Which is a bit odd when you think about it, because tyres are the only part of the car that
actually touches the road. Four patches of rubber, each roughly the size of your hand, doing
all the work every time you brake, steer or pull away.
Driving around Milton Keynes makes this matter more than you might expect. The grid roads
are quick, the roundabouts come one after another, and when the rain sets in (which, let's be
honest, is often) you want all the grip you can get. So here are five signs your tyres are
ready to be replaced, including a couple that people tend to overlook.
Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash
1. The tread is lower than you think
In the UK, the legal minimum tread depth for a car is 1.6mm across the central three-
quarters of the tyre, all the way round. That sounds like a clear line, but plenty of experts
suggest changing tyres at around 3mm, because wet-weather braking gets noticeably worse
as the tread wears down.
You don't need any special kit to check. Pop a 20p coin into the main grooves of the tyre. If
you can see the outer band of the coin, the tread is getting close to the limit, and it's worth
having it looked at properly. Most tyres also have small raised bars, called tread wear
indicators, sitting at the bottom of the grooves. Once the tread is level with those, it's time.
It isn't just about safety either. Driving on illegal tyres can mean a fine of up to £2,500 and
three penalty points for each tyre, which adds up very quickly.
Worn tread puts your safety at risk on wet roads, so explore Robb Tyres for a great range of
tyres Milton Keynes drivers trust, with easy online booking.
2. Cracks, cuts or bulges in the sidewall
The tread gets all the attention, but the sidewall can tell you a lot too. Rubber breaks down
over time, especially on cars that live outside through hot summers and frosty winters. Look
for fine cracks running along the side of the tyre, or little cuts and scuffs from clipping a kerb
in a tight car park.
A bulge or bubble is the one to take seriously. It usually means the internal structure of the
tyre has been damaged, often after hitting a pothole hard, and it can fail without much
warning. If you spot one, avoid long journeys and get the tyre replaced as soon as you can.
3. One side is wearing faster than the other
This one is easy to miss because the inner edge of the tyre is tucked away out of sight. Next
time the car's parked, run your hand carefully across the full width of the tread, or turn the
steering wheel to full lock so you can get a better look.
If one edge is much more worn than the rest, something else is usually going on, such as
wheel alignment being out or the tyre running at the wrong pressure. Tyres worn on both
outer edges often point to under-inflation, while wear down the middle can mean they've
been over-inflated. Either way, it's worth getting the cause sorted, otherwise your new tyres
will end up wearing the same way.
4. Vibrations or noise that weren't there before
You know how your car normally feels. So if the steering wheel starts to shudder at certain
speeds, say between 50 and 70mph on the A421 or the M1, pay attention to it. Sometimes
it's just a balancing issue, but it can also be a sign of a damaged tyre, a flat spot or the tread
starting to separate.
The same goes for a droning or humming noise that gets louder the faster you go. It's
tempting to just turn the radio up, but it's much better to have the tyres checked and know for
sure.
5. Your tyres are getting old, even if the tread looks fine
This is the one that catches out drivers who don't do many miles. A car that only pops to the
shops and back might still have decent-looking tread after years on the road, but the rubber
itself hardens with age and loses grip.
You can find out how old your tyres are by looking for the code on the sidewall. The last four
digits show the week and year it was made, so "2419" means the 24th week of 2019. Many
tyre manufacturers recommend having tyres inspected every year once they're five years
old, and replacing them no later than ten years after they were made, whatever the tread
looks like.
A five-minute habit worth getting into
None of this needs to take long. Once a month, and before any long drive, check your tyre
pressures (you'll find the right figures in the handbook or on a sticker inside the driver's
door), have a quick look at the tread and give the sidewalls a once-over. It's also worth
keeping an eye out if one tyre keeps needing air, as that's often the first sign of a slow
puncture.
Tyres aren't the most exciting thing to spend money on, we know. But a good set makes a
real difference to how your car stops, steers and handles in the wet, and that's worth a lot
more than the few minutes it takes to check them.
Post a Comment