Tyre Pressure

Maintaining your tyres’ inflation pressure doesn’t only extend the life of your wheels, but also contributes to your safety and the fuel economy of your car. Therefore, it’s best to have your tyre pressure checked (when they are cool) at least once a month. You can look up the recommended pressure levels for your tyres on the vehicle placard (usually found on the inside of your passenger-side door) or in your vehicle’s owner’s manual. Maintaining your tyres’ pressure at the recommended levels is very important in keeping your tyres road-ready for longer.

Under-inflation is the leading cause of irreparable tyre damage, since it can lead to severe cracking and subsequent air-loss. It reduces load capacity, allows excessive sidewall flexing, and increases rolling resistance, which ultimately results in heat and mechanical damage. Meanwhile, over-inflation increases the stiffness of your tyres, which may generate unwanted vehicle vibration and increase your chances of impact damage.

Tread Depth

It’s generally a good idea to check the tread of each tyre on a regular basis (ideally every two weeks). Without a deep enough tread, your tires will be unable to properly grip the road. You can check the depth of the main tread grooves in several places across and around the tyre. The best tool in your kit is a tread depth gauge, which can give you a more precise measurement of your tires’ tread depth. The legal minimum tread depth for a car is 1.6mm, but it’s far safer to keep your tread depth to a minimum of 3mm. When measuring the tire’s tread, be on the lookout for cupping or scalloping. These are small scoops or divots carved from the tread, which can indicate misalignment or other issues with your vehicle. An even more ominous sign of damage is a bulge or bulges in the tyre tread or sidewall. If your find any of these marks, get your care to a service centre as soon as possible.

Retorquing Wheels

The wheel nuts or lug nuts are a small part of your tyre that perform a vital duty. These little guys keep your tyre securely attached to the hub. However, wheel nuts can’t do their bit unless the right amount of toque is applied to them. Wheel nuts without the right amount of torque or twisting force (according to the wheel manufacturer’s specifications, of course) could end up being too loose, which can result in your wheel coming off while you’re driving. However, lug nuts that are twisted too tight can make trouble for your car (and your wallet) too. Overly tightened lug nuts can strip the fastener threads, stretch the wheels, or warp brake drums, brake discs, or wheel hubs. If you don’t want to burden your service plan with these unnecessary costs, best to make a habit of retorquing your wheels on a regular basis.

Why on a regular basis? As a result of the typical stresses and forces that come with a car’s daily use, your lug nuts are likely to either tighten or loosen over time. These stresses can include the weight of the vehicle, the rotational effects of driving, cycles of warming and cooling, and jolts from bumps in the road. Any dirt, rust or grit caught between the surfaces (between the threads of the nut or between a nut and the wheel) can also create “false torques”. This is why your mechanic may ask you to bring your car back the next day for a follow-up check.

Tyre Rotation

To ensure an even rate of wear on your wheels, it is important that you rotate your tyres from one position on the car to another. Since the tyres on the front end of the car carry most of the weight and tend to wear out twice as fast as the rear tyres, rotating your tyres can extend their life. Most car manufacturers recommend that tyres should be rotated every 8,000km-10,000km. There are four different ways to rotate your tyres: cross rotation, straight rotation, 5-tyre rotation, and 4 wheel drive. Speak to your mechanic about rotating your tyres.

Balancing Tyres

Another key tyre care trick is tyre balancing, which aims to distribute the weight of the vehicle equally around the entire circumference of the tyre. Wheels that are out of balance can cause uncomfortable vibrations and can also result in premature wear of suspension and steering components, rotating parts and tyres. It’s recommended that you have your tyres balanced after every 5,000km-10,000km as part of your car’s routine maintenance, but you should also consider having it done when you buy new tyres or rims, when you have your tyres rotated or repaired, or if your car hits a pothole.

Wheel Alignment

Wheel alignment is very different to tyre balancing, though these two concepts are often confused. While tyre balancing identifies where wheel weights should be applied to counterbalance heavier spots, whereas aligning a set of wheels entails adjusting the angle of a car’s wheels and axles. Out of balance wheels can cause vibrations that are particularly noticeable at high speeds. Meanwhile, well-balanced wheels protect the bearings and suspension, while also preventing premature tyre wear.

Tyre Repair And Replacement

If your tyres become damaged or punctured, do not try to take matters into your own hands. Rather get your car to a trained professional approved by your service plan.

These tyre care tips can extend the lifespan of your tyres and keep you safe on the road in the long run. Make sure to conduct regular tyre checks to make sure your tyres are safe to use. And if your tyres are worn out, best to replace them immediately.