Tyres are like a great pair of heels you wear every day, they start off looking great and gripping well, but once they lose their tread they slide all over the place.
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| Legally, the depth of the tread on your tyres needs to be 1.5mm. Most tyres will have something to indicate when they are getting low, a coloured line or arrow in the inside of the tyre is the most popular. If your tyres don't have these indicators just stick a match into the groove of the tread. If you can still see the head, you are diving on unsafe and illegal tyres and will need to get them changed. |
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| Getting new tyres is a bit more expensive that taking your shoes into the cobbler, but there are a few things you can do to make them last longer. |
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| Experts recommend checking your tyres every 2-4 weeks. It is better to check them when they are cold, because a warm tyre expands and can throw out your reading. A drive to your local petrol station is still safe, though.
You will find the correct pressure to put in your tyres in your log book, or written inside the car door. Yes, those scribbles do mean something!
If your tyres are under inflated, you use more petrol, your car is harder to handle, and you wear the outside edge of your tyres much faster. You should check all four tyres, too, because if just one tyre is under inflated it can cause instability turning and stopping.
But don’t put too much air in! You will have less contact with the road and wear out the centre of your tyres faster.
There will be a pressure station off to the side of the bowsers at the petrol station. You need to look for the pipe attached to the air tank. It will be long and ungainly.
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Unscrew the valve cap on the on your tyre. |
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Set the pressure of the pump to the desired setting by using the up and down buttons. There is normally a 'flat' option which you can select if you are inflating a completely flat tyre. |
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Attach the end of hose over the tyre valve, it should 'click' into place. If the connection is faulty, a strong hand will be enough to hold it in place. |
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The machine will automatically test the pressure in your tyre and inflate/deflate accordingly. |
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The machine will tell you when it's complete. Normally by beeping three times. |
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Replace the valve cap and return the hose to its holster. |
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| A wheel balance evenly distributes the weight of each wheel. Balanced wheels make for a safer and more comfortable drive. |
| Experts recommend getting your tyres balanced every 5,000km’s, this usually falls around the time you need to service the engine. You should also get your wheels balanced when: |
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You get new tyres put on (the mechanic will recommend this). |
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Your tyres have uneven wear. |
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Your steering wheel vibrates while you are driving. |
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| A wheel alignment puts your wheels back on an even track with each other. You may only need the front two wheels aligned, or all four, depending what kind of car you drive. Experts recommend getting a wheel alignment every 15,000km’s, but you might also need to get it done if you notice your car is getting harder to steer, or is pulling to one side of the road. |
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Properly inflated, balanced and aligned tyres will last longer and save you money each time you fill up your tank. With less drag on the road your fuel economy will increase and you will have a more pelasurable driving experience.
