Tyre Safety
Tyre Maintenance - Your Most Important Safety Item
Your tyres are the only contact between you and the road and, like your vehicle, they too require regular maintenance.
Tips
Check your tyre pressures regularly, once a fortnight is recommended
and ideally when your tyres are cold. Inspect tread and sidewalls for
cuts and abrasions, bulges, unusual wear and road damage.
If the tyre receives a severe impact, ask Dave Douglas Tyre City to check
for internal damage. Do not repair cuts in sidewalls of radial ply
tyres.
Avoid using 'sealants' or other liquid preparations to prevent
deflation. These may cause the valve to stick open slightly, causing
pressure loss and indirectly causing corrosion of steel belts.
Driving on under inflated tyres is almost certain to cause serious damage, always inflate tyres to the suggested pressure.
Take action immediately to rectify any unusual sounds or vibrations.
Tyre balance and vehicle wheel alignment should be checked regularly,
(ie every 10,000km), especially if your tyres are subjected to rough
roads or aggressive driving.
Tyre wear on front wheel drive vehicles is a little higher and
therefore, attention to tyre pressures as well as rotation should be
made on a regular basis.
Tyre Pressures
Inflation
Maintaining the correct pressure is the easiest, yet most important
thing you can do to get the best performance, economy and safety from
your tyres. Information relating to the correct pressure should be
available from your vehicle's tyre placard however, considering these
points may help:
Tips
Different driving conditions require different pressures. For example,
a higher pressure is usually recommended for high speed driving or when
carrying or towing a heavier than normal load. Seek advice on what is
best for you and your car.
Tyre pressure should be checked when tyres are cold, as pressures will increase when tyres warm up.
Under inflation of tyres can cause them to experience uneven or rapid
tread wear, as well as lead to an increase in fuel consumption. In
addition, under inflation reduces your vehicles braking and handling
capabilities, and can ultimately lead to serious tyre failure.
Where possible, carry your own tyre pressure gauge.
Sealing valve caps must ALWAYS be used, the best being the metal type.
If you require any assistance with the pressure of your tyres, see Dave Douglas Tyre City.
Tyre Rotation
Regular rotation of tyres is a proven method for promoting even wear
and therefore extending tread life. If uneven wear has occurred, this
may be due to worn suspension components, vehicle misalignment or
incorrect tyre balance. These concerns cannot be corrected by simply
rotating the tyres. Dave Douglas Tyre City will correct these
problems.
Front to back same side rotation is acceptable when tyres are wearing
unevenly. If the spare is included in the rotation it should be
exchanged with the tyre allocated to the right hand rear position
Tyre Markings
Aspect Ratios - Explaining The Numbers.
75 and 70 Series
Popular on many small and medium cars, where they provide good ride, comfort and durability.
65 Series
Tyres with 65 series aspect ratios are popular fitment on many medium
and large family cars. Improvements in handling while retaining good
ride are key performance strengths of this type of tyre.
60 series
Further improves handling, particularly steering response as sidewall
height is reduced. Popular fitment on sports touring vehicles.
55, 50, 45 Series and below
Very low aspect ratio tyres developed for the new range of higher
performance vehicles where ultimate grip during braking, steering and
traction are the priorities.
|
Tyre Tips 
