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Maintaining Your Car’s Tyres: Everything in a Nutshell
The tyres of a car require regular maintenance from the owners. And, in the absence of which, your car will not run properly. Know the practical tips of tyre maintenance.
The importance of the tyres to a car needs no mention because it is evident. But, many car owners undermine the need to look after the tyres properly. As a result, they get bad results.
Negligence in tyre maintenance can compromise the performance of your car and cause your car to have accidents. As a result, your driving can become risky, and you need to spend money fixing the damages due to faulty tyres.
You should not undermine the need to maintain the condition of the tyres to keep your car in good condition and safe.
The following are simple ways to keep the tyres in good condition:
#1. Monitor the Pressure
Do not fail to check the tyre pressure regularly. Remember, you need to maintain the correct pressures that significantly impact your car’s steering, handling, braking, and mileage.
Under or overinflation can lead to fuel consumption and susceptibility to wear and tear. Also, the wrong tyre pressure can cause a blowout. Then, you will lose control of your car.
Therefore, you should check the tyre pressure frequently to ensure it is at the right level. It will help avoid putting yourself at risk while driving or breakdowns on the road.
While checking the tyre pressure, do not leave out the spare tyre. Moreover, make it a point to check the tyre pressure before long journeys or a heavier load.
You can check the pressure at a fuel station or using a pressure gauge. And, you should check the pressure when the tyres are cold to elicit an accurate reading.
If you go through the manual, you will come across the recommendations for the optimum tyre pressure for your car.
Moreover, the manual will also contain the maximum pressure the tyres of your car can bear.
#2. Check for Wear and Tear
Next, check if there are any wear and tear or damages, such as cuts, bulges or any objects that punctured the tyre.
If you notice such indications, you should get your tyre examined by a mechanic and get the necessary repair done. It might also be necessary to replace the tyre with a new one. Again, if a tyre gets punctured while driving, replace it with the spare, and drive your car to the nearest car service station to replace the punctured tyre with a new one.
Remember, the spare tyres are designed only for temporary use. So, you should be swapping it with the new tyre after replacement.
#3. Ensure Enough Tread
Tyre treads play a crucial role in impacting the performance of your car apart from the overall safety. The tread plays a more important role during poor weather conditions.
The prescribed minimum tread depth is 1.6mm, so ensure that it does not exceed this limit. And, if it goes beyond that limit, If the tread is at or below the minimum depth, your tyres will need to be replaced straight away.
It is illegal to drive your car with tyres below this limit and extremely dangerous.
Therefore, you should ensure to have the correct depth to get good control and maximise the safety of your vehicle.
#4. Avoid Overloading Your Car
Overloading your car can take a toll on the tyres. It can result in an accident too. So, ensure that you do not overload your car.
Loading your car with excessive weight can cause excessive wear on the tyres due to excessive heat. As a result, there can be a tyre explosion, and an accident comes at risk.
However, most tyres now come with a label with the tyre load index marked. Ensure that you do not exceed the recommended weight.
Moreover, you can also find out the weight your car can safely handle on the placard on the door frame.
#5. Align the Wheels
Wheel alignment is an essential task in maintaining your tyres. If the tyres get out of alignment, it can create problems for your tyres. For example, incorrectly aligned tyres can cause uneven wear, making the tyres prone to damage. Moreover, an incorrect alignment can negatively impact the driver’s control and increase fuel consumption.
Therefore, ensure to align the wheels of your car. Also, do not fall behind in finding a good mechanic to align the wheels correctly.
#6. Mount Kerb Carefully
You are likely to find mounting a kerb unavoidable while getting around an obstacle in the road.
But, when your car mounts a kerb, the tyre’s sidewall gets pinched between the kerb and the wheel. As a result, the tyres weaken, causing the risk of a tyre blowout.
Therefore, you should be careful while mounting a kerb to keep your tyres in good condition. For example, it can be a good practice to climb the kerb slowly at an acute angle, and you should not scrape up the side of the pavement to avoid damaging the tyre
#7. Practice Good Driving Habits
A lot depends on how you drive your car. Meaning it is essential for you to practice good driving habits to keep the condition of the tyres in good condition.
So, avoid excessive braking or acceleration while driving. Such practices can lead to damages to the tyres.
You should drive smoothly and consistently and avoid speeding excessively as part of good driving practices.
Moreover, you should also try to avoid any uneven road surfaces and hazards such as potholes. And, slow down when you encounter speed bumps to prevent the wheels from being knocked out of alignment.
Conclusion
As tyres are the vital parts of your car, you should take adequate care to maintain them properly. If you fail to maintain the tyres, it can lead to accidents or severe damage. It will help if you follow the tips shared in this article to maintain the tyres.
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