For many of us, the regular maintenance of our vehicles tends to get forgotten and we rarely spend any time checking for faults. It is recommended by experts that you check your tyres at least once a month however, the majority of us tend to wait until we have our car MOT. Unfortunately if you do not realise something is wrong and there is a fault, it can have major implications and seriously affect the safety of your vehicle.
Tyres are the parts of the car which have constant contact with the road. If something happens to the tyres it can affect the steering, braking, holding and acceleration and therefore it can put both your life and the lives of others around you at risk. There are some simple tyre checks which should be carried out on a regular basis in order to reduce the risk of faults.
You should get your tyres checked locally on a regular basis by an expert, for example if you live in Ringwood, go to a garage in Ringwood. This is because if you have a problem with your tyres, you are reducing the time you are on the road for. Also if a fault was found, then it is would make sense to get tyres in Ringwood Rego Check NSW.
Wear and tear – The legal limit of tread on a tyre is 1.6mm across the central ¾ of the tyre however it is highly recommended to change before you reach this level. When tyres are ‘bare’ or have very little tread, they take much longer to bring your vehicle to a standstill. The amount of tread could be the difference between a near crash and a fatal one. Checking your tyres on a regular basis for any obvious cuts or lumps is recommended as these could cause sudden tyre failure. Both the pressure of you tyres and the wheel alignment will have an effect on the amount your tyres wear.
Tyre pressure – The pressure of the tyres should remain at the recommended level which dependant on the type of car. Underinflated tyres waste more petrol than correctly inflated tyres and also wear down much faster. This therefore will end up costing hundreds as you will soon need to replace your tyres. Tyre pressure should be checked when the tyres are cool in order to get the right reading, for example after you have finished shopping at a supermarket, as your tyres would have cooled down and it isn’t far to drive to the pressure gauge.
Wheel alignment – It is important to have your wheel alignment checked on a regular basis as this puts extra strain on the tyres and also can cause your car to use up more fuel. The wheel alignment is set at the factory when your car is made, however bumping into curbs or going down pot holes can knock it out. If you are buying a second hand car, you should also have this checked by a garage as you do not know the cars history.
Wheel Balancing – Deciding whether your wheels are balanced or not, can be very difficult. The general rule of thumb would be that if your car produces a vibration that is uncomfortable to drive in, they may be unbalanced. This is a test which would need to be checked by an expert though using specialist equipment. Unbalanced wheels can result in excessive tyre wear as well as affecting the steering components and suspension.
Finally, you should always carry a spare tyre which should also be checked. If you notice a problem with your tyre or one of your tyres gets a puncture, it is much easier and cheaper simply to replace it with tyres in Ringwood. However, you should aim to get your tyre replaced as soon as possible as some spares are not suitable to drive on for long periods and if you get another puncture – you won’t have another spare!
