Tyres are, arguably, the most important components to keep your car moving. Of course, your car wouldn’t work without an engine or fuel, but, your car could still roll down a hill. Without tyres, that car’s going nowhere. Yet, many of us take tyres for granted and don’t pay enough attention to their maintenance. And, since we don’t, we’re looking at wearing tyres out quicker than we should be and needing to replace them prematurely. Good tyre maintenance is an essential part of any car maintenance plan, and should be replaced with as much care as any other car part or car accessory.
Proper tyre inflation alone can extend the average life of a tire by almost 20,000km and save motorists up to R1.65 per litre. So, it’s more rands for you. And in today’s economy, with increasing inflation, every cent counts. We’ve compiled a list of 3 easy things you can do to extend the lifetime of your tyres.
Also read: 5 Must-Have Car Accessories for Every Car Owner
Properly inflate your tyres
• Know your vehicle’s correct tyre pressure. You’ll find the right pressure on a label in the car (usually on the driver’s door jamb). Use this figure rather than the maximum pressure found on the tyre itself, because the car manufacturer has taken all the factors of your vehicle into account (e.g. handling) and not just the maximum pressure of the tyre itself.
• Check your tyre pressure monthly, and before you take long trips. This keeps the car running at its most efficient, increases tyre longevity, and improves the safety of you, your friends, and family.
• Check your tyre pressure when the tyres are cold. Tyre pressure decreases in cold weather, and can lead to underinflation, which affects handling and increases rolling resistance. This means tyres need to work harder to keep you mobile, and therefore shorten their lifespan.
• Move to nitrogen. Tyres stay correctly pressurised for longer when inflated with nitrogen, and since nitrogen makes tyres run up to 20% cooler, they last longer too.
Caring for your tread depth
• Know the legal limits for your tyre tread. The legal minimum tread depth is 1mm, but you need to consider that insufficient tread will result in a drop in performance with an increase in braking distances, loss of traction, and aquaplaning in wet conditions which may result in a blowout.
• Clean and inspect your car’s tyres regularly. Use soap and water to remove foreign objects and substances from both the tread and sidewalls. A visual inspection will reveal if they are wearing unevenly, allowing you to have preventative maintenance done. As a bonus, clean and blackened sidewalls on your tyres always makes them (and your car) look better.
• Replace old car tyres with an identical set. Low-rolling resistance is a common trait of original-equipment tyres.
• Drive more carefully. This is obviously crucial for safety, but it has an impact on your tyre’s lifespan too. Remember, if you enjoy your tyres squealing on takeoff or grinding them on curves, what you’re really doing is leaving the rubber of your tyres on the road.
• Reduce your top speeds. Driving faster generates more heat for your tyres and accelerates their wear.
• Buy premium brand tyres. They generally come with a warranty, have undergone extensive testing and research and development, outperform unknown brands, and give you peace of mind.
Rotate, balance, and align your tyres regularly
• Be sure to rotate, balance, and align your tyres regularly. This means more uniform wear on tyres. Do this every 10, 000 km or as recommended in your car’s manual or if you have hit a pothole or curb. If you notice signs of vibration or the steering is pulling to the one side.
• Don’t forget to take your car to your nearest tyre specialist every six months. They will help you with inspections, nitrogen tyre inflation, tyre rotation, wheel alignment and balancing, and puncture repairs. All things that will help save you money in the long run!
PriceCheck tip: The last thing you want is for your car to not start, especially in winter. PriceCheck has a range of portable battery jumpers to get your vehicle up and running when you need it most!
