admin
Vehicle tyres play a significant role in safety. They are the main factor that affects the handling, braking, and driving safety of a car.
Signs of tyre wear
Minor troubles are the first sign that it’s time to pay attention to tyres
Make it a rule to regularly carry out visual inspections of tyres.
If you notice any signs of initial wear, check, and remedy the following problems, or replace the tyres:
- Cracks or cuts on the sidewalls of the tyres.
- The tread does not wear evenly. The reasons can be different: uneven tyre pressure, imbalance, tyre damage or problems with some suspension parts.
- Excessive tread wear. Most modern tyres have tread wear bars, which indicate a minimum tread depth of 1.58mm. When the tread wears down to this mark, then it’s time to change the rubber. Inexpensive tread-wear checkers are available from auto parts stores or specialist rubber outlets.
- Alternatively, a Lincoln head coin can be used to measure the tread size. Insert it into the groove of the tread, with the president’s head to the tyre. If you can see the top of Abe’s head, then the protector is worn out.
- Bulges or bulges. If you find such damage on the sidewalls of the tyres, replace them immediately. They indicate that the rubber has worn out to the extreme in these places and can burst at any time.
- Excessive vibration. Tyre vibration can mean a wheel is loose, out of balance, or bent. It could also be a sign of internal tyre damage. Don’t ignore the vibration: drive the car to a car service immediately.
Insufficient tyre pressure problem
The checks carried out showed that at least half of the cars on the highway can ride on one or two insufficiently inflated wheels. Part of the problem is that some of the air from the tyres escapes through the rubber, which interacts with the wheel and valve. And sometimes, it happens so slowly that most drivers do not understand how this happens. In addition, seasonal fluctuations in air temperature can also reduce tyre pressure.
Since the sidewall deflects more at low pressure, this is fraught with loss of control over the car’s handling, which is the main task of tyres. Even a slight decrease in pressure, such as 0.28 kg-s / cm², can significantly complicate the vehicle’s handling. In addition to this, insufficient pressure in the wheels leads to excessive consumption of fuel, which will cost you a pretty penny.
Excessive bending of the tyre sidewalls can cause the tyre to overheat. And this, in turn, will significantly shorten the life of the rubber and can also cause the tread to flake or rupture.
Tips for rubber care
- Never measure tyre pressure by eye. Modern radial tyres always look slightly concave from the side, so they may appear under-inflated, although not.
- Check the pressure in all four wheels and the spare tyre using a particular sensor at least once a month. You can buy it at any auto parts store.
- Inflate your tyres strictly to the rate set by the car manufacturer. Its value is indicated on a plate located in the passenger compartment or on the door pillar, fuel tank cap, or inside the glove compartment lid. Never inflate to the “maximum pressure” printed on the tyre. The same goes for the spare wheel. If your car, has it, it should be inflated to about 4.22 kg-s / cm².
- Ensure that your vehicle is fitted with the corresponding tyres. For example, if you drive a large truck, one corresponding good option would be the Falken RI151.
- Measure the pressure on cold tyres until the vehicle has driven two to three kilometers. As soon as the car starts to move, the rubber heats up, and the pressure inside rises, making it impossible to determine its actual level.
We hope this article educated you and made you self-sufficient when it comes to caring for the wheels!
