JUST HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT TYRES?

Tyres are often neglected when it comes to ensuring vehicle safety. But just how much do we actually know about tyres – in general as well as in ensuring its reliability? Let us take some time to enlighten ourselves with information that might just save our life, as well as the live of the persons we love. It is our hope that the following practices become part of our culture.

1. Check air pressures in all tyres regularly.
Check tyres (when they are cold) on a weekly basis with an accurate gauge.
Do not rely on the gauge at petrol stations. Spare Wheel should be included
in your weekly tyre pressure check.

2. Ensure you have the correct tyre for your car.
You can check this by referring to the tyre placard usually contained in the
glove box, on the driver's door pillar or under the front bonnet. It
indicates the correct size, speed rating and load capacity, as well as
recommended inflation pressures.

3. Avoid "mixing" tyres.
It is advisable to avoid mixing different brand tyres on the same axle due
to varying construction styles. It can also be dangerous to mix tyres of
different sizes or aspect ratios.

4. Avoid hard braking and sudden acceleration.
Tyres may wear quickly if consistently subjected to hard braking or rapid
acceleration.

5. Use care when parking to avoid tyre damage.
Many impact fractures occur in the sidewall area of the tyre rather than the
tread. Careful parking will reduce damage to tyre sidewalls that can occur
through contact with kerbs.

6. Ensure that tyres have more than 1.6mm of tread.
Most new tyres have about 8-9mm of tread but when the tread wears down to
less than 1.6mm, the tyre may be unsafe to use in wet conditions.

7. Have your tyres fitted by a qualified tyre technician.
Tyres should be fitted by a qualified tyre technician to ensure that they
are fitted to the wheel correctly. Poorly-fitted tyres can result in
vibration, premature failure, poor handling or rapid tread wear.

8. Do not use sealants to repair punctures.
After a puncture, tyres must be inspected internally to assess what damage
has occurred. Sealants should not be used as preventative measures.