It is important to often check the wear of your tyres to ensure the safety of your vehicle. Here are a few answers to questions you might have on this topic, keep youself warm and safe out there.
Do winter tyres wear more quickly than summer tyres?
No, winter tyres do not wear more quickly than other tyres. The rubber is indeed different but it is comparable in durability.
When should I check the wear of my winter tyres?
The aspect of your tyre should be checked regularly, during car maintenance for example. After 5 years, a tyre specialist should check your tyre every year. After 10 years, tyres should be replaced.
When should I replace my winter tyres?
Winter tyres should be replaced when the legal tread wear indicator is reached (1.6mm remaining tread depth). Most drivers know that snow and ice can dramatically affect their safety on the road. Steering, acceleration and braking are more difficult as normal tyres have less grip in these conditions. However, it is not just these extreme wintry conditions which can reduce your safety on the road. Even cold, damp roads can dramatically affect the performance of tyres, leading to an increased accident risk
Thankfully though, tyre manufacturers have developed a range of winter weather tyres which are specifically designed to operate in these conditions, delivering improved safety throughout the entire winter period.
All drivers, irrespective of whether they fit winter weather tyres or not, should carry out regular checks throughout the winter to ensure their tyres are in the best possible condition for maximum safety.
In winter tread depth should be checked to ensure it is well above the legal minimum of 1.6mm across the central 3/4 of the tyre, around its entire circumference. TyreSafe has developed the 20p test for a simple and quick way to test your tyres’ tread depth.
Tyre pressures should be checked at least once a month or before a long journey. Pressures should be checked when the tyres are cold (i.e. travelled less than 2 miles) against the vehicle manufacturers recommended levels. When checking your tyre pressures, give the rest of the tyre a thorough visual inspection for any signs of damage. Look for any cuts, cracks bulges and remove any embedded objects.
One last tip for the trip
When driving with winter tyres in cold weather, you should check your pressure at least once a month. Do not reduce pressure when inflating as it might affect your driving performance. For example, if a tyre has a pressure of 2 bar (29 psi) at 20 °C, the pressure may be only 1.8 bar (26 psi) at 0 °C.
At Sixfields Tyres & Autocentres, our team are specialists within the automotive industry, we have years of experience working on a wide range of different vehicles. For more information about winter checks, new tyres and part worn tyres, be sure to get in touch with our team today on 01604 75979
Posted on 28th Jan 2019 03:57:44 by surrect.media
Tags: Part Worn Tyres, new tyres, winter checks.
Depending on who you ask, part-worn tyres are either a great money-saver or a risky gamble. So we’ve put together some tips
You may have seen signs advertising part-worn tyres for sale at the side of the road and wondered - what exactly are they? Well, to some, they’re a cheap and easy way to get new rubber fitted to their car, but to others, they’re simply too risky, or even dangerous, to consider.
Part-worn tyres are exactly as you would expect - tyres that have already been used. You’ll usually find part-worn tyres being sold by scrap merchants or other sources that deal with second-hand cars or write-offs, as the selling of old tyres is seen as a way of earning a little extra cash on the side. If a vendor is scrapping a car, they will try and salvage its tyres too, if they think they are worth saving.
However, opinion on what constitutes a salvageable tyre can vary between people, and one person’s ‘safe’ tyre could be considered lethal by somebody else. Buying a part-worn tyre is much like buying a second-hand electrical product - you don’t have any comeback if there is something wrong with it, and if you have an accident that can be squarely blamed on the fitting of part-worn tyres, then you don’t have any legal comeback if you want compensation.
Why buy part-worn tyres?
The only real reason for buying part-worn tyres is to save money. If you know the history of the tyres you’re looking at (maybe a friend has some track day rubber they no longer need, for example), then it’s a pretty safe decision to buy, but the reality is that you’re highly unlikely to know what sort of history comes with a part-worn tyre
The standard of quality control between vendors that are selling part-worn tyres will be variable at best. Some simply won’t be as bothered about issues such as damaged sidewalls and tread repairs as others.
If you’re insistent that part-worn tyres are the way to go, the first thing we’d recommend is buying a famous brand, because at least you’ll know that the basic tyre will be constructed to quality standards. We’d also buy them in pairs, so that you can get two tyres on the same axle that should theoretically match. If you’re just buying one tyre, it’s very unlikely that you’ll be able to find one that matches the other three on your car in terms of tread wear.
Part-worn tyres - what to look out for:
Tyre tread wear
Tread wear is the key thing to inspect. If the tyre has hardly been used, then you should get plenty of mileage from it. But if the shoulders are worn, or there’s uneven tread, then who’s to say you won’t be coughing up again in a few months when your car fails its MoT because the tyres are worn out
New tyres have 8mm of tread on them, while most outlets and safety organisations recommend replacing your tyres when there’s 3mm of depth left. Anything less than this isn’t worth working with, and even if there’s more tread than this, if it isn’t evenly worn across the tyre it’s best to look elsewhere.
Tyre sidewall damage
If the tread is fine, it’s time to check the sidewalls. If the tyres have come off a car that has been involved in an accident (again, how do you know if they have or haven’t?), then there’s a high possibility that the tyres may have been damaged in the incident. Perhaps bodywork has come into contact with the tyre or lateral forces have damaged the sidewall’s construction.
Irrespective of this, sidewalls can be damaged simply by poor parking. Any cuts, scrapes or loose rubber on the sidewalls could be a portent of damage to the tyre’s construction, so always inspect the inside of the tyre for a consistent look to the internal part of the sidewall, too.
Tyre repairs
Another issue is with repaired tyres. If a tyre has suffered a puncture caused by a nail, screw or other sharp object piercing the tread, then it can be repaired with a plug of rubber that seals the tread against leaks.
There’s nothing wrong with these repairs, but where the tread has been punctured, there will be damage to the belts that help the tyres retain their shape. Some tyres are unable to be repaired, and those that are may be limited in their maximum speed rating. Again, check the interior carcass of the tyre for damage. If you’re being thorough, then it’s probably worth walking away from tyres that have any kind of damage to them, either inside or out.
Part-worn tyres - top buying tips:
1. Buy from a reputable seller.
2. Find out as much as you can about the history of the tyre.
3. Look for top brand tyres.
4. Buy in tyres in pairs so the tyres on each axle of your car match.
5. Check the tread depth and look for uneven wear.
6. Check the tyre carcass inside and out for any damage or repairs.
7. If in any doubt, don’t buy.
At Sixfields Tyres & Autocentres, our team are specialists within the automotive industry, we have years of experience working on a wide range of different vehicles. For more information about part worn tyres, be sure to get in touch with our team today on 01604 75979
Posted on 18th Dec 2018 04:19:48 by surrect.media
Tags: Part Worn Tyres.
