Ten things you need to know about your tyres
Tyres are one of the most important aspects while driving a car. They keep the car in contact with the road and moving. But sadly, they are also one of the most ignored components in a car. It is important to take good care of your tyres. In today’s article, we will see ten things you need to know about your tyres.
Tyre age
It is important to replace old tyres even if they are working properly. The rule of thumb is to never use tyres that are more than six years old. You can check the manufacturer date by reading the code printed on the tyres.
Ideal tyre pressure
The correct car pressure is different depending upon manufactures and tire makers. Tyre pressure charts are located in the doors or the manual. You should check your tire pressure regularly, especially before you take any long trips.
Tire balancing
It is important to keep the vehicles properly balanced. An obvious sign of unbalance is vibration on the steering wheel while driving. To rebalance the tire, weights are applied to planes on the tire rim, inside and out. A car repair shop can do check and fix it easily.
Wheel alignment
Wheels can lose their alignments in several ways. The biggest indicator of change in wheel alignment is the steering wheel pull while driving. Try and have your alignment checked every 50,000 km. Also while doing the alignment you can get your wheels balanced and rotated.
Directional Tread pattern
Certain tyres have a directional tread pattern, this help in dissipating water and increase stability. It is important to look at the arrows present on these tyres. If mounted in the wrong direction, it will result in higher wear and a noisy ride.
Different types of tyres
There are a wide variety of tyres depending upon where you live. There are all-weather tyres, winter tyres and summer tyres. Aside from them, there are off-road tyres, low rolling resistance tyres, racing slicks and snow tyres.
Reading the tyre sidewall
Tyre sidewall gives important information regarding the make and size of the car. It is generally coded in a form giving the tyre width, aspect ratio, radial, diameter and load capacity. For e.g, if your tyre says 215/60 R16 then the tyre width is 215mm, 40 is the aspect ratio and R16 is the tyre size. It is one of the important Things to know about tyres.
When should you buy new tyres?
In general, you should get new tyres when your tread is worn out. Things like UV, rays, humidity and temperature all degrade the tyres. The easiest method to check your thread is by using a coin. It is also important to replace old tyres even if they have a decent amount of thread.
The correct way of storing tyres
After changing tyres they should be stored horizontally and on top of one another. They should be stored without rims and turn them from time to time. They should also be stored in cool, dry and dark places.
What is hydroplaning?
Hydroplaning is a serious issue in heavy rains. It happens when there is a lot of standing water and tyres lose contact with the road. It results in loss of traction and braking ability. If you happen to hydroplan lift your foot off the accelerator, but do not brake. Wait for the tyre to gain traction back.
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