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safety
Rotations - Maximize performance and tyre
life.
Swapping each tyre to a number of different wheel positions
every 5,000 to 8,000 kilometres can preserve tyre wear and enhance
handling and traction. Front and rear tyres wear differently.
Swapping them around can even out wear and reduce the tyre cost per
kilometre.
Pressure - Maximize performance, tyre life and
comfort.
Maintaining the correct pressure every 3 weeks is the easiest
and most important method of getting the best performance, mileage
and fuel economy from your tyres. Tyre pressures should always be
checked when tyres are cold, as pressure will increase when tyres
warm up, but make sure your gauge is accurate by checking it
against another or the one at the service station. The correct tyre
pressure for your vehicle is shown on the tyre
placard or in the vehicle owners' handbook.
We suggest you base your tyre pressures on the manufacturer's
recommendations. You'll find the recommendation in your vehicle's
tyre placard.
It's better to run your tyres with too much pressure than too
little to avoid over-heating the tyre. Some people say manufactures
tend to set their pressures on the soft-side to give the occupants
a nice comfortable ride. So it may be worth trying an extra 2 of 4
psi in your tyres which is likely to benefit vehicle handling and
tyre wear but you may notice a firmer ride. You should have the
tyres rotated by a Tyres & More store at least every 10,000
kms. They can inspect the tyres and suggest an alternative pressure
and adjust the wheel alignment to ensure your tyres wear
evenly.
Don't rely on 'looking' at the tyre - appearances are very
deceiving. Use an accurate tyre pressure gauge.
Alignment - Maximize performance and tyre
life.
If your steering wheel is not straight or your car pulls to one
side you should have the wheel alignment checked promptly.
Basically, your car's wheels should point straight ahead. But
when you hit a pothole or large bump it can bend or move suspension
joints so the wheels no longer point straight ahead. This may cause
erratic handling and rapid tyre wear.
Normally wheels don't point dead ahead. Manufacturers optimise
wheel alignment specifications to produce driving stability,
provide maximum tyre life and ensure safety. When you get a wheel
alignment the Tyres & More store will restore your vehicles
alignment to the Manufacturers settings.
Balance - Maximize comfort and tyre life.
Have you ever felt your steering wheel wobble or shimmy at a
particular speed? If so it usually means your wheels and tyres are
out of balance.
Wheels and tyres are balanced together using clip-on or stick-on
weights. This is done when new tyres are fitted, but should also be
checked as part of regular tyre maintenance. Out of balance wheels
and tyres are not only uncomfortable to drive with, they can cause
irregular tyre wear.
Wear - Replace your tyres before they become
unsafe.
The performance of a tyre changes as the tread wears. As the
groove depth decreases a reduction in the level of wet surface grip
occurs. Grooves provide water drainage. When these vanish the tyre
is more liable to skid or hydroplane (where the tyre rides over the
water rather than cutting through it) on wet surfaces. This
situation is dangerous.
All tyres have a tread wear indicator in the main tread grooves.
These are usually rectangular and run across the tyre. When the
read blocks wear below this indicator it's time to replace the
tyres because the grove area is down to the 1.6mm legal minimum.
Below this depth wet stopping distances can double.
Miscellaneous Tips
- Remember to check your spare! You may need it one day; your
spare tyre should be serviceable and roadworthy.
- Make sure valve caps are fitted as they keep foreign matter out
of the valve core.
- If you notice damage to the tyre, have it inspected by a Tyres
& More store. Tyre failure at high speed can have tragic
consequences.
- Tyre repairs should be carried out by a tyre specialist who
will generally remove the tyre from the rim and inspect it for
internal damage before repairing it from the inside. Push-in plugs
from the outside should only be used for temporary emergency
repairs.
- Invest in a 4-way wheel brace (cross brace) - they're much
easier to use than the one usually supplied.
- Make sure your jack works... and you know how to use it.
Want to know more about how to look after your tyres? Visit your
local Tyres and More
store.
