Tyres
Like anything you need to pay for quality to get quality! It is worth investing in better tyres as the benefits; make the extra cost outlay worthwhile. These include lower fuel consumption, lower road noise, better handling, better grip, longer tyre life and shorter stopping distances.

New EU legislation in 2012 means that all tyres being sold by retailers will have to display a label detailing various performance attributes. The tyres will be given a rating system similar to that of white goods, with grades awarded based on how safe the tyres are, based on wet braking distance, how fuel-efficient they are, and how much noise the tyres generate. So this should help make finding a quality tyre so much easier.

Ideally, tyres should not be mixed on a vehicle – as non identical tyres (same brand, same tread) will affect the performance. Replacements ideally should be full sets of four or minimum in sets of two per axle.

Tyre Tread / Pattern
The tread pattern works to remove water on road surface, enabling the tyre to grip steer and accelerate properly. If this worn too low it will not be effective (see Tread depth).

Asymmetric or directional tread patterns are designed to be more effective in one direction only, so fitting a tyre the wrong way round can dramatically affect its performance. Asymmetric tyres have a marking on the tyre sidewall to indicate which side of the tyre should be fitted to the outside of the car wheras manufacturers place a rotational indicator on the side of directional tyres to show which way round it should be fitted.

Tyre Tread Depth
The UK law requires car tyres to have a minimum of 1.6mm of tread across the central three-quarters of the tyre, around its entire circumference. However, some tyre safety experts advise that for optimum safety performance, that consideration should be given to replacing tyres when tread depth falls below 3mm. Increasingly this 3mm limit is being voluntarily adopted by company and fleet users, police etc. In the interest of safety is it not worth it?

Remember – by having your wheel alignment regularly checked you can extend the life of your tyres.

Tyres Pressures
Like alignment settings, motor manufacturers also specify recommended tyre pressures for every vehicle. These can usually be found in your vehicle manufacturers’ handbook, inside the fuel filler cap or on the driver’s door sill. The pressures vary from model to model and can also vary from front wheels to back wheels or according to loading - normal or fully loaded. So it is important to look them up and set them to the correct tyre pressure psi (pounds per square inch) or bar.

The pressure should be checked at least once a month and ahead of a long journey.

Incorrect inflation also contributes to excessive tyre wear, fuel over usage and could cause tyre overheating and the potential danger of sudden air loss (blow out) at speed.

When tyres should be changed:

1) Tread depth wears down to either; legal limit 1.6mm or personally adopted limit 3mm
2) Damage to tyre – eg. Bulges in tyre wall, deep cut or chunks missing, severe punctures . etc
3) Old – Tyre starts degrading due to old age – perishing, cracking etc
4) The tyre on the same axle has become damaged and needs replacing.


Tyre Balancing
When tyres are fitted they should be balanced, to limit the vibration. In general a standard balance should be sufficient but if vibration persists and or and there is still some pull (after a full four wheel alignment) then a specialised Road Force Balance may be necessary. To find the outlets with Hunter Road Force Balancer go to www.BalanceMyCar.co.uk