You might not realise it, but your tyres are the most important part of your car. Without them, you wouldn’t be able to drive anywhere. The life of a tyre is dependent on many factors including driving style and conditions. Driving style is determined by how often you drive, the type of car you drive, how much you load your car etc. Driving conditions include things like weather and road surface quality. All these factors affect the lifespan of your tyres so it’s important to keep them in good condition at all times.
Tyres are made up of layers of rubber, fabric and steel reinforcement wire which are moulded around steel or nylon bead wire. The main components in modern tyres are synthetic rubber (around 60%), natural rubber (around 35%) and carbon black (around 5%).
The tread pattern and grooves are designed to help stop your car’s wheels from hydroplaning when driving in rain or wet conditions by providing a channel for water to flow through. Tread patterns also help provide grip on the road surface during braking and cornering.
The first thing you should do is check that your tyres have the correct amount of air in them. Check your car’s user manual to find out what the correct tyre pressure is for your vehicle. You can also buy a tyre pressure gauge and use it to check the pressure whenever you think about it – like every time you fill up with fuel.
A puncture will cause one or more of your tyres to lose air quickly and make a hissing sound when driving over bumps. If you notice this happening, stop and check for any nails or pieces of glass embedded in your tyres before inflating them again. If they’re still losing air, get them fixed as soon as possible because they’ll become unsafe to drive on.
Check your tire pressure regularly. You need at least 30 psi in each tire when driving on pavement or 45 psi when off-roading or driving on dirt roads. Check your owner’s manual to find out what the recommended pressure is for your vehicle. Also check that all tires have equal air pressure — it’s easy to spot an imbalance because one tire will feel significantly firmer than the others while you’re driving. If you notice any variation between tires, fill up one side until they’re all equalized again.
Keep your tires rotated every 6,000 miles (10,000 kilometers) or so — this helps even out wear patterns so that each tire wears evenly over time and keeps them aligned properly on the wheel rims. You can have this done at any repair shop for about $20 per set of four tires; it’s generally worth it if you plan to keep these tires for several years after purchase. To know more information on Vantage Auto Services contact us.