Tyre Safety - Tips & Tricks to Keep Your Vehicle Safe | Tyreright | Tyre Experts

Tyres are made to carry your vehicle, safely transport you and your passengers, and provide a good grip on slippery, wet, muddy, or uneven roads. Rubber vehicle tyres lower friction which makes it easy for drivers to steer and adjust to various road conditions. However, when tyres are worn out or damaged, this can cause road accidents, road hassles, and extra costs.

Regular tyre safety checks can help you determine if it is time to replace your old tyres or if tyre repair is necessary.

Among the telltale signs of tyre damage that prompt replacement or repair is:

Thinning of tyre tread depth or bald treads

When you first bought your tyres you can see the defined tread lines. When you frequently use your car, over time these tread lines start to get thinner. For some, their go-to way to determine tyre balding is through a penny test. However, it may not give you the most accurate answers. Brand new passenger car tyres normally have 8MM tyre tread depth. Once the tyre tread depth wears to 3MM or less, it is time to replace them with a new one.

According to BF Goodrich Truck Tires, there are several types of tyre balding such as:

• One-Sided Wear

• Shoulder Step Wear

• Erosion River Wear

• Depression Wear (Intermediate)

• Diagonal Wear

• Radial Feather Wear

• Multiple Flat Spotting

• Depression Wear (Tyre Shoulder)

• Depression Wear (Tyre Centre)

If you are unsure about your tyre balding, you can also refer to this chart from Michelin.

Sidewall cracks

Sidewall cracks are indicative of tyre aging. If your start to notice small to big cracks between the treads of your tyres and sidewalls, consider getting a new set of tyres as early as possible and save yourself from any potential road hassles.

Sidewall cracks normally happen when the rubber material starts to age due to UV light, oils, chemicals, and other chemicals that brittle rubber. Sidewall cracks also reduce your rubber tyres' flexibility. The worst-case scenario is it can break or split the tyre open.

Tyre age of 5 years or more from purchase date

While it is good to have tyres that still look fresh in 5 years or more, it is still best to replace your car tyres aged 5 years or more after the original purchase date. Cheap skating a 5-year-old tyre over road safety is not something you should be practising.

Awkward vehicle vibration

Check your tires for abnormal wear. Too little or unevenly distributed tread on a tire may cause a car to vibrat­e at high and low speeds. A poorly balanced tire can be the cause of vibrations in a car as well. A vibrating car could be a sign that something is wrong with the tire. If you have already noticed these signs, it might be a good time to visit a tyre shop near you.

Tyre bulges and blisters

Tyre bulges are commonly caused by impact damage or improper inflation. In some cases, it can be caused by driving over road potholes, driving on rough roughs, driving over road debris, and running up on curbs when parking. Tyre bulging is more of an internal tyre issue. 

Tyre blisters, on the other hand, are a more severe tyre issue as this can make you lose grip on the road because the rubber surface starts to peel or you can see strips of it. The moment you notice these wearing signs means it is time to book a tyre fitting appointment as soon as possible.

Squeaking, creaking, or other odd noises when driving or steering

Similar to the awkward vibrations you feel when your tyres are worn out, squeaks and creaks also happen when your tyre treads are low. The sidewalls flex too much and do not generate enough road traction to smoothly turn your car. When the rubber slide sideways, this creates a squeaking or creaking noise.

Immediate tyre deflation

If your tyres deflate easily even after a short drive or your tyres deflate even when you have just parked your vehicle, you could have punctured tyres or other damages that do not hold the tyre air pressure properly. 

In some cases, punctured tyres can still be repaired. However, if your tyres’ interior or exterior tyre is totally damaged, then you may have to replace them with brand new tyres.

Difficulty in steering in the right direction

Turning, braking or accelerating can be among the issues you can encounter with worn-out tyres. These are essential mechanical functions to bring you safely to places when driving. Since worn-out tyres lose their road grip, making turns, accelerating, or braking can be worrisome and can cause a chain of road accidents for you and other drivers. A regular tyre safety check is something you should add to your list to avoid such scenarios.

To Wrap Things Up

Tyre wearing can happen naturally because of overtime use or age. Several factors can also contribute to faster tyre wearing such as poor driving habits, negligence, incorrect tyre care, and cheap skating tyre quality or budget.

When you notice any of the tyre wear and tear signs we discussed, you should never hesitate to pay a visit to a tyre expert so you can get the proper tyre care tips, have regular tyre safety checks, and get your tyres replaced or repaired.

Tyreright offers services from fitting, repair, safety checks, wheel balancing, mechanical suspension and brake services, and road safety assistance. We have various tyres and wheels for passenger cars, SUVs, 4WDs, off-roader 4x4s, commercial vans, light trucks, utes, ATVs, UTVs, buses, trucks, trailers, earthmovers, farm tractors, and forklifts. 

You can also visit our online tyre shop to check our brand selection and book a tyre fitting appointment near you.