Following on from our car servicing article, we’re talking about another vital element to your vehicle maintenance. In many ways, even more vital – as poor tyre maintenance can cost you a bit more than just your hard earned cash. That’s right, I’m talking about 3 points for each tyre, and that’s if they don’t cause a serious accident.
So how do you even maintain your tyres? They just have air in them right? Well, sort of! Air is a gas, and over time air can escape from any tyre, even one in good condition. From season to season the air temperature changes, meaning the air inside your tyres expands, and contracts – meaning the pressure in the tyre now, is different to what it was a few months ago.
And what about those additional passengers or luggage you’re taking to the beach this weekend? That’s right – your tyres will need more pressure if you’re carrying more weight in the car. This sounds silly – but it’s true, all car manufacturers advise both a “laden” and “unladen” tyre pressure for your vehicle.
So what’s the big deal with tyre pressures? The pressure in your tyres makes them run differently on the road – the lower the pressure (or heavier the car), the flatter the tyre, the more likely it is to run on it’s “sidewall” – and the clue is in the name, it’s supposed to be a “side” not running on the road. Too high a pressure can be just as bad, if not worse – this causes only a thin portion of the tyre to run on the road – not using the full width of tread available. Not only does this wear out your tyre, costing you money, but can also reduce your braking performance – and therefore stopping distance.
Not sure how to check your tyre pressures? Not sure what tyre pressure you should have in your vehicle? Don’t even know if your tyres are legal? You’re not alone, but that doesn’t make you or your family any safer. Call in to IJP Automotive for all your tyre repair, tyre replacement, tyre maintenance and tyre checking in Barry.
FAQs
The part of the tyre that is in direct contact with the road is called the “tread.” The tread is the outermost part of the tyre that makes contact with the pavement or surface on which the vehicle is driving.
The tread on vehicle tyres serves several important purposes, namely: traction, stability, braking assistance, noise reduction, and durability. Different types of tyres, such as all-season, winter, summer, and off-road tyres, have distinct tread patterns tailored to specific road and weather conditions.
