Tyre Maintenance ( Part 1) - Importance Safety & Maintenance Tips For Car Tyres

 Before you want to skip this, DON'T SKIP THIS. They say life is precious, and whenever u are driving you have your life literally on your hands. However, I would love to say you have it by your foot - YOUR TYRES. So maintain your life by following these basic but very important tyre maintenance tips.

The part of your tyre that’s actually in contact with the road is only about the size of your hand. Your safety, comfort and fuel economy depends on that very small area. Make sure you not only select the right tyres, but also regularly maintain them to ensure they perform at their best. It’s important because your tyres:

• Are the only link between your vehicle and the road
• Carry the entire weight of your car, a load of up to 50 times their own weight
• Respond to driving inputs such as steering, acceleration and braking from the car to the road surface
• Absorb every obstacle on the road

Now after selecting the right tyres for your car, follow these basic steps

Tyre Wear and Depth

Make sure to regularly check the tread depth of your tyres and replace them when they are worn. This will guarantee maximum traction and grip, helping you avoid any unpleasant surprises. Change your tyres before your tread depth is worn to 1.6mm. To make life easier, Michelin tyres are equipped with tread wear indicators situated in the base of the main tread grooves at the height of 1.6mm. Your safety and mobility depend on a good level of tread depth because:

• The tread grooves disperse water from underneath your tyre, helping maintain control

• The more tread depth you have remaining on your tyres the more water they can disperse, reducing the risk of aquaplaning.

• Correct air pressure, as well as regular vehicle maintenance, will ensure your tyres perform at their best for the longest possible time. 

CHECK YOUR TYRE PRESSURE EVERY MONTH

Correct tyre pressure reduces the risk of losing control of your vehicle. It also protects your tyres from premature wear and irreversible damage to the internal construction. Tyre pressure can drop due to small perforations, the natural escape of air through the tyre's components, or even from a decrease in ambient temperatures. Check the pressure of your tyres, including your spare, monthly and before any long journey, preferably when your tyres are cold (not having run for at least 2 hours or having run for less than 2 miles at low speed). If they are not checked in this cold condition, add 4 to 5 PSI (0.3 bar) to the recommended pressure, but never deflate a hot tyre.  It's important to check the pressure once a month, because:

• Under or over inflation can reduce the life of your tyres, affect their performance and increase the risk of damage.

• Correct tyre pressure will even save fuel 

KEEP YOUR BALANCE FOR LONGER TYRE LIFE

Balancing helps prevent premature wear of your tyres and eliminates vibration. It also protects the suspension, steering system and bearings of your vehicle. Have your wheels balanced when a tyre is replaced, a balance weight is moved or removed, or you purchase new tyres. You’ll know a wheel is out of balance when one area is heavier or lighter than the rest. This will cause:

• Uneven and rapid tread wear

• Vibration

• More stress on front-end parts

• Front-end parts to wear prematurely

Wheel Alignment

It's difficult to tell if your wheels and axles are correctly aligned while driving. But if your vehicle's suspension geometry is incorrect, its handling may be altered and your safety compromised. If your tyre has come into contact with a solid object, such as a kerb or pothole, or you have noticed uneven wear on your tyres, please go to a tyre specialist to have it thoroughly inspected. It's important to ensure correct alignment to:

• Get the best road handling

• Protect your tyres from irregular and/or rapid wear

• Save fuel

Rear Tyres

Rear wheels are not connected to your steering wheel, which makes it extremely difficult to judge their grip while driving. We recommend that new tyres or the least worn tyres are fitted to the rear wheels to ensure:

• Better control in emergency braking or tight corners when the roads are slippery.

• Less risk of losing control of your vehicle, especially on wet surfaces

• Better road holding, particularly in difficult situations, whether your car is front or rear wheel drive 

Handling and Storage

Even when they’re not being used, tyres can find themselves in hazardous terrain. Unless they are assembled and inflated, tyres should never be stored in stacks for long periods of time and you should avoid crushing the tyres under objects. It’s extremely important to keep stored tyres away from  any flame, any other heat source or any substance capable of causing sparks and/or electrical discharges (i.e. battery generators). When handling tyres, it’s also recommended that you wear protective gloves. Tyres should be stored:

• In a ventilated, dry and temperate area, protected from direct sunlight and precipitation

• Away from any chemicals, solvents or hydrocarbons

• Away from any object capable of penetrating the rubber (pointed metal, wood, etc.)