Maintenance Tyres
Your tyres are your only contact with the road. The area of contact is as small as the sole of a shoe for each tyre. Tyres won't grip properly and safely unless they're in good condition and correctly inflated. They can easily become damaged. Make sure you check wear and tear and replace them when necessary.
The penalties for using faulty tyres or tyres worn beyond the minimum legal tread depth are very severe. They may include a fixed fine up to £2500, discretionary disqualification and driving licence endorsement, for every faulty tyre.
The condition of your tyres
- Check that the walls of the tyres are free from cuts and bulges. Don't forget the inner walls, (i.e., those facing each other under the car).
- Check that all your tyres have a good depth of tread right across and all around them. The legal requirement for cars, vans and trailers/caravans is not less than 1.6 mm tread depth across the central three-quarters of the breadth of the tyre and around the entire outer circumference.
- Have the wheel alignment and wheel balance, suspension and braking system checked. If there's a fault, get it put right as soon as you can, otherwise the wear on the tyres will be excessive or uneven.
- If you see that parts of the tread are wearing before others, seek advice. This can indicate a tyre, brake, steering or suspension fault.
Don't let grease and oil stay on your tyres. Remove anything (stones, glass, etc.) caught in the treads. These can work their way in and cause damage.
Tyre pressure
You can't guess pressures just by looking at a tyre, except when it's obviously flat.
Check your tyres regularly - at least once a week. Use a reliable gauge and follow the manufacturer's guide for the correct tyre pressure.
Check your tyres and adjust the pressure when they're cold. Don't forget the spare tyre.
Remember to refit the valve caps.
The handbook will also tell you if you need different pressures for different conditions. Generally, the pressure should be higher for a heavily-loaded vehicle or if you're intending to drive at high speed for a long distance, e.g., motorway journeys.
Remember, it's so dangerous that it's an offence to use a car with a tyre not properly inflated.
Replacing tyres
You'll need to distinguish between the two main types of tyre in general use: cross-ply and radial-ply.
In cross-ply tyres the cords making up the structure of the tyre run diagonally across it, with alternate layers at opposite angles, forming a trellis structure.
In radial-ply tyres the cords run at right angles across the tyre, resulting in thinner and more flexible walls.
The tread of a radial-ply tyre gives extra grip in the wet because of the way it's structured.
Note
Although most cars are now fitted with radial tyres, cross-ply tyres are still available. Make sure you only fit the appropriate type.
Mixing tyres
It's not safe to put radial-ply tyres at the front with cross-ply at the rear. There are no exceptions to this rule. It applies whether the vehicle has front- or rear-wheel drive. It's an offence to mix cross- and radial-ply tyres on the same axle.
Mixing radial- and cross-ply tyres makes rotating tyres, where it's recommended for your vehicle, difficult if not impossible.
If you want to change the type, change ALL the tyres, including the spare.
Keep to the same type all round - all cross-ply or all radial. If you can't avoid mixing types, then make sure the radial-ply tyres go on the back. The car will handle differently from the way it would with the same type of tyres all round.
Ask expert advice
Get the advice of a tyre expert if you're changing type. Good garages and specialist tyre services know the regulations, ask them.
Tubeless tyres
When you're replacing a tubeless tyre, fit a new valve to the wheel.
Punctures should only be repaired if the damaged tyre can be vulcanised (a specialist hot-weld process) to meet legal requirements.
You should run in new tyres at reasonable speeds for the first 100 miles (160km) because they don't grip the road surface quite so well when they are new and shiny.
How to save wear and tear on tyres
- Check tyre pressures.
- Avoid driving over pot~holes and broken road surfaces. If you can't avoid them, slow down.
- Don't drive over kerbs or scrape the wheels along them when manoeuvring. You'll damage the wall of the tyre and this could cause a blow-out later.
- Hitting the kerb can also affect the tracking of the front wheels. If there are any signs of uneven front tyre wear, have the steering checked.
- Think and plan ahead. Avoid high speeds, fast cornering and heavy braking, all of which increase tyre wear.
