Checking Your Tyres

It is a fact that tyres are often poorly maintained and rarely checked, sometimes they are only inspected during routine servicing or an MOT test. Checking your tyres need not be time-consuming and could save your life

When is the most convenient time to check your tyres?

As a suggestion they best time would be after you have had your car washed so you will able to see clearly the sidewalls and surface area without getting dirty.

Bald tyres means less friction with the road surface which can seriously impair your stopping distance.

The easiest way to assess the tread depth of your tyre is by checking the 'tread wear indicators' which are located in the grooves of the tyre. With the handbrake on and out of gear, start your engine. Check the treaded area across the tyre. They are small raised blocks 10mm in length and 2mm in height. They can be found all around the tyre, so you should be able to find them.

The minimum depth required is 1.6mm.

The indicators are raised to 2mm. Therefore, if any part of the tread block area is running level with the indicators, your tyre has worn to its lowest point.

Older tyres and tyres which have stood still for some time can suffer from material degradation.

Examine carefully around the shoulders and within the grooves for signs of cracking.

Sometimes a tyre wear can be uneven across the tyre. Your tyre may have perfectly legal tread at one spot and further round have none. A tyre that has uneven wear may be distorted.

At the same time, look out for any deep and long cuts and any foreign objects (remember your tyres run over all sorts of road conditions and objects). You may find bits of stone here and there, and these can usually be prised away without much effort. Anything that will not come out may have penetrated the tyre and be causing a pressure loss (puncture).

The walls of the tyres are prone to damage from impacts, chafing along curbs, under inflation and even tearing. Look for, cuts or missing rubber. By running the flat of your hand over the entire surface of the sidewall, you will be able to detect any bulges (a section where the rubber is protruding from the rest of the wall). Caused by impact, a bulge represents serious damage to the structural integrity of the tyre.

Repeat this process for each tyre (do not forget the spare) and pay attention to the areas that cannot normally be easily seen.

For more information please call: 01943 851272 or to email us at: Alternatively, you can email us at:enquiries@oldotleyworkshop.co.uk