Your tyres are something of the star understudy of any drive. The only point of contact with the road, it is important that your tyres are strong and in good shape so as to offer you a comfortable ride – but it is all too easy to overlook them, taking their efficacy for granted. This can sometimes result in an unexpected breakdown when your beleaguered tyres suddenly give way! Let’s take a look at six effective ways to improve your car tyres’ longevity.
Buy the Best (You Can Afford)
No matter if you are to the north, in Scotland, somewhere in the middle of the country, or to the south, perhaps splitting your time between the bustling metropolis of London or Stevenage in Hertfordshire; you should always buy the best tyres that you can afford. Premium tyres can cost as much as double the amount their budget equivalents command – but they last three or four times longer, making premium tyres – surprisingly – the most budget friendly option, assuming you can afford to invest in a premium set of tyres the first time around. Once you’ve made the investment, you’ll have longer to save up for the next set – so if you’re in the market for a new set of the best quality tyres you can afford, why not buy tyres in Stevenage from Ecotyre Services website?
Keep the Pressure Up
Tyre inflation is increasingly important to the smooth running and durability of your tyres. Make sure you adhere to the recommended inflation levels (to be found on the tyres themselves, in your car owners’ hand-book, and online) to make sure your tyres are working at their best. Tyres are wonderfully engineered pieces of equipment, a far cry from the old ‘bags of air’ style of the early days of driving, when drivers could use their own discretion as to how inflated or not they wanted their tyres to be. So important to modern driving is the matter of inflation that, as of 2018, it has been included in the MOT test.
Good Tread Depth
Your tread depth works to keep your car holding onto the road as you drive along, especially during rain showers or other inclement weather. The grooves and sipes literally squeeze the water off the road, allowing your tyres to hold on to the road’s surface – without them, you would effectively be driving along on top of a thin film of water, and that can be a cause of hydroplaning. The legal limit for your tread depth is to have at least the middle three-quarters of the contact area covered to a depth of 1.6mm – but motoring experts recommend setting a personal limit of around 3mm over the whole tread depth for greater safety and peace of mind. Having good tread depth means being able to stop promptly, without the need for rubber-chewing skids, so it will help to keep your tyres in good shape for longer.
Balance and Alignment
Wheel balancing – the art of ensuring that your car’s weight is carried evenly by all four wheels – and tyre alignment – making sure that all the tyres are correctly placed on the axles, ready to pull in exactly the same direction are two aspects of car maintenance that are often completed at the same time. Computerised gizmos help your mechanic to complete both of these activities very accurately in a short time, often a matter of minutes, so do ask for it to be included in your next service to reduce unnecessary wear and tear, and keep your tyres rolling for longer.
Rotate Those Tyres
Tyres wear unevenly, no matter how carefully you drive: the front tyres and outer edges take more strain than the inner edges and the back tyres. If this discrepancy is not accounted for, you can end up with very uneven tyres that are prone to punctures and leaks, so rotating the tyres – during which the front tyres are swapped with the back tyres, both sets being switched from left to right at the same time (so the front right is moved to back left, for example) – can help to ensure an even wear over a longer period of time.
Be Watchful
Finally, keep an eye on your tyres. Know what they look like when they are in good condition so you can easily pick up when a problem begins to manifest itself and take steps to rectify it while it is still a small and minor issue. This will help your tyres to last longer, keeping you safely on the road for many happy months and even years.
