22/08/2014
Tyre Safety Tips & Information
Wheel Balance
Having your tyres balanced is important not only to the longevity of the tyre, but to the safety of the driver and to the performance of the car.
Unbalanced tyres cause road vibration, which leads to driver fatigue, premature tyre wear (also known as cupping or dipping) and unnecessary wear to your vehicle's suspension. Tyres should be balanced when they are mounted on wheels for the first time or when they are remounted after a repair. They should be rebalanced at the first sign of a vibration or shimmy, and should be balanced at least once a year.
The cost of keeping your tyres balanced will more than pay for itself in tyre mileage, performance and comfort. Clairshire will be happy to make an appointment for you.
Regular Rotation
The weight of a vehicle is not evenly distributed to all four car tyres. Therefore, regular rotation is necessary to maintain even tread wear and get the most out of your tyres.
There are several methods of rotation. For all-season tyres and most vehicles on the road, tyres from the rear axle are moved to the drive axle and crossed to opposite sides of the vehicle. The tyres from the front axle are moved to the rear, but remain on the same sides. This is known as the 'modified X' pattern.
Tyres with directional design, such as the Goodyear Eagle F1, are rotated differently. In this case, all tyres remain on the same side of the vehicle and are rotated straight forward and straight back.
For 4WD vehicles, it is recommended to switch all four tyres, both from side-to-side and in axle position.
Check your owner's manual for the manufacturer's rotation recommendations. If no rotation period is specified, tyres should be adjusted every 10,000 km’s. 4WD tyres may require rotation as soon as every 4,000 km’s. The first rotation of your tyres is the most important, and be sure to remember to adjust inflation pressures to the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations after every rotation. At Clairshire we can schedule a rotation for your vehicle at any time.
Visual Inspection
Often, discovering potential problems for your tyres is as simple as giving them a good visual once-over. The next time you check your air pressure, scan your treads for any sharp objects that may have punctured your tyres. Even if the puncture is not deep enough to flatten the tyres immediately, the cracking and pitting caused by smaller punctures can eventually worsen and lead to problems down the road.
Check the wear patterns on your treads as well. Excessive shoulder wear can indicate under-inflation, while wear to the centre of the tread can mean over-inflation.
Many tyres have tread wear indicator bars moulded into the tread. When the tread is worn down to where you can see a solid bar of rubber across the width of the tread, (the wear bar) it is time to replace your tyre.
At any sign of potential problems, or if you feel you are ready for new tyres, be sure to take your vehicle to Clairshire Tyres we are here for you.
