Car Tyres Liverpool

As the only point of contact with the road, tyres are an extremely important but often overlooked part of any vehicle. We recommend you check your tyres monthly to ensure they are road worthy. Neglecting your tyres could not only endanger yourself and your passengers, but also other road users and pedestrians too. It is generally acknowledged that drivers with tyres with tread below 3mm experience dramatically reduced performance, particularly when braking in wet conditions. With this in mind, its not surprising that your insurance becomes invalid if you are driving with illegal tyres. Not to mention, the fines and penalty points you could receive if you are caught by the police. Not only do regularly checked tyres ensure safety, they are also better for the environment and your pocket. Tyres which are not well maintained need to be replaced more often. Similarly, they do not optimise fuel consumption which equates to higher Co2 emissions and more fill ups at the petrol station. The following checks should be made regularly to ensure your tyres are safe: 1. Check the tyre pressure. Tyre pressure can be incorrect without the tyre looking over or under inflated. This is why regular tyre pressure checks should be carried out. To find out the correct pressure for your tyres, consult the vehicle manufacturer. Remember, tyre pressure should only be checked when tyres are cold (i.e. they have not been run for at least an hour) as when tyres are warm pressure can increase by as much as 20% giving misleading readings. 2. Look for signs of irregular wear. Is the tyre worn evenly across the surface? If not, this could be a sign of wheel misalignment. Kerbing and potholes can cause misalignment which can reduce the lifespan of your tyres so it is worth checking them regularly. Some tyre related problems may only be noticed when the car is in motion. For example, an unbalanced wheel can cause an unusual shaking feeling or a wobble through the steering. Unbalanced wheels can actually cause mechanical damage to the vehicle. 3.Check tread depth of each tyre The legal tread limit in the UK is 1.6mm across 75% of the tyre. To check if your tyres are legal, peer into the bottom of the tread grooves of the tyre and look for raised rubber strips. These are the tyre wear indicators; if your tyre tread wears down to their level on any part of the tread, it’s definitely time for new tyres, because you’re approaching the legal minimum. If you don’t have a tread depth gauge then the border of a 20p piece can be inserted into the main grooves to see if you tyres are below or above 3mm. However, it is best not to wait until then as performance is seriously reduced when tread falls below 3mm, particularly in wet conditions. A tyre tread depth gauge is a simple and inexpensive way to easily check tread depth on a regular basis. It can be purchased from an automotive accessory retailer or from most petrol and service stations. 4. Check the overall condition of the tyre, including sidewalls, look for damage etc. Look out for cuts, bulges or cracks in the tyre as these can not only be dangerous but potentially illegal. Also, check for ‘Flat spots’ which can occur from heavy breaking or an emergency stop. It is recommended that you thoroughly check tyres for damage especially after hard braking. 5. Ensure tyres are clean Clean the dirt from around the valves and fit dust caps to all tyres and remove foreign objects such as stones from the tread. 6. Examine the spare tyre Its easily forgotten until its actually needed but it is equally important to carry out the same checks to the spare tyre. Check the pressure regularly and make sure it is not damaged or badly worn.