New tyres are expensive, especially when they are bought in sets of four as recommended by tyre manufacturers. Having four matching tyres can make a slight, but significant, difference to your ride, the tyres’ wear and the alignment of your tyres – and this can make them last longer.
Having durable and roadworthy tyres can save you from getting stuck or stranded in busy traffic areas like Yorkshire.
Following are five important tips to getting more miles from your tyres.
Inflation
Tyre development has become so advanced that early tyre manufacturers would be quite awed at the sight of a modern radial! These new tyres are precision engineered to work best under optimal conditions, which include a narrow range of ideal inflation. So important is inflation to the efficacy of your tyres that it has been included in the MOT checklist since 2018 or thereabouts. Keep your tyres at the correct level of inflation to keep them running smoothly on the roads for longer.
Tread Depth
The tread is designed to keep your car safely gripping onto the road’s surface, even in the worst weather conditions. It works by giving surface water some way to escape from between the tyre’s contact surface and the road, being wicked into the grooves and sipes and flung out, away from the tyre as it rolls along. Too shallow a tread depth means that this effect will not occur and you may find yourself hydroplaning – essentially, skiing along the surface of the water lying on the road, almost entirely out of control as regards steering and braking. Check your tread depth with a 20p piece (the band on the outside of the coin should fit into the tread) or a very accurate ruler that starts right at 0mm. The legal tread depth is 1.6mm, but experts recommend not allowing your tread to drop below 3mm for safety.
Moreover, if your tread depth is getting too low, you can buy tyres in Castleford from Reg Greenwood’s local garage.
Longevity
Know how long your tyres should last you, and drive accordingly. New tyres, especially the better quality ones, should last you at least five years if used with care. If unused tyres are kept inside, lying flat on their sides, and turned periodically, they can last up to ten years – but will deteriorate quite quickly once they are used, between the fifth and tenth year, even with the most gentle use. This is because rubber degrades over time, and by its tenth year, it is simply not strong enough to last very long in a tyre. It is far safer to plan on a new set of tyres every five years or so – and to save a little each month towards them, so you can afford the best possible quality.
Periodic Inspection
Once your tyres have been on your vehicle for a year, they should be inspected annually. A mechanic can check the alignment and balance, ensure that the integrity of the rubber is standing the test of time, and alert you to any signs of possible future weakness or early onset damage. This will be a modest cost, and one that repays you many times over with peace of mind, knowing that your tyres are safe and good to go on the UK’s road network.
Rotate for Even Wear
Tyres wear unevenly, no matter how carefully balanced the wheels are. Front tyres take more strain than back tyres, and outside edges bear the brunt of turning in a way that inside edges do not, and, over time, this wear accumulates. Before it becomes too noticeable, however, you can get your mechanic to rotate the tyres for you. Moving the front tyres to the back, and swapping left for right and vice versa, puts the least worn edges into the forefront of wear. This process can be repeated as needed until the overall tyre surface is too worn, and the tyres must be replaced.
