ALL ABOUT TYRE CARE
WHY ARE CAR TYRES IMPORTANT?
Because tyres are usually taken for granted until the road puts them to the test.
It's the tyres that stop the car.
When it comes to safety, tyres are one of the most important components of your vehicle.
The brakes stop the wheels, not your car! It's actually your tyres that stop it.
How to check if you have enough tread left
• You should check the wear of your tyres regularly.
• If your tyres are approaching minimum tread depth of 1.6mm
• If you have any doubts, get them checked by a tyre professional. Or see below how to check it yourself.
WHEN SHOULD I CHANGE TYRES ON MY CAR?
This is not a trick question and yet it is one. The right time to change car tyres is unique to every user,
A new Tyre can last anything between 25000 to 50000 km on Indian Roads. Age is also a factor. A general rule of thumb is to change your tyres every 6 years, even if the tyres have not worn down much,
In order to effectively grip the road, evacuate water and maintain control, your tyres need to have a safe amount of remaining tread. If the grooves in the tyre design have almost disappeared, the tyre will simply not grip the road as well. This is particularly dangerous in wet conditions.
Tyres come with tread wear indicators. The easiest way to find these indicators is to look for a triangular arrowhead on the sidewall. You will find rubber bridges between treads parallel to the marker. If the tyre tread has worn out to the level of the bridges, it is time you NEED TO REPLACE tyres as soon as possible.
HOW DO I CHOOSE THE RIGHT TYRE
Find your size on your tyre
• Look at the sidewall of any one of your tyres and make note of the numbers and letters on it.
• The information will allow you to research tyres that fit your car.
What do these letters and numbers mean?
Tyre Width or Section Width
The width of the tyre (or thickness) in millimetres is measured from a tyre’s widest point of its outer sidewall to the widest point of its inner sidewall
Aspect Ratio
Aspect ratio is the relationship between the tyre’s sidewall height and the tyre’s width. The lower the ratio, the smaller the sidewall height, which means better cornering, but a rougher ride.
Construction
This indicates the tyre’s internal construction. They can be “Radial” like most tyres,
Wheel Diameter
The number is in inches and indicates the diameter of the wheel on which the tyre is designed to fit.
Load Index
This indicates how much weight the tyre is certified to carry at maximum safe inflation. Numbers refer to a chart that specifies the load capacity that the tyre can carry. For example 97 = 1,609 pounds.
Speed Rating chart
This indicates the maximum safe speed at which a tyre is certified to carry a load under specified conditions. Speed ratings range from A (lowest) to Y (highest), with one exception: H falls between U and V. To find the maximum speed for your tyre, refer to the speed rating chart. Exceeding the lawful speed limit is neither recommended nor endorsed.
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE VALVE? WHEN SHOULD I CHANGE THE VALVES?
Whenever you buy new tyres, Valves are usually made of rubber and therefore age with time, They can be damaged by high speeds causing air to leak from your tyres.
It ensures that the proper tyre pressure is maintained, It blocks moisture from entering the tyre, The valve cap is particularly important to help block dust particles from obstructing the valve. High-quality caps are recommended.
WHEN SHOULD I CHECK MY WHEEL ALIGNMENT?
WHEEL ALIGNMENT VERSUS WHEEL BALANCING?
People often get confused between wheel alignment and wheel balancing. They are completely different. Wheel alignment, or tracking as it’s sometimes called, consists of adjusting the angles of the wheels so that they are as specified by your vehicle manufacturer. Even though you may hear expressions like toe-in, toe-out, positive camber, or negative camber, wheel alignment itself is not complex. In fact, adjusting wheel alignment is actually a very straightforward operation, On the other hand, wheel balancing allows the wheels to spin without causing unnecessary vibration.
What is Wheel Balancing?
Sometimes when tyres have mounted the distribution of the weight of the tyre+wheel assembly is not perfectly even all around the tyre.,A wheel is out of balance when one area is heavier or lighter than the rest. The result is bouncing or wobbling, which can decrease tread life, increase vibration and cause stress on your vehicle.
Tyre balancing compensates for the weight differences to make sure that the tyre weight is balanced. Tyre professionals will add weights where necessary to counterbalance the tyres.
On every 5000 KM Travel or If you notice that your vehicle pulls significantly to the left or right when you are travelling on a straight, flat road with little cross-wind, or your tyres are wearing abnormally, then your wheel alignment may require adjustment. You should therefore take your vehicle to a Michelin tyre dealer or a reputable garage to have its wheel alignment checked. This is a simple process, which may require slight adjustment of front and/or rear suspension components. If your vehicle’s wheels are not properly aligned, this can cause abnormal wearing of the tyres.
Note that wheel alignment may also be referred to as suspension alignment.
Always have your vehicle’s alignment checked when:
• Your vehicle has hit something (e.g. a kerb or major road hazard).
• You notice that your tyres are wearing abnormally or unevenly.
• You experience steering or handling problems, such as:
• Your vehicle pulls or drifts to one side.
• Your steering wheel does not return easily after a turn.
• Your steering wheel remains at an angle when driving in a straight line.
• When you buy a new set of tyres and want them to last as long as possible.
• When you replace suspension or steering components.
Why is wheel alignment important?
Wheel alignment can affect the amount of wear and tear that tyres endure. The normal alignment on most vehicles is designed to minimise wear and tear and maximise driver and passenger comfort. Correct four-wheel alignment will reduce wear on your tyres, help increase their life and performance, and improve fuel economy. It will also improve handling and driving safety by reducing steering and stability problems.