Checking your tyres… what.. why.. when.. and how…??

WHAT…

So.. How many of you actually know what you’re looking for when you check your tyres? I’ll be the first to admit that before I started working at Merityre I had no idea that the tread on your tyre could wear unevenly, or that you could actually repair a puncture rather than having to buy a brand new tyre. Well in this entry I will try to explain exactly what to look for when you check your tyres.

WHY…

It should go without saying that your tyres are a fundamental part of your vehicle as they are the only parts which have contact with the road (hopefully)!! It is therefore incredibly important that your tyres are in a safe and working condition when driving yourself/friends/family or anyone else around. You never know how many times your tyres may have saved you and your vehicle from serious accidents or damage already.

Did you know that WORN TYRES:

·         Are unsafe

·         Do not give you the adhesion to stay safe on the road

·         Can be illegal… Penalty points here we come

·         Can burst, leading to serious accidents

·         Increase fuel consumption!

·         Pick up foreign objects more easily which can lead to punctures

·         Can lead to other more serious problems with your car

·         Can increase the possibility of prosecution after an accident and increase insurance premiums.

·         Will give you an uncomfortable ride

WHEN…

So firstly, when should you check your tyres? Well there isn’t really a set amount of time between when you should do checks, but we would recommend every week, and before undertaking any long journeys. This means that if you do have any problems, you will spot them quickly and hopefully avoid driving around on potentially dangerous tyres.

HOW…

The first step is to turn on your engine (with the handbrake on and out of gear), and turn the steering wheel so it locks on one side, then turn the engine off again (this will depend if your vehicle has power steering). This allows you to see the full breadth of the tread on your front tyres which is important as it allows you to notice if there is any uneven wear across the tyre.

(Many modern vehicle tyres are very wide and the innermost edge of these can wear right down while the outside edge can appear faultless. This can also occur on tyres if the steering and suspension alignment is out on the vehicle. It is very important to check the full width of the tread!)

LOOK FOR…

·         Now you check your tread depth. The easiest way to do this is using a tread depth gauge, but if you don’t have one of these you can use the tread wear indicators which are located within the grooves of the treaded part of the tyre. These are small raised blocks about 10mm in length and 2mm in height which are situated all around the tyre (so you should be able to find them). The legal limit for tread depth is 1.6mm and the indicators are raised to 1.6mm to 2mm. Therefore if any part of the tread area is running flush with the indicators, your tyre has worn to its lowest level and needs replacing.

 

·         You need to make sure that you check as much of the circumference of the tyre as possible as sometimes one section of the tread will be fine, and another section will be worn. This may mean that the tyre is distorted. You need to check for any material degradation in the tyre, for example cracking and perishing.  At the same time look for any deep or long cuts and any foreign objects. Your car drives over lots of different surfaces so you may see bits of stones here and there, but any object which does not come out easily may have penetrated the tyre and be causing pressure loss (puncture).

 

·         Now have a look at the side walls of the tyres. The side walls are prone to damage from impacts, chafing against curbs, under inflation and tearing. You will be looking for cuts, abrasions or missing rubber. When a tyre has a puncture or has been run under inflated for a while it can cause pinching between the wheel and the road surface (run flat damage). This can be seen as an abrasion mark running the entire circumference and worn letters and numbers on the side walls. When this occurs your tyre will need replacing.

 

·         Bulges can be detected by running the flat of your hand over the entire surface of your sidewall. A bulge represents serious damage to the structural integrity of the tyre.

 

·         In the outer rim of the wheel you will find the valve. Check this carefully for any deterioration of the material. Ensure caps are fitted. By moving the valve stem from side to side, look for cracking of the rubber around the base.

Repeat all of these processes for each tyre and don’t forget the spare!

So, for a quick recap:

Your tyres need attention if they have:

·         Low tread depth

·         Deterioration of the rubber (cracking or perishing)

·         Uneven tread wear (distortion of tyre)

·         Deep cuts or sections of tread missing

·         Embedded foreign objects

·         Side wall damage and bulges

·         Damaged or worn valves

So.. Now you know why it is so important to check your tyres, and not just the tread depth, but the whole tyre. If you find this all a bit too much, then just bring your car to your local Merityre Branch www.merityre.co.uk/find_a_centre.htm and we’ll do it for you absolutely free. We will also give you advice on when you may need new tyres and give you a Merityre Tyre Check Report on their condition. You can also have a FREE Wheel Alignment check which will show up any problems and help to prevent your tyres from wearing unevenly.

For information about our Club Card Plus, go to our website at www.merityre.co.uk or ask at your local branch.

The next entry will explain how to check tyre pressures.

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Car Tyres In Law: Your Legal Obligations

What hurts more, being fined for using illegal car tyres or paying out so your car tyres are legal and safe? In practice, the latter cancels out the former. However, it pays to know what the law requires of you in relation to your car's tyres. Here is a breakdown of the legal necessities as regards car tyres.

Driving on worn or damaged tyres can attract a fine (or an MOT failure) and it can also place you firmly in breach of your car insurance policy's conditions. Both these events matter but something else you may be doing is of far greater importance. Never forget that using tyres that are of the wrong type, are damaged or are worn endangers lives.

Important Points

What makes a car tyre poor? Several aspects can put a tyre in this category but there are important factors you need to consider…

Car tyres must not have any lumps, bumps or tears caused by separation or partial structural failure.

They must not have a cut or tear longer than 25 millimetres, or longer than 10 per cent of the width of the tyre's section (whichever is the greater). No such damage may be sufficiently deep as to reach the tyre's internal cords.

No part of the tyre's internal plies or cords may be exposed.

Any tyre must be compatible with the type of tyres fitted to the other wheels

Any tyre, on a car or trailer, must be fit for purpose and free from any defect that might endanger any person or damage the road.

Legal Tyre Maintenance

All car tyres have to be correctly inflated, to the car maker's and tyre manufacturer's recommendations. It is acknowledged that under certain circumstances, 'run-flat' tyres may be used in an uninflated or partially inflated state.

How Much Tread?

The legal minimum tread depth requirement for a car tyre is, 'at least 1.6mm throughout a continuous band in the centre 3/4 of the tread and around the entire circumference.' This tread depth must not fall below the legal minimum and the original tread pattern must be visible.

Must I Carry a Spare?

In law, you aren't obliged to carry a spare tyre and nor need one meet legal requirements when it is stored in or under the car. However, if a spare tyre is used, it must comply with all the above legal requirements.

The Penalties

Now for the bottom line. What will illegal tyres cost you? Read on, carefully…

If you use a vehicle with one or more defective or illegal tyres, a police officer can issue a Fixed Penalty Notice (a Conditional Offer Notice in Scotland).

At his or her discretion, a police officer may decide not to issue a Fixed Penalty Notice but may report the case for prosecution.

Both the car's driver and its owner (if he or she is not the same person) are liable. One or both may be issued a summons.

A court can impose fines up to a maximum of £2,500, and three penalty points. This relates to a car; the financial penalty for a goods vehicle or for one built or modified to carry more than eight passengers can be double this amount.

If a car has more than one defective tyre, a summons can be issued for each illegal tyre.

Under certain circumstances, disqualification becomes possible.

Sobering reading? Certainly, but this is probably less punitive than the physical costs of a car accident caused by an illegal tyre.

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Merityre.co.uk are one of the leading UK independent suppliers of car tyres. Why not visit their website for an online tyre quote or contact your nearest fitting centre.