Most of us would be lost without our trusty wheels to transport us from ‘A’ to ‘B’ so it’s important that we take care of them with regular care and maintenance. One of the most expensive perishable items on a car are the tyres so it pays well to look after them. Follow this routine to save your pennies.
Check Tyre Pressure
Once a month check your tyre pressures whilst your tyres are cold. Your cars recommended tyre pressures are printed on a plate inside the driver’s door. Over-inflated or under-inflated tyres can affect the handling and performance of the car. It can also mean that the tyres will wear unevenly and may need replacing prematurely.
Check Tyre Treads
The legal requirement for car tyre tread depth in the UK is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre. The simplest way to check this is the 20p test. Take a 20p coin and place it in the lowest tread section of your tyres. Providing you can’t see the outer rim around the edge of the 20p coin, your tyre is safe. If the outer rim of the coin is visible, your tyre tread falls below 3mm and needs checking by a professional. Book tyres online from Elite Direct Brentwood Branch or your nearest tyre dealer.
Examine Tyres for Damage
Regularly check your tyres for signs of damage. I give my tyres a once-over every time I park up because the wheels will always be in a different position. This way I have discovered nails in my tyres early which were able to be plugged by a professional saving me the cost of a new tyre. Be on the lookout for foreign objects in the tread, screws, nails or cuts in the tyre wall.
Rotate Your Tyres
It’s good practice to have your tyres switched front to back every 6,000 miles driven. This can help to prolong the life of your tyres since front tyres usually wear out faster than rear tyres (in a standard front-wheel drive car). Take your car to a garage to have this done.
Check your wheel alignment
Your wheels could be out of alignment if you notice any of these situations below and should be checked by a professional:
- uneven tread wear on your tyres
- if the car pulls more to the left or right
- you feel the vibration through your steering wheel when driving
- when driving along a straight road you notice your steering wheel is off centre
