Are You Tired Out ? ?
By By Robin Piggott
Tires and How to look after them
Tires are the one aspect of a Car that are often overlooked until disaster strikes and in this article we are going to examine all the aspects of tire care and maintenance so that you will stay safe and arrive alive.
1.Tires wear out..Just like any other component in a car, only more so. You need to keep a constant eye on your tires since they are, perhaps, the one thing that keeps you on the road, apart of course, from your observation!
2.Legal limit 1.6mm.. At this point you are over 80% gone.So be sensible and realise that they should be replaced before this tread depth is reached!
3.Tire Pressures.. The Manufacturers'recommended pressures you will find in your manual and also printed inside your fuel filler cap. These are for Factory –Fitted Tires…..other makes or sizes of tire may require different pressures, so check with your Tire Shop for advice. The manufacturers will always give you two settings of Tire pressure…one for the car with Driver and one passenger….one for the car with a full load. Its important to further inflate the tires when you have a full load, particularly if you are going on a long journey that involves high –speed carriageway or Motorway driving. Underinflated tires are unsafe; don’t give you good road holding ;wear out much more quickly; create extra drag which means higher fuel consumption; and give your passengers and uncomfortable ride.If you have young children in the rear seat be prepared for car sickness!
4.Cuts–Splits–Bulges.. These are easy to acquire, if you play footsie with kerbs and potholes.Mounting the Kerb can damage the sidewall of the tire either invisibly or very visibly.Tire sidewalls are much thinner than the tire tread and so are easily damaged.A bulge indicates severe damage to the side wall and this will require the immediate replacement of the tire. There is a danger of a blow-out occurring at high speed with a damaged tire. Pot-holes, by their very nature have sharp edges and going over one at any kind of speed, will often lead to a puncture, or worse, the complete destruction of the tire ,not to mention your beautiful ,newly acquired Alloy wheels.
5.The Spare Wheel.. This is often forgotten about and should be included in your weekly tire pressure check.The tire will lose its pressure over time and it’s a real nuisance and a danger, to get a puncture, miles from anywhere, and then find that your spare tire is flat!You are then side-lined with the obvious delays in getting hold of a mobile tire service, but perhaps worse is the possibility of creating a major obstruction on the road with your stranded car.A car that cannot be moved off the road creates a serious accident hazard.
6.Punctures.. What to do when you get one? It’s very important to know how to change a wheel, following a puncture, whether you are a Guy or a Girl! Changing a wheel is relatively simple, providing you have the correct equipment and utilise the correct technique. However it is not always easy or safe. In the next section we will discuss this in more detail but in the meantime if you are a Lady drive and some difficulty with this exercise; providing you get all your tools out and look as if you know what you are doing, then it is very likely that a passing motorist will stop and assist you and get you motoring again in a few minutes.
7.Equipment.. The wheelbrace that comes with your car when it is new, we have found to be sometimes ineffective when trying to release the wheel nuts if your wheel has either not been removed for a very long time, or has been overtightened by the gun in use in a garage or tire shop. We have got through numerous wheel braces over the years which have had to be discarded in favour of the professional criss-cross, cast iron brace, which will last you a life time and which you can take with you when you change cars .This type of wheel brace has four different size sockets and will, because of it’s tremendous leverage, enable you to loosen the most stubborn of nuts. An added bonus of carrying one of these is that you will be able to help any other Motorist who is having trouble with his wheel.