Tyres are a crucial component of every vehicle – be it a car, truck, bus or a two wheeler. It is the only part of a vehicle that remains in touch with the road or ground surface. In other words it means it is only the tyres of any vehicle that are responsible for steering, accelerating and braking of the vehicle. There is no way to deny your safety on the road while driving is greatly determined by the tyres of your vehicle. Interestingly, tyres not just keep you safe on the road while driving but also facilitate a smooth and convenient ride all the way through.
As far as the MOT of any vehicle is considered, tyres again play the most crucial part. In every MOT test it is the health, condition, type, size, security and depth of tyres that are carefully tested. In the following sections of the blog post let us explore few tried and tested tips on how to take proper care of the tyres of your car.
Make sure to check the air pressure in the tyres regularly to get rid any need of calling any tyre fitting company
You should make it a point to check the air pressure in your tyres at routine intervals of once a month suggests a mechanic who provides the service of mobile tyre fitting in north London. It is also important to check this pressure every time just before commencing a long journey. Having too low or too high pressure is bound to affect the steering, braking and overall handling of your vehicle at least to some extent or the other.
Moreover it may result in faster wear and tear of the tyres. Along with diminishing fuel efficiency of the vehicle at the same time. The correct air pressure in your tyres is clearly mentioned in the manufacturer’s handbook of your vehicle. If you have a pressure gauge then you can check out pressure in the tyres at home. Else you can check it at any fuel station. While checking the air pressure do not neglect the spare tyre. And it is important that whenever you check the pressure the tyres must be cold.
Damage check for tyre fitting or repair
There is no need mentioning that a nail clinging to a tyre is never a good sign. To check a tyre or the tyres of a vehicle for signs of damage is not rocket science. All it requires is a thorough visual inspection to identify symptoms of cut, crack, bulge, puncture and others. If there is no visual sign of damage on a tyre for a period of say over six months it is better to get it inspected by a professional. Professional mobile tyre fitting in north London intervention in indentifying damages in tyres proves more effective. Mobile tyre mechanics and other experts who carry out these checks are trained. And skilled to pick up the smallest hint to get into the actual problem in a tyre underneath.
Checking tread depth of tyres is more important for any emergency tyre fitting than you may think
Checking tread depth of a tyre at routine intervals is not only crucial but also easy. A sound measurement of tread depth of a tyre ensures the vehicle enjoys impressive traction and grip of the road surface. Having a good traction and grip of the road surface is even more crucial for any vehicle in both wet and cold weathers. Maintaining a minimum tread depth of your tyres is important to comply with the law. If the tread depth of a tyre sinks below 1.6 mm the tyre is no more suitable for use. And must be disposed and replaced with a new one. If you fail to comply with this guideline the authorities can fine you up to £2,500 for each such tyre. In addition to that you also lose three points on your driving license or could be awarded a ban on driving.
Checking the tread depth of a tyre is not a challenging task; gadgets that make this measure are readily available in the market. If you do not want to invest in the gadget you can use a 20 pence coin to get the correct reading. It is important to mention that the rim of a 20 pence coin is also 1.6 mm. You have to insert the coin into the grooves of a tyre. If the coin disappears totally then the existing tyre still has some life left. And there is no need to replace it with a new one immediately. On the other hand if you can see any part of the rim of the coin from the groove of the tyre. Then the tyre needs an immediate replacement explains a mobile tyre fitting and repair mechanic in north London.
Check the age of your tyre too
A manufacturer imprints the date on which a tyre is manufactured on every tyre that it manufactures. If you notice the sidewalls of a tyre you will see an alpha numeric code. The last four digits in the series say the week and the year of manufacturing. A small example here will make this even clearer; suppose a tyre shows this code “26 23” following the DOT. It means the specific tyre was manufactured on the 26th week of the year 2023. It is important to note that there is no specific legislation regarding the age of tyres.
But as far as practicality is concerned, a span of five to six years is certainly good by any yardstick. The rubber and other chemicals and components present in a tyre start wearing beyond that point of time. Eventually the product becomes more and more prone to cracking and bulging on the sidewalls as time goes by further.
Improve your driving habits if it is required
Driving habits of certain people are known to affect the condition of their tyres. So if it is required you must improve your driving habits suggest experts. If your driving habit is not up to the standard then that places your tyres under a lot of unwanted stress. Habits like excessive acceleration and braking wear down the tyres more than anything else. Running over speedbumps with much negotiating. Or hitting potholes hard are the most common reasons that throw your wheels out of alignment. Opines a mechanic who provides the service of tyre fitting and repair. If you drive smoothly in a consistent approach and negotiate with potholes and bumps on the road carefully. Every time you can be rest assured that your tyres will last much longer assures the professional.
