Essential tyre safety checks

Simple tyre safety checks you can do at home.

Can you recall when you last gave your tyres a simple inspection? Do you know what tyre maintenance you can perform yourself, or what issues you should be looking out for?

Here are some simple tyre safety checks that you can easily do yourself. When you take proper care of your car tyres they can enhance performance and improve the safety of your vehicle.

Is the tread on your tyres worn?

When your tyres have low tread, your vehicle’s ability to effectively brake, corner and disperse water are all reduced. Checking your tyre tread is a relatively easy job, which you can do in a few ways.

1. Look at the tread wear indicator - tyres have a tread wear indicator that becomes increasingly visible as the tread wears down. When the tread wear indicator becomes level with the tread, it’s time for new tyres.
2. Use a tyre tread depth gauge - you can buy a tread depth gauge at a car part store. Measure each of your tyres at least 3 times, the inner and outer sides as well as the middle, but be careful to not place the gauge on the wear bar itself.
3. Grab a 20c coin - this is a simple hack that can make measuring your tread depth pretty easy. Simply place the 20c coin into the tread and if the tread doesn’t reach the bill of the platypus, your tyres have less than 3mm of tread remaining.

In Australia, the legal tread limit for car tyres is 1.5mm. It’s a good idea to get onto finding some new tyres once your tyre tread is worn to 1.6mm.

Has the tread on your tyres worn unevenly?

Uneven tread wear can greatly reduce the performance, safety and longevity of your tyres. It can be caused by several things, including incorrect tyre inflation pressures. When a tyre is under or over inflated it typically results in uneven tyre wear.

Another possibility is that your tyres are wearing unevenly as a result of a bad alignment. You should have a wheel alignment in conjunction with a tyre rotation, or after accidents like hitting curbs, potholes or debris on the road.

It is important to stick to the recommended tyre rotation and wheel alignment schedule as outlined by the vehicle manufacturer.

Do you notice cracks, bulging or gouges on your tyres?

A quick visual inspection of your tyres each month can alert you to any concerning signs of damage to your tyres.

If you detect a crack or gouge in your tyres there is a risk of a slow leak developing and your chances of experiencing a sudden tyre blowout increase. A bulge in your tyre can be an indication that the tyre is becoming weak. Again, this can result in a sudden blowout.

In either instance, if you notice a crack, gouge or bulge in your tyre we recommend that you have it assessed by the professionals at Marks & Wallings.

Does your steering wheel shake or vibrate?

If you start to notice that your steering wheel is vibrating or shaking, particularly when travelling at higher speeds, it could be an indicator that you need new tyres.

There are many causes for a shaking or vibrating car. It may be that the tyres are misaligned or unbalanced. It could also be the result of interior tyre damage.

If you experience shaking or vibrating in the steering wheel, we recommend that you speak to a professional who can accurately pinpoint the cause and advise you of the appropriate course of action.

How old are your tyres?

The rubber compounds in a tyre deteriorate over time - just because your tyres look okay, it doesn’t mean that they are. Once your tyres are 5 years old, it’s a good idea to monitor their condition and have them inspected by a professional.

You can work out how old your tyres are by looking at the build date on the sidewall. The age is indicated by the week and year of manufacture, displayed as a 4 digit number. As an example, 1518 would indicate that the tyre was manufactured in the 15th week of the year 2018.

So often we invest in a quality set of tyres as vehicle performance and above all, safety, are of great importance. Taking the time to do some simple tyre maintenance and safety checks will go a long way in ensuring that your tyres continue to deliver on both performance and safety throughout the life of the tyre.

Marks & Wallings offer a range of services including tyre rotation and wheel balancing services. We also supply and fit a great range of tyres from leading brands including Pirelli, Falken, Michelin and BF Goodrich. Contact us, or call into 940-946 Victoria Rd, West Ryde to discuss your tyre and mechanical needs.