Tyre Care

“Love begins by taking care of the closest ones - the ones at home” - Mother Teresa

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.

Check your pressure

Checking that you have the correct tyre 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 owner's' handbook.

We suggest you base your tyre pressures on the manufacturer's recommendations. You'll find the recommendation in your vehicle's tyre placard.

You should have the tyres rotated by a Tyres & More store at least every 10,000 kms. They can inspect the tyres, check the tyre pressure is correct and adjust the wheel alignment to ensure your tyres wear evenly.

Don't rely on 'looking' at the tyre - appearances are very deceiving and remember to 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 vehicle's alignment to the Manufacturer's 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.