A new set of car tyres can be a reasonable expense, so you want to ensure that you get full value for money. To do this, you will need to pay attention to your driving behaviour so that you put less wear and tear on the covers, but you will also need to service the tyres a couple of times per year. What do you need to pay attention to if your tyres are to last as long as possible?
Balancing Act
When your tyres were first fitted, the technician will have spent quite a lot of time making sure that they matched the wheels and were properly adjusted for optimal performance. This is known as "balancing" and should be checked periodically to make sure that all the adjustments are still in place.
Other than that, it is important to rotate the tyres so that they wear out as equally as possible. This will vary depending on what type of vehicle you have and, specifically, the position or number of drive axles.
How to Rotate
For example, if you have a rear-wheel-drive car, you should move the rear left tyre to the front left and the rear right tyre to the front right. However, the front tyres should be moved to the other side of the vehicle when you relocate to the rear. Remember, these front tyres will typically have to deal with a lot more friction as they move left and right to steer the vehicle. In a front-wheel-drive car, the power actually goes through these tyres as well, and this means that you need to keep a closer eye on the covers here.
Tyre Inspection
When rotating tyres, make sure that each cover is inspected carefully. Be on the lookout for tears or bulges, especially on the tyre's side that is typically hidden. Damage like this can indicate structural problems, and in the worst-case scenario, you may have to replace that.
Getting the Experts to Do It
It is possible to do this yourself, but it can be a fiddly job and you will need plenty of room. You will have to elevate the vehicle on both sides, and this is usually accomplished by a special vehicle lift in the workshop. Also, you will need to know what to look for when scouting for damage and might need to rebalance everything. All of this is best left to an expert.
Share29 October 2021
It's easy to get overlooked when you head into get your car serviced if you are a woman. I have found the trick to getting the auto repairers to take me seriously is to do some research beforehand and look at what the log book says they need to replace this service. I wish I had started doing it earlier because it's also helping me trouble shoot repair issues and I'm saving myself a lot of time and stress this way. I'm keeping track of everything I have learned on this blog so I can share it with other new drivers and help them understand their auto service requirements as well.