb – knocking the wheels on the kerb can affect the tyres.

These are just a few steps to keep your tyres healthy and you safe when driving. For more information about purchasing quality tyres online, visit Roundtriptyres.co.uk.