Tyre Care and Maintenance Tips

12^th April 2022

Looking for ways to prolong tyre life? Perhaps you find yourself replacing your tyres after every MOT, or with a puncture every 1,000 miles. The average front tyre should last a minimum of 20,000 miles with back tyres having a much longer lifespan of 40,000 miles. However, we still regularly see customers returning before this because they fail to take proper care of their tyres. Our tyre care and maintenance tips will help you keep your tyres in top condition and reduce long term costs.

What causes worn out tyres?

There are various reasons as to why your tyres might be worn out - it could be due to:

Issues with your steering systems
Braking system suffering from excessive drag
A leaking shock absorber

How to take care of car tyres

1. Check your tyre pressure regularly

The first lesson in tyre care 101 is to ensure you're checking your tyre pressure regularly. Underinflated tyres can cause reduced fuel efficiency, and increase tyre wear and hinder the overall tyre performance. An overinflated tyre will wear a lot faster meaning you'll have to replace them more frequently.

Tyre pressure can be checked at any garage or petrol station or you can purchase your own pressure gauge. You can find your recommended tyre pressure inside the driver's door or driving manual. For more information, view our tips on how to check tyre pressure using our handy guide.

2. Check tyre tread regularly

The legal minimum tyre tread depth is 1.6mm, so anything shallower than this can cause serious performance issues for your vehicle. In poor weather conditions, a worn tyre can cause skidding which could endanger you and any passengers or other drivers.

A simple way to check tyre tread is using the 20p method. Insert a 20p coin into your tyre tread, and if the top of the tyre comes below the rim of the 20p, your tread depth is below the legal limit - meaning that your tyres need replacing.

3. Reduce heavy loads

Most cars are built to carry five people and a boot full of shopping, however overloading your car can cause more issues than you might think. A car carrying a lot of weight can have reduced steering capabilities and overheat, causing excessive wear on the tyres. Additionally, a heavily loaded car will also impact your fuel consumption - so it's best to avoid this where possible.

Most tyres now have a load index outlined in the placard on the inside of the driver's door or in the driving manual.

4. Look out for unusual wear and tear

Keep an eye out for any unusual wear and tear, such as:

Bulges, punctures or cuts - or any tears from sharp objects.
Damage to tyre sidewalls - could be cracks, cuts or unusual deformities. These are caused by bumping into kerbs.
Areas around the rim - marks made by scrapes, bead chafer and damage to the rim.

In these instances, you will need replace your tyre with a spare one. However, you should not re-mount tyres with visible beads showing. Tyres that have been damaged by corrosive substances often show signs of marbling or abrasions. In these instances, you should have your tyre examined and replaced by a professional.

5. Check wheel alignment and balancing

Wheel alignment and balancing are two very different things - but they can cause a rapid decline in tyre health and potentially cause road accidents. Incorrectly aligned tyres can lead to uneven wear, damage-prone tyres and increase fuel consumption. Unbalanced wheels can reduce the comfort of your ride and cause premature tyre wear. Both misaligned and unbalanced wheels can diminish the driver's control of the car.

6. Use seasonal tyres

Only all season tyres are made for all environments - if you have summer tyres on your car all year round you may find tyres wear rapidly. Icy and cold weather conditions can cause summer tyres to stiffen, making them more susceptible to damage and reduce the driver's control. To keep your tyres in top condition and reduce costs long term, it is best to change them with the seasons if you have specific winter and summer tyres for your car. Browse our range of seasonal tyres now.

7. Incorrect tyre size

You can find out car tyre size in the manufacturer handbook - the tyre size will be displayed on the sidewall. You can check if your tyres are the correct speed rating, run, load index, extra load or whether they are run flat tyres or not.

8. Rotate your tyres

It?s a good idea to get your tyres rotated regularly to increase their lifespan. Most manufacturers will indicate their recommendations for tyre rotation schedule within the handbook. Directional tyres can be switched front to back, whereas non-directional tyres can be moved more freely and there will be no negative impact on the handling on the vehicle.

9. Watch your driving habits

Finally, your driving habits can have a significant impact on your vehicle. Driving habits such as excessive braking and acceleration can cause your tyre to wear quickly and consequently endanger you and your passengers. There are a few simple driving habits you can practice to lengthen the lifespan of your tyres:

Slow down for slow bumps
Avoid heavy breaking
Avoid bumps and potholes
Reduce unnecessary acceleration

Additionally, uneven road surfaces, potholes and driving up the curb can lead to your wheels being knocked out of place causing a wheel misalignment.

Time to change your tyres?

Are your tyres misaligned or lacking tread depth? It might be time for replacement tyres. Visit your local Tyre Group garage for your tyre fitting or contact us to speak to one of our experts about replacing tyres.

BACK TO ARTICLES