As more and more people take to the road this spring, you run the risk of hitting one of the thousands of potholes. A sudden jolt, and it’s often too late to prevent damage to your tyre or wheel trim, knock your wheels out of alignment or, even worse, your suspension.
This week, TyreSafe, the UK’s charity dedicated improving tyre awareness, is reporting a significant increase in the number of cracked wheel rims. This has come about as a result of potholes and the organisation recommends checking your tyre pressures more regularly to prevent tyre failure.
With the rule of six in place, people are going to take to the road. However keen you are to meet family and friends, those checks are even more vital if you have only been driving to the shops and back during Lockdown.
Leaving a car parked for weeks or only using it on short journeys can lead to cracked sidewalls. Other problems are flat spots where the tyres have been in the same position and weight has been bearing down on them.
Can we help?
If you are worried about your tyres, you are welcome to pop in, and we will carry out a free tyre check for you. That way, you can be reassured your vehicle tyres are safe or if they need some attention or replacing.
Safe Tyres pressure
If you don’t know your tyre pressure, look for the size on the sidewall of the tyre. Then look up the air pressure either in your handbook or the door sill. Sometimes the tyre pressures are located under the filler cap. Your tyre pressure will be in this format xxx/xx/Rxx. It is likely there will be two values displayed – one is for a fully loaded car and the other with minimal occupants.
Safe Tyre Tread
The minimum tread depth for cars and vehicles under 3.5 tons is 1.6mm (if you are riding a motorcycle or scooter over 50 cc then the minimum is 1mm). If you have an accurate tread depth gauge that’s great but, if not, insert a 20p coin into your tyre’s central groove and at several points around the circumference. If the border is covered – your tread is OK, but if you can see the border at any point, we recommend you get your tyres checked.
Tyre Condition
A tyre’s sidewall will age and lose some of its suppleness over time. You may therefore see cracking. This should be checked by a tyre professional, especially if you notice any lumps or bulges. Should you experience any vibration through the steering wheel while driving, this may also be due to a fault in a tyre.
We want everyone to drive on safe tyres now the spring has arrived, and with lockdown easing, it is important to take a few minutes to ensure your vehicle is safe on the road.
If you have any worries at all, we are happy to give your vehicle a safety check to make sure it is roadworthy. Give us a call on 01273 858999 or use our contact form.