Car maintenance is essential for keeping your car in the best condition, prolonging its life and for safety. There is no part of vehicle maintenance more important than tyre maintenance and it is essential that every motorist knows how to choose the right tyres for their automobile. Keep reading for all that you need to know about maintenance and replacing your car tyres.
Electric & Hybrid
Many motorists are making the switch to an electric or hybrid right now to reduce their costs and environmental impact. Electric and hybrid cars do not require specific tyres, but you might want to consider a change as these vehicles tend to be heavier and a lot quieter. This means that it is worth looking into tyres with a higher load index and noise reduction.
Every motorist needs to know how to maintain their tyres as well as find suitable replacements when the time comes. The advice in this post should prove to be useful and help you to know when the time is to change your car tyres and find tyres that are a good match for your specific car and the conditions that you will be driving in.
Replacing & Maintenance
The legal minimum for tread depth in the UK is 1.6 mm and it is recommended that you test regularly and change when you have less than 3mm. You should also inspect the tyres for bulges or lumps that could suggest structural damage and check the pressure regularly. Keep in mind that the front and back tyres wear at different rates, so it is a smart idea to rotate them and then replace the whole set when the time comes. You can buy tyres online for your car and then change them yourself or get it done at a local garage.
Size
It is important to be aware that not all tyres are standard size and it is important that you find the right size for your specific vehicle. You can find these dimensions in the owner’s manual or on the sidewall of the existing tyres. The numbers on the tyres indicate tyre width, aspect ratio, radial construction, rim diameter, load index and speed rating in that order.
Summer or Winter?
Vehicles in the UK come with summer tyres fitted as standard, but you might want to consider switching to winter if you spend a lot of time behind the wheel and/or you live somewhere where the conditions can make driving trickier in the winter. Winter tyres are more supple allowing them to grip the road better in cold conditions and feature thousands of tiny grooves that disperse water to prevent aquaplaning. They also have a deeper tread pattern that can intensify the grip on ice and snow.
