Essential Tyre Checks and Maintenance for Safe Driving - Ten tips to help you look after car tyres

Looking after car tyres so they can look after you

Tyres are a critical component of your vehicle that require regular attention to ensure they are in top shape. Regular checks and maintenance not only ensure the safety of your vehicle but also improve its fuel efficiency and extend the life of your tyres. In this article, we will discuss why certain tyre tasks should be carried out regularly, and what sort of wheel related tasks need to be undertaken to ensure the safety and condition of modern vehicles.

Visual Inspections

Performing quick visual inspections of your tyres should be a regular task that you do before each drive. Look out for cuts, bulges, and foreign objects that may damage your tyres. Being aware of the condition of your tyres is the first step to good tyre care.

Checking Tyre Pressure

Regularly checking the tyre pressure is a fundamental task that should be undertaken weekly. Proper tyre pressure ensures your vehicle has better traction and grip, improved fuel efficiency, and prolonged tyre life. Tyre pressure is influenced by the temperature, so make sure to check the pressure when the tyres are cold.

Checking Tread Depth

Checking your tyre tread depth is essential for your safety on the road. The minimum legal tread depth in Australia is 1.5mm. Anything less than that could result in penalties or worse, an accident. Make sure to check your tread depth regularly, and if it's close to or less than the minimum legal limit, replace your tyres immediately.

Wheel Alignment

Regular alignment improve the comfort of your ride and prolong tyre life. Wheel alignment is important to ensure that your car handles properly and wears tyres evenly. Misaligned wheels can cause your car to pull to one side, make steering more difficult, and increase tyre wear. By getting your wheels aligned regularly, you can improve handling, reduce tyre wear, and increase fuel efficiency. It ensures even tyre wear and improves handling and traction, particularly when travelling at high speeds.

Whitbread Automotive use a cutting edge John Beam Wheel Alignment machine to ensure that your wheel alignment is correct and help keep your tyres from wearing unevenly.

Wheel Balancing

Balancing your tyres is important to ensure that they rotate smoothly and don't vibrate excessively. Unbalanced tyres can cause steering wheel vibrations, increase tyre wear, and even cause damage to your suspension. By balancing your tyres, you can improve ride quality, reduce tyre wear, and improve handling.

Rotating Tyres

Rotating your tyres means switching the front tyres with the rear tyres and vice versa. This practice ensures even tyre wear and extends tyre life. Whitbread Automotive generally recommend you consider tyre rotation every 10,000 km or so.

Tyre Repairs

If you spot a puncture, get your tyre repaired immediately by a professional technician like the team at Whitbread Automotive. Continuing to drive on a damaged tyre is not only dangerous but also costly as it may lead to irreparable damage, necessitating the purchase of a new tyre.

Spare Tyre Checks

It's crucial to check your spare tyre regularly to ensure it is roadworthy in the event of an emergency. A flat spare tyre or one with low tread depth won't be of any help during a roadside emergency. If you find you need to use your spare be sure to get the damaged tyre repaired asap and replaced on the vehicle. Spare tyres are sometimes a slightly different size to the others to make them lighter take up less space so they may not be as rigid or durable as the standard tyres and long term driving on them may not be advisable (check your car manual for advice).

Be aware of your driving habits

Your driving habits have a direct impact on your tyres' condition and lifespan. While there are two schools of thought regarding the impact of speeding on tyre longevity it is worth considering that higher speed often means harder braking, which will almost certainly have an impact. If you have a tendency to take off too quickly with squealing tyres, tend to have a hard braking style or have the habit of curb driving (hitting or driving over curbs incorrectly) there are almost certainly be consequences for your tyre, if not the car in general.

Replace Tyres When Needed

No matter how well you look after your tyres they will gradually wear out, losing their effectiveness at the job of looking after you. If your tyres are worn, damaged or more than six years old, it's time to consider replacing them. Old tyres can crack, become brittle and lose their elasticity, which can lead to blowouts or other safety hazards. By replacing your tyres when needed, you can ensure optimal safety and performance.

Whitbread Automotive in Kempsey West provide comprehensive expert tyre services, including fitting, repairs, maintenance, consultation on tyre purchase, and a range of wheel-related services. Contact us today for quality tyre & wheel services and unmatched professionalism...

Whitbread Automotive

Ten tips to help you look after car tyres