A Complete Guide to Tyre Care and Maintenance Tyre care and maintenance is a critical aspect of vehicle maintenance, as it is both risky and illegal to drive with not-roadworthy tyres. There are a number of things you need to consider in order to get satisfactory performance and mileage. The easiest and simplest way is to get your wheels inspected for proper inflation, even wear & tear and damage. Here, take a look at our complete guide to maintain your tyres properly so that you can drive safely and confidently. Maintain proper tyre pressure Having properly inflated wheels is not only critical for safety, but also for fuel economy and good performance. You should make sure to get them checked (when they are cool) at least once in a month with a good and accurate pressure gauge. Check out an essential car tyre maintenance tips for more details. Maintain your tyres to the recommended pressure In order to ensure the durability of your wheels, keep them inflated at a proper recommended pressure level. You can easily find it on your automobiles placard or in the owner’s manual. Over inflating them will increase the stiffness and may generate undesirable auto vibration resulting in an uncomfortable driving experience. Conversely, under inflation may result in heating and irreparable mechanical damage due to severe cracking and following air loss. It also increases sidewall flexing, rolling resistance and reduces load capacity. In case if the tyre pressure warning system activates make sure to check your owner’s manual. Maintain wheel alignment and balance & rotate your tyres To ensure even wear and tear you should rotate your wheels at maximum intervals of 6,000 mi/ 10,000km or according to your auto manufacturer’s recommendations. Lack of wheel rotation, under-inflation, over-inflation, worn-out suspension parts, misalignment and wheel imbalance can lead to vibrations and irregular tyre wear. Wheel alignment can vary for the used and new tyres, however, secondhand tyres are always a cheap deal. Find out the pros and cons of buying used tyres. Avoid excessive wheels spinning When your automobile gets stuck in ice, snow, mud or sand, prevent spinning your wheels excessively. Instead, use a gentle forward and backward rocking motion to free your automobile. As this may cause over-heating of wheels and lead to irreparable damage. Remember not to stand behind or near wheels spinning at high speeds. For instance, when trying to push your vehicle out of the snow. Uneven tread wear & tear Always make sure to check your wheels for excessive wear as it may frequently puncture them. Moreover, driving with worn out or nearly bald tyres may lead to accidents in wet weather conditions. The minimum tread depth limit lies between 1.5mm to 1.6 mm. In fact, all new wheels have tread wear indicator bars placed in the tread grooves. Never attempt to mount tyres It is always a good idea to get your wheels mount from an expert rather than mounting on your own. As improper mounting procedures may result in an explosion of wheels and cause serious injuries. For this follow your wheel manufacturer’s instructions and match its diameter with the rim diameter. To ensure best handling and control, don’t mix wheels of the same size and shape on the same axle. Instead, fit four wheels of the same size and type as specified by the auto manufacturer. Proper repair and replacement Get your wheels inspected at least once in a month for any signs of damage and to ensure safe driving. If you have any questions regarding issues like knots, penetrations, bulges, air loss or cracks get the wheels inspected by the auto experts. Caution When replacing your old set of wheels follow the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations and consult your vehicle’s owner’s manual. Never replace a standard load (SL) with an Extra load (XL) tyre. Always use wheels with appropriate load-carrying capacity as specified by the auto manufacturer. Even if you are buying a set of new wheels that are different from the original equipment size. Take help of a professional installer to make sure that you buy wheels that are inflated at a proper pressure and load-carrying capacity. In order to avoid overloading your automobile’s wheels maintain the same outside diameter and load-carrying capacity like original ones. As overloading can result in damaging your wheels, increase fuel consumption and poor handling of automobile. Finally, maintain your tyres & wheels so they can go longer than expected. Ask us for any advice and we would be happy to assist you in the first place. If you live down in the lower north island, then find your local Car Wreckers Wellington and ask for the valuable advice about second hand tyres and wheels at the first place.
