How To Know When Your Tyres Need Changing
The tyres are one of the most important parts of any vehicle and for people who aren’t overly familiar with car maintenance, it can sometimes be difficult to know what to look for when it comes to replacing them. Luckily there are a few things you can look out for that are surprisingly easy to spot, and being able to make a diagnosis yourself can lead to a fix being easier to make.
In this blog we are going to talk about some of the things that you can look out for yourself, to be able to spot when your tyres need replacing, allowing you to fit new ones before it’s too late.
Tread Depth
Looking at your tyre’s tread depth can be one of the simplest and easiest ways of checking the condition of a vehicle’s tyres. The tread depth of a new tyre will be 7mm and the legal minimum you are allowed to drive with is just 1.6mm, so there is quite a big difference between the depths, making it relatively easy to spot and measure. Most mechanics advise that your tyre should be replaced if the depth decreases to around 3mm.
Low tread depth can be hazardous to the driver’s safety, as they become more susceptible to aquaplaning, as there is less depth to allow for water dispersion.
Uneven Tyre Wear
Uneven tyre wear can not only be a good indicator that your vehicle requires new tyres to be fitted, but can also be a telling sign for wider issues with the car. If you spot patches of tyre wear, located irregularly in the centre or the edges of the tyres, it could mean that your vehicle has poor wheel balance, the suspension needs adjusting or the car’s transmission needs looking at by a mechanic.
If you notice uneven tyre wear in your car, it is advisable that you should have a mechanic take a deeper look at your vehicle to make sure there are no underlying issues that have gone unnoticed.
Tyre Damage
Mechanics suggest that your tyres should be checked for damage as often as once a week. This would be to catch any damage early so that sudden blowouts can be avoided.
Examples of tyre damage can vary from being easy to spot to being more difficult to notice. Obvious damage includes excessive wear and punctures while less obvious blemishes include blisters, bulges, splits and cracks – which can be caused by a multitude of reasons, from aging to weather.
Contact NMT Garages
We hope that this blog was useful to you and gave you more of an idea as to what to look out for when it comes to tyres and when they need replacing. If you have a vehicle that is in need of new tyres, or any kind of servicing, feel free to get in touch with NMT Garages by filling out our online form or by calling us on 01234 355 888.
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