Tire condition and pressure

It is very important to keep your tires in good condition and make sure they are properly inflated - tire failure at any speed is very dangerous. Tire wear depends on driving style: sudden braking and acceleration, sharp turns lead to rapid tire wear. As a rule, the front tires wear out faster than the rear ones. Therefore, it is recommended to change tires from time to time - from the front axle to the rear and vice versa. In this case, the tires will wear out evenly, but then you will have to change all the tires at once for new ones!

When inspecting tires, remove any nails or stones stuck in the tread before they penetrate the tire and cause a puncture. If, when removing the nail, it turns out that it has already punctured the tire, do not touch it, mark the place of the puncture, replace the tire with a spare, and repair the punctured tire as soon as possible.

Inspect tires regularly for cracks and bulges, especially on the side surfaces. Periodically remove the wheels and clean them from dirt on both sides. Inspect wheel rims for rust or other damage. Aluminum rims are often damaged by sidewalk curbs when parking; steel wheels can also bend. In case of serious damage, you will have to replace the disk.

When installing new tires, they must be balanced: balancing must be repeated as the tires wear out, as well as in case of loss of balancing weights. Unbalanced wheels themselves wear out quickly and contribute to the wear of suspension and steering parts. Wheel imbalance shows up as vibration at certain speeds, usually around 50 miles per hour. If the vibration is felt only on the steering wheel, this means that only the front wheels require balancing. If the whole car vibrates, then the rear wheels are also unbalanced. Wheel balancing is done by many workshops.

Tread depth - visual inspection

Branded tires have indicator stripes that become noticeable when the tread depth is reduced to 1.6 mm. The position of the indicators is indicated by triangular marks on the tire sidewall.

Tread Depth - Manual Check

Alternatively, tread depth can be measured with a simple and inexpensive device known as a tread depth indicator.

Tire pressure check

Check tire pressure regularly. Tires should be cold when checking. Do not check the pressure immediately after a long ride, otherwise you will get an incorrect result.